LA Angels Free Agency Position Breakdown: Outfield

The LA Angels are once again looking towards the offseason early this year. The 2018 class is one of the best in history, and in this series I’ll be taking you through each position. We’ll look at a big name, a depth piece, and a wildcard who could turn into a surprise player next year.  To start it off, we’ll take a look at potential outfield pieces.

Outfield is arguably one of the strongest positional groups for the LA Angels. Mike Trout is only getting better. Justin Upton is a yearly contender for a Silver Slugger Award despite his streaky hitting. Kole Calhoun was up and down, but had a nice second half despite a lackluster finish.

They also have a plethora of outfield options in their farm system. Michael Hermosillo showed signs of being a solid starter in his limited action this year. They also have Jo Adell (1), Brandon Marsh (2), and Jordyn Adams (6) all within their Top 10 Prospects (MLB.com).  They are well set up for the future, so the type of players they’ll be looking for will be of the short-term.

Overall, I don’t expect the Halos to be looking for a starter, but nonetheless…

The Big Name

If the Angels are looking for a starter, Nick Markakis might be the guy. Would Bryce Harper hitting cleanup behind Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani look nice? It would bring me to tears…in a good way. However, Billy Eppler will not give Harper the money that Philadelphia or New York will. That being said, let’s turn our focus to Markakis.

The left-handed corner outfielder had a career year in 2018. The 34-year old slashed .297/.366/.440 and played in every game for the Atlanta Braves. He was an All Star for the first time in his career, and proved to be an essential veteran on the Baby Braves. He slugged well despite only hitting 14 home runs, and drove in 93 runs while operating primarily in the fourth spot.

It is also worth mentioning that this was not some one-time breakout year for Markakis. While he cooled down in the second half of the season, he is a career .288 hitter. He has been a model of consistency with double-digit home runs in 10 of his 12 seasons. When the Angels signed Zack Cozart after a breakout 2017 season, he showed regression in his limited action. So while Markakis might not hit .297 next year, he is a strong bet to have another good season.

If the Angels are looking for a starter at a relatively low price, Markakis will provide that left-handed hitting they have been craving for years, slightly above-average defense, and serve as a solid middle-of-the-lineup hitter for the Halos.

The Depth Piece

This is the route the Halos likely go, considering they’ll most likely stick with their starting outfield for the 2019 season (unless Jo Adell forces their hand of course). For this, I’d expect them to at least check in on career journeyman Melky Cabrera.

Another 34-year old, Cabrera is a switch-hitting outfielder who is nearing the final chapter of his career. He was only able to play in 78 games last year, but hit .280 with 17 doubles, 6 big flies, and 39 RBI’s. Not a bad season at all, but it is likely he is used as depth for the remainder of his career due to age, performance, and health.

While he can play both corner outfield spots, which is a positive, he does not play either particularly well. He is not an atrocity out their, but did finish 2018 with -7 DRS (Defensive Runs Saved). Calhoun is a Gold Glove winner, Upton has been a finalist, and Trout will likely win his first this offseason. The Angels have always valued good defense, even from their backups, but Cabrera’s ability at the plate might be good enough for Billy Eppler to look past the defensive liability and sign him as the Angels’ fourth outfielder.