This Angels player could follow Reid Detmers' path to redemption in 2026

After losing the competition to serve as the fifth starter for the Los Angeles Angels last year in spring training, Reid Detmers was relegated to a year of work in the bullpen. The hope was that he'd be an effective reliever and return to the rotation a year later - the rare Angels' plan that worked to perfection. Detmers joins Jose Soriano and Yusei Kikuchi as locks in the rotation, and now eyes go to his battery mate, who hopes to turn his career around this year.

After a 2024 season where Logan O'Hoppe posted 2.1 WAR, Angels fans thought they finally had their franchise catcher. At the start of May last year, his OPS sat at .902, signaling a true breakout for the young catcher. Over the course of the rest of the season, though, O'Hoppe crashed back to reality and posted an OPS of .542, finishing the season with a negative WAR for the first time in his career.

Angels' Logan O'Hoppe is primed to follow in Detmers' footsteps and breakout

Defensively, O'Hoppe was also a mess. He went from an average defensive catcher to one of the worst in baseball behind the dish. Per Baseball Savant, his Blocks Above Average went from one in 2024 to -6 in 2025. His Caught Stealing Above Average (zero in 2024) and framing grade (one in 2024) both fell drastically as well, posting numbers of -3 and -8 last season, respectively.

So why is there optimism for O'Hoppe to turn things around this season?

For starters, O'Hoppe could not have wished for a better coaching staff to surround himself with. 16-year veteran catcher Kurt Suzuki is his new manager, bringing in as much knowledge about the position as the team could have found. Suzuki was lauded throughout his career for his two-way ability, leadership, and overall IQ at catcher. Needless to say, those are all things O'Hoppe will need to strive to replicate in 2026.

The Halos also brought back Max Stassi as their catching coach, bringing an elite defensive mind into the fold. Stassi had a career batting average of .212 but was able to play 10 years in the league thanks to his phenomenal defensive traits. Stassi was seemingly brought in solely to help O'Hoppe figure out his defensive approach, and he is the best man for the job.

And finally, O'Hoppe seems to be taking a bounce-back season seriously. He spent the offseason working on his game at one of the best training centers in Driveline, turning to advanced data as he attempts his comeback. A focus on launch angle, bat speed, and exit velocity should help O'Hoppe regain the confidence he lost during the 2025 season.

Putting in the work on his own, along with the new coaches surrounding him, should have O'Hoppe ready to dive into spring training with a legitimate shot to once again earn the title of franchise catcher for the Angels.