A sneaky good fourth outfielder for the Angels to target
Right now, the Los Angeles Angels have their starting outfield set in stone with Taylor Ward in left, Mike Trout in center, and Hunter Renfroe in right. They made the right decision in not promising Jo Adell or Mickey Moniak starting jobs. Both former first-round picks will have a chance to make the team, but it's possible both end up in AAA or traded.
I believe the time to trade Jo Adell is now while he could still have some sort of value, even if it's minimal. I've just lost faith there. Moniak is more interesting as he's also struggled but has been hurt a lot and hasn't had as much of a chance as Adell.
If the Angels decide to trade one or both, or decide neither of them should be on the roster they'll need a fourth outfielder.
Tyler Naquin gives the Angels an established fourth outfielder
Tyler Naquin burst onto the scene in 2016 and looked like he'd be part of the Cleveland Indians' future outfield. He slashed .296/.372/.514 with 14 home runs and 43 RBI in 114 games. He had a 128 OPS+ which is an outstanding number.
Naquin battled inconsistency and injuries for the next four seasons and ended up signing a minor league deal with the Reds prior to the 2021 season. With another chance to play every day, Naquin had a very good season offensively.
He slashed .270/.333/.477 with 19 home runs and 70 RBI in 127 games. He had a 107 OPS+ that season. Naquin struggled this past season splitting time with the Reds and Mets.
Naquin's numbers were down but he did have a .746 OPS against right-handed pitching this past season. He has a .794 OPS against righties in his career. As a fourth outfielder, he'd be a really solid option if he played against right-handed pitching.
Not only does Naquin have power, but he's a really solid defender. He's at his best in the corners but has experience in center field. Naquin ranked in the 94th percentile in arm strength this past season due to throws like this:
On a cheap one-year deal Naquin is worth it. Trade Adell, and send Moniak down to be the fifth outfielder. Naquin gives them good upside who's proven to hit at the big league level. It's possible Adell or Moniak hits, but they're not close to proven.