These two recently waived Angels players elect free agency over an MiLB assignment

When the Angels recently cleared space on their 40-man roster, they assumed the risk that the waived players would leave the organization for good. The Angels have room for a whole bunch of moves to reshape their 40-man, and designating Andrew Wantz, Michael Stefanic, José Marte, Jack López, Carson Fulmer, and Charles Leblanc were the first of many moves to completely reshuffle their deck heading into 2025.

The process works like this: when clubs designate players for assignment they are cleared off the 40-man roster, they then are placed on waivers and other clubs can claim them in order to add them to their 40-man, if no teams claim them they are normally returned to their original teams. Given when the Angels cleared those players off their roster, they all had opportunities to elect free agency over an outright assignment to the minor leagues with less hope than usual of cracking the big league team after Spring Training. It remains to be seen whether Wantz, Stefanic, Marte, or López will accept their outright assignments, but Fulmer and Leblanc are gone, maybe for good.

Mid-way through the 2023 season, the Angels inked Fulmer to a minor league contract after he was released by the Seattle Mariners. Fulmer spent most of 2023 either injured or in AAA Salt Lake, but his contract was selected by the Angels at the end of the season. They removed Fulmer from the 40-man roster after the 2023 season, but they brought him back on another minor league deal during Spring Training and spent the vast majority of the season with the big league team. Another Fulmer reunion feels improbable at this point in time, although it felt even more unlikely after last year. The Angels could fill Fulmer's hybrid starter/reliever role next season with more promising, internal options like José Suarez, Chase Silseth, Davis Daniel, Roansy Contreras, Sam Bachman, Sam Aldegheri, or Víctor Mederos.

Charles Leblanc played 11 games for the Angels last season. While the Angels are in desperate need of infielders, specifically a third baseman, they waived Leblanc. The 28-year-old, former fourth round pick was signed to a minor league deal by the Angels before the 2024 season. Leblanc is lauded for his positional versatility and solid in-game power, but he is a streaky hitter and offers little upside. He is a fill-in, depth infield option. Like Fulmer last year, an Angels reunion should not be ruled out despite Leblanc opting for free agency as the Angels could use as much infield depth as possible heading into 2025.