Speaking of outfield depth, the Angels decision to move Ward from the outfield might have been a smarter move due to signing multiple non-roster outfielders.
This offseason, the Angels signed Juan Lagares and Jon Jay to minor league deals with invites to spring training to provide more depth.
Juan Lagares OF
We’ll start with Lagares, who is known for being an outfield specialist due to his amazing catches, which helped him earn a gold glove in 2014.
His offense isn’t too impressive as he slashed .213/.279/.326 back in 2019 and was at the Mets alternative site for all of the 2020 season. He had an amazing showing in the Dominican Winter League with Aguilas Cibaenas and was named finals MVP for hitting .379 batting average with three home runs and ten RBI.
Jon Jay OF
Jon Jay is another outfielder who is trying to battle for a chance to be a backup option for the Angels. He’s another player linked to Joe Maddon during their time with the Chicago Cubs, although having connections to the manager might not help him much if he’s trying to win a spot on the roster.
Jay had a rough time with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2020, slashing .160/.211/.240 in only 18 games while used as a backup option. It’s hard to see him winning over a backup option when the Angels have plenty of depth now. However, if he can somehow catch lightning in a bottle, he can be on the Halos radar.
Jordyn Adams OF
Another player to watch is Jordyn Adams, who is quietly another rising star for the Angels regarding prospects with Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh being ahead of him. Adams is rated as the third best prospect in the Angels system, but isn’t ranked in the top 100 for MLB.com. This says a lot about the Angels farm system. However, in terms of development, Adams still has a ways to go as he’s only 22, but there’s a lot to like about him as he has shown great discipline and makes consistent contact. He covers the strike zone well, which gives him even more of a chance to have more consistent at-bats.