3 Angels players who should survive the offseason but enter 2027 with everything to prove

We're about to enter a new era of Los Angeles Angels baseball, but before the sea change that comes with a new, deep-pocketed owner, we might see the franchise spend one more year in something of a holding pattern.

The transaction that transfers control of the franchise from Arte Moreno to Stan Kroenke isn't expected to close until the first quarter of 2027, so we'll enter the offseason in something of a limbo-like state. Beyond that, there's the looming lockout and all of the labor uncertainty that the CBA expiration on December 1 brings.

So while we'll certainly see some Angels shown the door, other players will get a stay of execution as John Mozeliak decides the best path forward for the franchise. That means that a handful of players will get to stick around for now, but are put on notice that 2027 will be a make-or-break season for their futures in Anaheim.

These three players will enter 2027 facing make-or-break years as the direction of the Angels is determined

Ryan Johnson

Los Angeles finally has two building blocks in its rotation with Reid Detmers and Walbert Urena, which is a great starting point. Still, more is needed if the team truly wants to contend. That's where Ryan Johnson comes in.

The 24-year-old has his development grossly mismanaged by the Perry Minasian regime, leading to a very uneven 2026 campaign. Johnson was awful in the first half with a 6.75 ERA, but pitched better after the All-Star break, posting a 4.19 mark. Injuries have also played a role in his young career, and fair or not, he carries the stigma of being the compensation the Halos received for losing Shohei Ohtani.

The biggest thing is that Johnson will eventually feel pressure on two fronts. High-ceiling youngsters like George Klassen and Tyler Bremner will eventually make a push to join the rotation, while the franchise's new leadership won't be as reticent to spend big on premier starting pitching talent in free agency. All of this means that if Johnson wants to stick around, he's going to need to perform.

Moises Ballesteros

It might seem odd for a 22-year-old coming off his first MLB season receiving significant playing time to already be put on the prove-it list, but a lot of this has to do with how Moises Ballesteros fits on the roster.

While nominally a catcher, there are serious questions about Ballesteros's ability to hang behind the plate. The youngster only caught 29 games last season and struggled defensively in the process. Los Angeles also aquired Jacob Cozart at the deadline, another young catcher with better defensive tools, who could end up being the future at the position.

That puts Ballesteros in a weird spot. He could land at either first base or DH, though Mike Trout has asked for more time in left field and designated hitter in 2027, and will need more and more DH days as he continues to age. That leaves only the cold corner as a place for Ballesteros to exist, and in order to hold down that position he'll need to hit much better than the .215/.281/.331 line he put up in 2026.

Zach Neto

In a bit of a change of pace, we're not talking about a struggling young player here, but rather a guy who needs to take the next step. Zach Neto has been a rare bright spot on a bunch of dismal Angels squads over the last few years, but the breakthrough from a very good player to a superstar has yet to happen. Over the last three seasons, Neto has posted wRC+ numbers of 117, 117, and 116. Consistency is great, but stepping up even more would be better.

Even when Neto has shown improvement, there have been downsides. He raised his walk rate from 6% in 2025 to 9.9% in 2026, but that also came with a rise in strikeout rate from 26.9% to 30.5%, erasing most of the impact from the gain in free passes. Defensively, he's continued to struggle.

There's some buzz that the Angels could continue listening to trade offers for Neto this season, but it seems likely that unless they're blown away, they'll keep Neto into 2027 in hopes that he evolves into the cornerstone piece that they can build around. If he doesn't, they can still take advantage of desperate contenders at the trade deadline and get a similar return to what they'd receive should they deal him this winter.

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