5 former Angels players whose spring performances are leaving fans with regret

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While the Los Angeles Angels seem to be rounding into shape down at spring training, it is hard to ignore the fact that this offseason has been more about what has been lost. Thanks to some long-built organizational deficiencies and some less than timely injuries, 2023 seems to have marked the end of an era for trying to contend for a World Series title for the Angels.

That is not to say that LA won't be competitive in 2024. In fact, if some of these young guys like Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel continue to progress, the Angels could make things downright interesting this season, especially in the AL Wild Card race. Still, one has to wonder how some former Angels are doing this spring and how much the team will regret not finding some way to keep them around.

Here are 5 former Angels players that are crushing it this spring

Just to make things interesting, this isn't going to be a list of free agents that left the Angels this offseason because, well, that would be boring at this point. Instead, all of these players were part of the Angels organization at some point and are now showing out down at spring training this year. Some were big names (you can probably guess one of them) while others were seemingly minor losses that look like they could be real contributors for their teams in 2024.

Andrew Heaney

The Angels originally acquired Andrew Heaney in the trade that sent Dan Haren, Dee Gordon, and Miguel Rojas to the Marlins. Over the next six seasons, Heaney never really lived up to his billing as a top 10 draft pick, as he posted a 4.35 ERA in 84 starts with fairly standard strikeout and walk numbers. LA ultimately decided to trade Heaney to the Yankees in 2021, and he bounced around a little bit afterwards before landing with the Rangers.

Heaney's numbers with Texas in 2023 were more of the same we have come to expect, but he is having a pretty nice spring training at the moment. He currently leads Texas' pitchers with 12 strikeouts down at camp, and he has posted a perfectly respectable 3.60 ERA in his three appearances.

Jared Walsh

Jared Walsh started his professional career as an unassuming 39th round pick in the 2015 draft. By the 2020 season, Walsh had made it all the way to the big leagues, where he got some AL Rookie of the Year votes after posting a .971 OPS in 108 plate appearances. Unfortunately, a bout with thoracic outlet syndrome that required surgery in 2022, as well as problems with headaches and insomnia in 2023, derailed Walsh's ascent and LA ultimately designated him for assignment at the end of last season.

Walsh seems to have landed on his feet with the Texas Rangers on a minor league deal. So far this spring, he has put up a 1.048 OPS with a couple homers in 11 games. With Nathaniel Lowe dealing with an oblique injury, there is a strong chance that Texas will carry Walsh on their Opening Day roster to play first base for him while he is out. We wish nothing but the best for Jared given what he has been through.

Keynan Middleton

A lot of people don't remember that Keynan Middleton started his career with the Angels. He was their third-round pick in the 2013 draft and eventually made his big league debut in 2017. His first three seasons in the Angels' bullpen went pretty well, except for a pesky Tommy John surgery in 2018 that cost him a bunch of time. By the end of the 2020 season, Middleton was out of a job and was forced to take the journeyman approach, as he played for the Mariners and Diamondbacks before finding himself with the White Sox and Yankees (the latter acquiring him at the trade deadline) last year.

Middleton has a new team once again in 2024, as he signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals this offseason. So far, he is making St. Louis look smart for getting that deal done, as he has yet to give up an earned run this spring. Given his performance last year and how this spring is starting, LA has to be kicking themselves for letting Middleton go for nothing.

Shohei Ohtani

Alright, it is time to rip the bandaid off here. Angels fans are well aware of what Shohei Ohtani can do on the field -- which is pretty much anything, at this point. He joined the Angels as two-way curiosity with massive upside, and once he was healed up from his first arm surgery, he established himself as a once-in-a-generation talent with the ability to dominate on the mound and at the plate. When he left in free agency this offseason, it was the gut punch to end all gut punches for Angels fans.

Now with the Dodgers, Ohtani is picking up at the plate right where he left off while his arm recovers from his second elbow surgery. In Ohtani's eight games this spring, he is slashing .500/.577/.909 with four extra-base hits, including a pair of homers. If you excuse us, we are going to go cry in a corner somewhere now.

Raisel Iglesias

When the Angels signed Raisel Iglesias to a four-year, $58 million deal before the 2022 season, he was considered to be one of the best closers in baseball and was set to be the anchor of the Angels' bullpen. However, after the Angels fell out of contention once again and Iglesias wasn't having the best 2022 season, general manager Perry Minasian opted save some money and ultimately decided to trade him to the Braves.

Iglesias' 2024 spring numbers aren't all that great, but that doesn't even matter, as adding Iglesias almost immediately made the Braves' bullpen one of the deepest and most formidable bullpens in baseball. Coming off a season where he posted a 2.75 ERA in 58 appearances, which is right in line with what he always does, Angels fans can probably expect him to do so again in 2024 to rub even more salt in their wounds.

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