How deep are the 2025 Los Angeles Angels -- at second and third base?

The possibilities for the Angels at catcher and first base are, with certain caveats, reasonably bright. Then things start to get murky. Second and third base look to feature a lot of the same names, so it’s worth combining both positions here. And it's fair to say that the "Angels in the Infield" doesn't exactly boast a star-studded cast.

Luis Rengifo looks like he’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting in 2025, and has quietly been one of the Angels better players over the last couple of seasons. He hit .300 last year, albeit in only 78 games before a wrist injury wiped out the second half of his season. We saw him primarily playing second and third, covering the holes left by the equally injury-ravaged Brandon Drury and Anthony Rendon. That versatility is a big part of his value, but it would be intriguing to see whether having a set position would benefit his production at the plate. Assuming he’s fully recovered from his wrist surgery and continues to develop his fielding, he’ll be an everyday player in 2025 – but where?

That may fall to how Rendon performs in Spring Training, which hardly inspires confidence. By now, any hopes that Rendon’s contract will somehow turn out not to be one of the worst in baseball are long gone. It’s futile to try and blame anyone for the almost farcical string of injuries that have flattened him since the shortened 2020 season, but at least he was able to be somewhat productive when he did manage to get onto the field – until last year. Take whatever stats you like, from his .218 average to his 66 OPS+, or just circle July 1st in your calendar as the 2-year anniversary of his last home run; it was an awful season that has led to many fans calling for him to go. That could still happen – Perry Minasian has DFA’d big names like Pujols and Upton in the past – but there is just as big a chance that Rendon will be at third on opening day purely due to a lack of other options.

One early offseason move that didn’t receive a great deal of attention, but could play a big part in shaping the infield early on, was the addition of Kevin Newman. Signed for one year at $2.5 million, with a 2026 option, Newman is a more-than-solid defensive infielder. Last year he put up a .278 average and 2.2 WAR over 111 games for the Diamondbacks, primarily at shortstop and second, but he can also fill in at the corners in a pinch. A good recent Angels’ comparison would be David Fletcher -- Newman is the same age, and has similar versatility, but comes at a fraction of the cost and (hopefully) with a lot more consistency. Worst case scenario, Newman is a low-cost utility man who can give the youngsters a day off, step in defensively late in games, and take some of the pressure off Zach Neto from returning too early from his shoulder surgery. If he really impresses, though, he could be a genuine bargain on his two-year deal, and one of the hidden gems of this offseason.

When will Christian Moore be ready for his MLB debut?

If Moore blasts through spring with the same intensity that he’s brought to his incredibly brief minor league career to date, a lot of the infield insecurity will be eased. Moore locks in second, Rengifo settles in at third, Newman covers shortstop until Neto is healthy, and Anthony Rendon becomes the highest paid bench player in baseball. If Moore is not all the way there, and bear in mind this is a guy who was at college this time last year, then the Angels’ failure to sign the additional infielder that everyone knew they needed this offseason will haunt them until the next.  

Scott Kingery is a utility man who can slot in at second or third. Kingery is a change-of-scenery type of addition, as the former top prospect is hoping to reclaim his former glory. Additionally, the Angels have Matthew Lugo as a third base option despite being a full-time outfielder last season. Lugo came up as a shortstop, played 61 games at third base from 2022-2023, then the Red Sox moved him to the outfield in 2024. He was added to the 40-man roster this offseason, and could easily be slotted back to third base by the Angels.

Kyren Paris is still on the 40-man, perhaps he takes second and third base reps during spring training? Non-40 man options are Carter Kieboom at third base, J.D. Davis at third base, and Tim Anderson at second base.

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