3 bargain bin free agents the Angels should pursue

While we can all dream that the Los Angeles Angels can still make a splash in free agency like signing outfielder Anthony Santander, who reportedly has an $82 million offer on the table from the Toronto Blue Jays, most of the remaining additions made will come from the bargain bin as the team looks to patch holes and prove they can contend in the AL West.

While these budget additions aren't always the most exciting on paper, sometimes they can pay off big time. Look no further than the San Diego Padres' addition of Jurickson Profar last offseason to a one-year $1 million deal that resulted in an All-Star campaign for the outfielder.

Of course, not all budget signings bring All-Star level performance, however, there are a number of options still on the market for the Angels that can both fill holes and provide some upside. Incremental improvements aren't always the exciting thing in the world, but sometimes they add up to become the difference between October baseball and fall golf outings.

The Angels should pursue Yoán Moncada

The Halos desperately need help in the infield and need a solution that can keep Anthony Rendon out of a role where he's relied upon for any sort of consistent production. While they could target a second base option and shift Luis Rengifo to the hot corner full-time, perhaps the best path forward is keeping Rengifo at second and bringing in the once-top-prospect in all of baseball.

While Moncada, who was the jewel of the White Sox-Red Sox trade for Chris Sale, has never lived up to that lofty billing, he's been a productive player for most of his career. For his career, Moncada, entering his age-30 season, owns a .254/.331/.424 line which is good for a 107 wRC+ while also playing above-average defense at third.

There are some warts to his game, namely a 29.7% strikeout rate for his career and a lack of power to justify all that swing and miss despite raw power being one of his loudest tools as a prospect. There are also some health concerns as he hasn't played more than 104 games in a season since 2021 and missed five months in 2024 due to an abductor injury.

That said, the recent injury is part of what keeps his price tag down, and if he performs up to his career averages he'd be a solid addition as a switch hitter who can lengthen the lineup and provide solid glove work. If he somehow figures out how to tap into his power, he could end up being a Profar-level steal.