4 best free agent infielders available for Angels to sign in the new year

The Angels are hopeful that their 99-loss season in 2024 will not be replicated in 2025. In an effort to move on from the tumultuous campaign, Los Angeles has already signed some quality players who are sure to improve the on-field product from a season ago. The Halos are moving in the right direction, but they are starting to run out of time. Big-name bats are coming off the board that the Angels showed an interest in, so Los Angeles is going to have to act a bit faster if they intend to get everything they want. Even if the Angels land Pete Alonso or Anthony Santander (and give him more looks at first base), they need to further address both the second and third base positions.

One huge need for the Angels is to find a replacement for Anthony Rendon. They need a reliable infielder who is versatile on defense and can swap positions with Luis Rengifo on any given day. Rengifo is a free agent after this season. Ideally, these players will be consistent on both sides of the ball, and will act as stop-gaps until Christian Moore is ready to be deployed full-time in the not-too-distant future. Regardless, it's time to target a few players who check off these boxes in the free agent market.

Jon Berti

A left calf strain kept Berti on the sidelines for most of 2024, but his output is enough to catch the attention of clubs looking for a cheap contract. Berti was a .306 hitter in May before getting hurt, and his consistency at the plate is just the beginning.

A stolen base threat, Berti can also play essentially every position. Although he was mainly used as a third baseman in 2024, Berti has logged 100 or more games apiece at second base, third base, and shortstop, plus 95 more in the outfield in his career. Signing Berti would be a low-risk, inexpensive addition, meaning they could target someone else if they were to agree to terms with him.

He is not a marquee name by any means, but he would be Swiss Army Knife utility player who the Angels desperately need. They need more athleticism, professionality, and utility men on the roster in 2025.

Ha-Seong Kim

Kim is drawing a ton of attention this offseason, and for good reason. In four MLB seasons, he's amassed a 15.3 bWAR with a Gold Glove award, 135 extra-base hits, and 78 stolen bases. He is the total package and will likely sign a long-term deal once he recovers from shoulder surgery.

Primarily a shortstop, Kim has experience at second and third base, making him a tremendous fit with the Angels. There isn't much of a worry surrounding his surgery and isexpected to make a full recovery by mid-April to early May. If the Angels had both Neto and Kim, both of whom could be held-back some by post-shoulder surgeries, that would be a major concern. Luckily, neither is expected to be limited in 2025 once they return.

Nicky Lopez

A Gold Glove finalist in 2024, Lopez really started to turn it up at the end of the season. For the year, he batted .241, but he showed major signs of improvement in September. In the final month of the 2024 campaign, he batted .283 with a .340 OBP. He also finally went deep, clubbing his first home run.

Yoán Moncada

Perhaps the truest third baseman on this list, Moncada can also play second base. He missed almost a full season in 2024 after injuring his left adductor, but he was showing plenty of flash before getting hurt.

Moncada was 9-for-26 (.346) with five walks in April, but was then sidelined as the White Sox went on to go 41-121 in the standings. He elected free agency, and Los Angeles could be a good fit for him as he is moving on from his time in Chicago. Moncada could be the best possible low-risk, high-reward player remaining in free agency if the former top prospect can stay on the field more once he gets a change-of-scenery.

Any of these players would help the Angels improve in 2025. All four can play multiple positions, and most importantly, they can hold it down at third base. A player like Kim or Moncada would cost more money if the Angels are leaning to keep them long-term, but a guy like Berti or Lopez are great one-year options.

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