3 best remaining free-agent second base targets the Angels could pursue

When Ken Rosenthal reported that he believes that the Angels are in play to pick off several free agents, he certainly meant players more substantial than Tim Anderson and J.D. Davis, right? This is a team that still has several holes on the roster, one of the most prominent being in the infield. Luis Rengifo is versatile, but it's clear that his skills best translate to third base. Plus, if he puts down roots at the hot corner we all get the added bonus of forgetting that Anthony Rendon exists.

That would shift the hole to second base, and while top prospect Christian Moore might prove to be the best option there in spring training it wouldn't hurt to add some viable competition for him. After all, the youngster has just 25 games of professional experience under his belt.

There are three remaining free-agent second baseman who could at worst provide some competency at the keystone position. None of these guys are stars, but they at least bring big-league experience and perhaps a little more to the table.

Ha-seong Kim should be the Angels' first choice

The Korean-born star had some trouble adapting to major league pitching when he arrived stateside. After clubbing 30 homers in his final season in the KBO, he arrived in San Diego and posted a very lackluster 71 wRC+.

In the three seasons since, he's gotten his feet under him. While he might not be quite the fearsome hitter he was in Asia, from 2022 through 2024 he's posted wRC+ marks of 105, 110, and 101 respectively. He shows solid plate discipline with a career walk rate of 10.4% and enough pop to be respectable. His 2024 line of .233/.330/.370 won't jump off the page, but it was essentially league-average performance.

Where he really shines is with the glove. Last season, playing exclusively shortstop for the Padres, he recorded 2 outs above average. In 2023, he spent time at second, short, and third recording 9 OAA total with 7 coming at second.

While good glovework matters for every team, it might be even more important for the Angels who lack strikeout artists in the rotation and rely on ground balls to be effective. Tightening up the defense up the middle while adding a competent bat seems like a home run of a signing.

Sounds perfect, right? Well, almost. There's one issue that muddies the fit for the Halos a bit. Kim suffered a shoulder injury last August and underwent surgery in October that will hold him out until the end of April or the beginning of May at the earliest.

With rising star shortstop Zach Neto undergoing his own shoulder surgery back in November and having a questionable timetable for his return, it would be a tough pill to swallow for the Halos to be without both halves of their double-play combo to start the season.

Still, Kim who has posted fWARs between 2.6 and 4.2 in each of the last three seasons is a superb option, and one whose price tag should continue to fall the longer he remains unsigned.