Former Angels fan favorite catcher turned division rival hangs up cleats

The Angels teams of the 2010’s are a combination of absolute superstars like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, old time veterans like Albert Pujols and C.J Wilson, and a collection of young talent trying to find their footing like Jo Adell and Taylor Ward. They also had a fantastic collection of glue guys - players who came in, did their jobs exceptionally well, and played to the best of their abilities. Kole Calhoun became an Anaheim legend for doing this, and another all-time Angels glue guy recently hung up the cleats. 

Martin Maldonado played 216 games for the Angels over the course of two seasons. He was an absolutely fantastic defensive player, arguably the best in the game behind the late at that point in time. He won a Gold Glove Award with the Halos in 2017, showing just how much respect he garnered throughout the baseball community as a defensive catcher. Maldonado also flashed on the mound, wowing Halo teammates and fans alike when he took the mound in a blowout. The pitching staff along with the coaches in Anaheim constantly praised Maldonado’s ability to control a game as well as the basepaths. 

Maldonado was traded to the Houston Astros during the 2018 season. After a series of moves involving the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs, Maldonado wound up back in Houston during the 2019 despite leaving in free agency. He’d resign with the Astros that off season, remaining apart of the team throughout all of the drama that came with their cheating scandal being revealed in 2020. It was not until 2024 that Maldonado left and signed with the Chicago White Sox, and then with the San Diego Padres this year to finish off a rock solid career. 

Maldonado was never the best offensive weapon - his career batting average of .203 can tell you that alone - but was able to register a remarkably long career due to his ability behind the plate. With a league that prioritizes players who can produce offensively and defensively, Maldonado is a true rarity nowadays - even as a backup catcher. He is the type of player who will never garner Hall of Fame votes, but the length of a career is a win itself. For someone drafted in the 27th round of the MLB Draft to have a 15-year, World Series winning career is enough to warrant a tip of the cap for Martin Maldonado as he rides into the sunset.