3 Angels who could be on the move should they sign a big free agent slugger

The Angels have options with Nolan Schanuel

Nolan Schanuel is likely only to be impacted should the Halos opt for Alonso over Santander, which seems to be the least likely outcome. However, if the name of the game is improvement, Schanuel could be on the move with Santander arriving in LA should the team decide to make the switch-hitting slugger the primary first baseman. Again, it's not a likely outcome, but it's possible.

Schanuel will be only 23 come opening day and with only one full season of big league experience, the Angels could send him down to the minors. While that is feasible, it seems unlikely given his rush to the big leagues since being drafted in the first round in 2023. MLB insider Jon Heyman has suggested Schanuel could move to left field should Alonso land with the Halos, which would further cement their belief in the unique youngster.

Or they could look to the trade market and capitalize on the market for a pre-arb player. In that case, they might be able to find a trade partner willing to swap a veteran infielder or pitcher for a player who is just starting his pro-ball journey.

The divergence between Schanuel's cost-effectiveness, potential, and his ability to fill a traditional role makes his trade value murky, and it's likely he's worth more to the Angels than a team on the trade market.