3 non-tendered players Angels fans should keep an eye on

Mike Tauchman

Tauchman was not non-tendered due to his performance or salary figure per se, it was due to the Cubs' abundance of up-and-coming outfielders they want to utilize instead. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Kevin Alcantara, and Owen Caissie are among the Tauchman replacements. Between non-tendering Tauchman, Nick Madrigal, and the rampant trade rumors surrounding Cody Bellinger and Nico Hoerner, the Cubs are likely on the verge of a youth movement.

The Cubs' loss could be the Angels' gain. Tauchman is an OBP machine. Of all position players last season with at least 200 PAs, Tauchman's .357 OBP ranked 36th (and 2nd on the Cubs). His 13.4% BB% ranked 9th. Tauchman is essentially the veteran, outfielder version of Nolan Schanuel. The left-hander sees a lot of pitches, stays within his zone, does not chase (he posted an elite 22.7% chase rate), and uses the whole field (granted, he does this far better than Schanuel).

He gets on base a lot, do we care if it's a walk or a hit?

Mike Tauchman vs. Dylan Carlson is an interesting call for the Angels. Carlson offers higher upside if he can get right, but Tauchman has a higher floor coming off of his solid 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Cubs. The Angels are clearly intent on going all-in for 2025, and Tauchman fits that model better than Carlson. Some might not agree with a team coming off a 99-loss season potentially opting for the soon-to-be 34-year-old over the 26-year-old, but this is the direction the franchise seems to be going. They value veterans with great makeup (Tauchman is a universally beloved player), over reclamation projects.

If they had to choose, Tauchman seems like the more likely option...but honestly-- ¿por qué no los dos?

There are a multitude of other position players who the Angels should consider, most notably: Brendan Rodgers, George Valera, Bryan De La Cruz, Brennen Davis, and Nick Madrigal. The group of pitchers who were non-tendered is more sparse with talent, but there are several gems. Let's try and find one.