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3 Yankees players the Angels should demand in a Mike Trout trade

The Yankees are the latest rumored fit for the Angels superstar.

By Zachary Rotman |
Los Angeles Angels v Detroit Tigers - Game One
Los Angeles Angels v Detroit Tigers - Game One / Mark Cunningham/GettyImages
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The Los Angeles Angels are not seen as likely to move Mike Trout this offseason, especially if Trout himself doesn't request a trade, but some potential destinations have been listed by analysts that would make sense if a Trout trade did happen.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the latest to discuss a potential Trout trade. He says that there's no evidence that a trade is going to happen or that Trout even wants one to happen, but if one were to happen, the Phillies and Yankees make the most sense.

The Phillies are a team that seems to be always linked to Trout due to their proximity to his hometown and the fact that they're one of baseball's biggest spenders. The Yankees on the other hand, haven't been linked to many stars like Trout of late, but with them likely missing the postseason this season, maybe a Trout trade isn't impossible after all.

If the Yankees were to express interest in the Angels outfielder and Trout expresses the same interest in wanting to go to the Bronx, the Angels must get at least one of these players back for the deal to make some sort of sense. Again, the Angels should not be trading away their franchise player just to clear the money off of their books only for Arte Moreno to spend that money on a different overpriced free agent.

1) Yankees infielder Oswald Peraza

The Angels should be targeting young players to kickstart a rebuild in a potential Mike Trout trade. While they certainly won't be able to get the Yankees best young infielder Anthony Volpe, Oswald Peraza is a player I don't think would be out of reach.

The 23-year-old was one of the Yankees top prospects that they refused to include in trades to improve their World Series odds in the last couple of years, and it's easy to see why. He's a good enough defender to the point where his name will certainly be in Gold Glove discussions at some point, and his bat should play at the big league level.

Peraza has struggled in his 39 games and 125 MLB at-bats this season, but had an .836 OPS with AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Peraza is a player that should put the ball in play a good amount with the potential to hit somewhere around 15 home runs in a season. He can steal bases, and of course, the defense is elite at second base, third base, and shortstop.

If a Trout trade would go down, this would mean the Angels would be entering a rebuild. This means Brandon Drury would be available as well. Assuming Drury is moved, the Angels would have their double play combination for the next half-decade at least with Peraza at second and Neto at short. It's unclear how well either of them will hit, but we know they can both defend at a very high level.

2) Yankees prospect Drew Thorpe

If there's one thing the Angels need, it's pitching. Shohei Ohtani's future on the mound is up in the air, and his future with the Angels in general is even more up in the air. Guys like Reid Detmers and Patrick Sandoval who were expected to anchor this rotation at some point have taken a step back, and Tyler Anderson looks like a shell of his all-star self. The Angels could use a pitcher if they did trade Mike Trout, and Drew Thorpe makes a lot of sense in that regard.

Thorpe might not be the Yankees top-rated pitching prospect per MLB Pipeline, but he is their second-best and fifth-best propsect overall. Thorpe has had a fantastic season splitting time in A+ and AA, and figures to be MLB-ready sometime next season or in 2025 at the latest.

Thorpe has gone 14-2 with a 2.52 ERA in 23 starts and 139.1 innings pitched. Thorpe has 182 strikeouts compared to just 38 walks. He has electric strikeout stuff headlined by a wicked change-up, and his command has been outstanding as well.

This season was Thorpe's first in professional baseball after being a second round pick of the Yankees last season, and it's safe to say it's gone as well as the Yankees could've hoped. In fact, he continues to get better as he has a 1.48 ERA in five starts since being promoted to AA Somerset.

3) Yankees prospect Will Warren

Let's say either the Yankees refuse to trade Drew Thorpe or the Angels want someone who might be a bit closer to being MLB-ready. Will Warren doesn't have the ceiling I believe Thorpe has, but he's closer to the Major Leagues and looks like he can be a part of a rotation for years to come.

Warren was selected in the eighth round by the Yankees in the 2021 MLB Draft, but he's risen up their prospect rankings and is now the Yankees tenth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Tenth might not be super encouraging, but the Yankees have a deep farm system. Warren would rank much higher on an Angels prospect list.

Warren has made 25 starts this season splitting time between AA and AAA, and has had a strong year overall. He has a 3.55 ERA in 25 starts and 119 innings pitched. He's walked 55 batters which is a bit high, but he has 132 strikeouts which is a very good number.

The right-hander has made 19 of his 25 starts for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and has a 3.91 ERA in 89.2 innings pitched. He's been only improving as in his last eight starts he has a 2.36 ERA in 45.2 innings pitched. He's allowed three earned runs or fewer in all eight of those starts, and he's allowed just one run in his last three starts and 18.2 innings pitched.

Warren has had an impressive rise in what was only his second year in professional baseball after being a late pick, and is an impressive arm the Angels should be kee

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