Brett Baty and 4 former top prospects Angels could rescue with offseason trade deals

In all likelihood, the Los Angeles Angels becoming big-time players in the free-agent and trade markets won't happen until the 2027-2028 offseason. With the lockout looming and new owner Stan Kroenke not expected to take control of the franchise until early 2027, this offseason likely won't see the same level of splashes that will be possible in the future.

However, with John Mozeliak at the helm, the Angels finally have an adult in the room. The veteran general manager will likely look for value adds, prioritizing younger players as Los Angeles charts a course for the future. A good way to do that is to target former top prospects who are change-of-scenery candidates.

One name that stands out is Brett Baty of the New York Mets. After debuting in 2022 as a buzzy top prospect with big power potential, Baty disappointed greatly in 2023 and 2024 and failed to establish a foothold in the majors. He bounced back somewhat with a decent 2025 that saw him hit .254/.313/.435 with 18 homers over 130 games.

However, in 2026, he's hit just .238/.313/.377, but that doesn't tell the whole story. Since June 30, Baty's been on a tear, hitting .283/.341/.506 with eight of his 11 dingers coming over this 59-game stretch.

Taking advantage of that prolonged hot streak would be wise, and Baty could also help the Halos with his versatility. A natural third baseman, he's expanded his horizons and logged time at first base, second base, left field, and right field this season, playing solid defense across the board. He's also made two cameos at shortstop.

After a good introduction to the majors, Denzer Guzman has fizzled with prolonged exposure to big league pitching. Combine that with Christian Moore continuing to struggle, and the possibility that the organization could sour on Nolan Schanuel's unorthodox approach, and Baty could solve any one of a multitude of needs. At least the competition in spring training would be raised, which is never a bad thing.

In a similar vein, there are a handful of other "busted" prospects that could catch Mozeliak's eye and prove to be savvy trade targets for the Angels this winter.

Four other former top prospects who could be brilliant change-of-scenery candidates for the Angels

New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe

If the Angels end up trading Zach Neto for a haul this offseason, they're going to need a replacement at shortstop. Enter New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe.

Volpe was the No. 5 overall prospect in baseball per MLB Pipeline's 2023 preseason top 100 list. Billed as having an incredible baseball IQ, outstanding defensive abilities, power, and a solid contact tool, Yankees fans and the New York media were hoping he'd lock down shortstop in the Bronx for the next two decades, just as Derek Jeter had done before him.

The expectation that he be the heir-apparent to Jeter was a lot of weight to put on Volpe's shoulders, and he stumbled out of the gate and then never really improved. His 2026 campaign got off to a delayed start due to shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum that he played with for much of the 2025 season.

This year, he's been up and down from the minor leagues a couple of times and lost his starting shortstop job to next-generation top prospect George Lombard Jr., but there might be reason to believe that getting out of New York could revive Volpe. His last stint with Triple-A Scranton saw him hit .284/.381/.642 with 10 homers over 28 games. That hasn't carried over to the Yankees after he returned to the bigs on September 8, but he's had a couple of moments.

As an added bonus, Volpe has added second base to his repertoire and is starting to get more work at third. He might even be someone the Angels could target to play alongside Neto, rather than as his replacement.

Chicago Cubs utilityman Matt Shaw

Another former top prospect who has become a multi-positional maven, Chicago Cubs utility man Matt Shaw was once thought to be a big part of the team's plans. Shaw took over third base last season as the Opening Day starter following the Kyle Tucker trade that sent Isaac Paredes to the Houston Astros.

Things did not go well for the 2023 first-round pick initially, and by mid-April he was sent back down to Triple-A Iowa. Shaw would come back up and play 126 games in total, hitting .226/.295/.394 with 13 long balls. However, much like Baty this year, Shaw slashed .258/.317/.522 in the second half, showing the promise that made him so highly regarded.

However, this past winter, Chicago signed Alex Bregman and locked up Nico Hoerner long-term, forcing Shaw into a utility role that's had him playing more outfield than anything else. He's hit just .232/.323/.409 with five homers, but he also missed two months with a hand and wrist injury. Perhaps being locked into one position could help him blossom in a new environment.

New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil

Luis Gil won the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year with a 3.50 ERA over 151 2/3 innings. He followed that up with an injury-shortened 2025 campaign that saw him post a 3.32 ERA over 11 starts and 57 innings, but under the hood, things weren't nearly as rosy, as his strikeouts plummeted and his walks ballooned.

Since then, things have gotten even worse. Gil didn't make the cut coming out of spring training, though he was promoted in early April. After a handful of disastrous starts, he was sent back down and missed most of the season due to a shoulder injury. These days, he's back up with the Yankees as a reliever and has a 1.13 ERA over his first five relief appearances.

The Angels need arms, and while Gil might give you Grayson Rodriguez vibes, he was also coveted by the Astros during Kyle Tucker trade negotiations. It might be worth a shot to see if he could work in either the bullpen or the rotation.

Arizona Diamondbacks infielder/outielder Jordan Lawlar

Once considered one of the top prospects in the game, shortstop-turned-utility man Jordan Lawlar's story is in part one of opportunity. The 24-year-old has been stuck on a contending team, and the few opportunities he's received have been cut short as he hasn't hit the ground running.

After struggling in 2025, he has performed better by hitting .256/.320/.444 this season, but has been limited to just 42 games due to a variety of injuries.

Over the years, he's developed a ton of versatility, playing second, third, and the outfield in addition to shortstop, and he has the speed and athleticism to handle any of those positions. If Arizona is tired of waiting for him to arrive, the Angels could swoop in and snag a young player with incredible-power speed potential that could be maximized with consistent opportunity.

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