Former Angels outfielder signs minor league deal with Texas after weighing retirement

Yet another member of the 2024 Angels team has found a new home heading into the 2025 season. Kevin Pillar, after heavily weighing retirement during the offseason, is back in baseball after signing a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers which includes an invitation to big league camp. Pillar, who seemed like he was hanging around baseball to collect his 10 years of service time, found his second wind and will continue his distinguished career. If Mike Trout goes down with an injury in 2025, Pillar will not be there to replace him this time around.

"I know I said I was gonna retire, but I'm entitled to take that back," Pillar said, per MLB.com. "I've played this game for so long, I accomplished a lot of things in my career that I wanted to accomplish. I still had a bad taste in my mouth the way my individual season ended last year. ... Sometimes you don't always get to choose your destiny in this game, and I ended up in the right place."

The Angels did not have many bright spots last season en route to finishing 63-99, but Pillar was one of them. He was not hitting particularly well and his outfield range has drastically declined, but him collecting his 10 years of service time was a feel-good moment amidst the worst season in Angels history. Pillar is clearly a beloved teammate and a welcomed clubhouse presence, and now he will take his leadership and positive vibes to Texas. If he ended up retiring, it would not have been surprising to see him to switch to a role within the Angels' player development department so the organization could keep his intangibles in the building.

The 36-year-old still has some tools that could make him a solid outfielder off the Rangers' bench. His arm strength is still above average, and the defensive specialist has enough savvy to know exactly where to throw the ball within seemingly every game situation. His sprint speed was actually in the 78th percentile last season as well. Not bad for an old-timer (in baseball years).

Other than Carlos Estévez and weirdly Eric Wagaman, every member the 2024 Angels team who found a new home came via a minor league contract. Shocking! Those players: Pillar, Brandon Drury, Matt Moore, Luis García, Michael Stefanic, Andrew Wantz, Jack López, Carson Fulmer, and Charles Leblanc. José Marte and Hunter Strickland are still free agents.

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