The Angels are looking to make upgrades this offseason on a team that disappointed in 2022, going 73-89, and missing the playoffs for an eighth consecutive season.
One insider, The Athletic‘s Sam Blum, said the team’s biggest need is solidifying the depth in their lineup. Another insider has a pretty good idea of where they can do that.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post ranked his top 30 free agents in this year’s class, and gave potential landing spots for where each one may end up. He sees the Angels making a play for a catcher who currently finds himself in the World Series with a division rival.
“Christian Vazquez: Backup for Astros, but fine two-way catcher in Boston.
Teams: Cardinals, White Sox, Angels, Twins, Red Sox, Brewers, Rays, Padres.
Expert: $33M, 3 years.”
Scroll to Continue
Heyman also tagged the Angels as a potential suitor for Cubs catcher Willson Contreras, so clearly he sees that position as an area of need.
The Angels had six different catchers play for them at the big league level in 2022, but do have their catcher of the future in 22-year-old Logan O’Hoppe. Vazquez could make more sense than Contreras, however, as he can play in a backup role, and fill in if O’Hoppe is not as ready to go in 2023 as the Angels may hope. He won’t cost nearly as much as three-time All-Star Contreras.
In 2022, Vazquez hit a combined .274 between the Red Sox and the Astros, who acquired him at the trade deadline. In his best season in 2019, he hit 23 home runs and 72 RBIs, but he’s yet to find that power again. But he’s a very solid two-way catcher, and does have experience at other infield positions, which gives the Angels some much needed depth options.
He could be a really good signing for Minasian as he looks to put together a playoff-caliber roster.
.