There are many players on this list, but the story of the Angels’ failures can be traced back to two players — the two highest-paid players, making more than $73 million combined each season — Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon, who have seldom played the last four seasons.
The question is, can they stay healthy? And if they cannot, can the rest of this roster fill in the gaps? The answer in past years has been a resounding no, even with the talents of Shohei Ohtani.
The Angels hope this camp brings a different level of player, and with it, better results.
The front office is one of just a small handful of teams that have yet to release a spring training roster, complete with non-roster invitees. As a result, the list compiled below is based on reported NRIs, previous years’ NRIs and an estimation of the state of the minor-league system.
Here’s something to know about every Angels offensive player expected in camp this spring.
C Chuckie Robinson: His full name is actually Chuckie Robinson III, with the two elder Charles both being professional baseball catchers. His father played in the Royals system, and his grandfather in the White Sox system. The youngest Chuckie spent most of last season with the White Sox.
UTIL Scott Kingery: Kingery hit 19 home runs for the Phillies in 2019, while posting a 2.5 WAR. He hasn’t hit a big league homer since Sept. 22, 2020, having spent much of the last three years in the minor-league system. He was traded to the Angels in November and subsequently added to their 40-man roster.
1B Nolan Schanuel: He has an elite eye and bat-to-ball skills, but the question has been his power. He’s hit just three balls farther than 400 feet thus far in his MLB career. He also notoriously loves to stand.
RF Jo Adell: After years of facing sharp criticism for his lack of defensive instincts, Adell was a Gold Glove finalist in right field last season. He also hit 20 home runs for the first time in his career, though he struggled offensively for extended stretches as well. Switching to a toe tap, and ditching the leg kick, helped his timing.
A Gold Glove finalist in 2024, Jo Adell also posted his highest OPS+ at the plate. (Tim Heitman / Getty Images)
RF Gustavo Campero: Campero spent nearly the entire 2022 season as the Double-A bullpen catcher. Just two years later, he made his MLB debut in the outfield for the Angels, and remains on the 40-man roster.
OF Mike Trout: Will be rooting for the Eagles in the Super Bowl.
LF Taylor Ward: His wife’s name is also Taylor. Additionally, he was college teammates with Aaron Judge at Fresno State in 2013.
SS Zach Neto: He pitched in college at Campbell University. He made 16 appearances over three years with a 3.25 ERA. He had three saves, most recently in 2022.
1B/OF Niko Kavadas: In his first 12 games, Kavadas hit .079 with one homer, 20 strikeouts and three walks. In his final 18 games, he had a .255 batting average, three homers, 21 strikeouts and eight walks. His improvement there led to a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League.
C Travis d’Arnaud: In the span of just 15 days in 2019, Travis d’Arnaud played for three different big league teams: the Mets, the Dodgers and the Rays. Like new teammate Connor Brogdon, he was a Dodger for just one day, as a pinch hitter.
3B Anthony Rendon: Rendon has appeared in 267 out of a possible 708 games with the Angels. That’s 37.7 percent. His last home run came on July 1, 2023. A year before that, however, he did hit a left-handed homer during a blowout win.
OF Mickey Moniak: Moniak’s career chase rate is 42.6 percent, which is well above the MLB average of 28.5 percent. He has also made contact 46.8 percent of the time that he chases when the MLB average is 57.8 percent. Notably, both of those numbers improved for him in 2024. While Moniak still has all the tools that made him a No. 1 overall pick in 2016, this element of his game has remained a struggle.
DH/OF Jorge Soler: Soler is responsible for minus-65 defensive runs saved during his MLB career, making him one of the least effective defensive players in the game. The Angels have said they’ll use him in the field from time to time, though he’ll primarily be a DH. That’s why his acquisition indicated to many that Trout would remain an everyday outfielder.
Don’t expect Jorge Soler to see much of the outfield on account of his poor fielding metrics. (David J. Griffin / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
INF Kyren Paris: He only has one big league home run so far, but it was a big one. He hit a big two-run blast in Houston, to beat the Astros 2-1 last May.
UTIL Matthew Lugo: Lugo was the prized return in the Luis Garcia deadline deal with the Red Sox last summer. He played just one game with Triple-A Salt Lake before getting hurt, or else he would have been called up. Lugo has experience playing second base, third, short, and all three outfield positions.
INF Kevin Newman: Newman hit 12 home runs during his career-best season in 2019. He played 130 games that year. In the five years since, Newman has played in 455 games, and has just 14 total home runs in that span.
C Logan O’Hoppe: He and Mike Trout not only play on the same team currently, but they were both, at different points, committed to play at the same college. Trout was committed to East Carolina University before being taken in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft. Nine years later, O’Hoppe spurned the program when he was taken in the 23rd round by the Phillies.
1B Ryan Noda: Noda went from a promising young player for the A’s in 2023 to completely off the roster a year later. He had a 2.3 WAR in 2023, and a minus-0.6 WAR the year after. Sixteen homers versus just one. Can the soon-to-be 29-year-old figure things out with the Angels?
UTIL Luis Rengifo: In 2020, Rengifo was set to be traded to the Dodgers as a part of a larger deal that would have returned Joc Pederson and Ross Stripling. The deal fell through at the last minute, and Rengifo has been with the Angels ever since, though 2025 is a contract year.
INF J.D. Davis (non-roster invitee): Davis lost out on millions of dollars last year due to a CBA loophole. He won his arbitration case against the Giants, meaning he was owed $6.9 million. But after they signed Matt Chapman, the club released him. Because the contract was assigned by an arbitrator, the Giants only owed $1.1 million. He later signed with the A’s for $2.5 million.
INF Tim Anderson (non-roster invitee): Anderson won the AL batting title in 2019. He won a Silver Slugger the next year, and was an All-Star the two years after that. But in 2023 and 2024, he was one of the worst hitters in the game. He hit just one homer in 524 plate appearances in 2023. The Angels hope the old Tim Anderson is still in there.
Despite a Silver Slugger, two All-Star appearances and an AL batting title, Tim Anderson enters the spring fighting for a roster spot. (Sam Navarro / USA Today)
3B Carter Kieboom (non-roster invitee): Is the best friend of former Angels pitcher Zac Kristofak. He and his family took Kristofak into their home after a family tragedy when they were children.
CF Bryce Teodosio (non-roster invitee): Teodosio has always been considered one of the better young defensive center fielders in the game. But his offense has always been a question mark. In his brief stint with the Angels last season, he went just 1-for-12 at the plate.
2B Christian Moore (non-roster invitee): Before breaking out at the collegiate level, Moore learned he had an astigmatism in his right eye, which was impacting his vision. He went on to hit 34 homers for the Tennessee Volunteers last year, and picked things up with a hot start to his pro career with the Angels.
INF David Mershon (non-roster invitee): Don’t be surprised if Mershon competes with Moore for a spot on the big league roster this spring. The Angels like his defensive skills, speed and ability to get on base. He was selected in the 18th round, but could be a fast mover.
OF Nelson Rada (non-roster invitee): Rada has stolen 117 bases in his three minor league seasons, and been caught just 28 times. He played a full Double-A season last year, at just 18 years old, and is expected to remain there in 2025.
3B Cole Fontenelle (non-roster invitee): Fontenelle likely would have been called up last year, if not for a devastating season-ending injury. He ended up playing in the Arizona Fall League, where he struggled offensively.
OF/C Alberto Rios (non-roster invitee): Rios is unique in that he can catch, and play the corner outfield spots. That could make him more valuable to a roster. After missing most of the 2024 season due to injury, the third-round pick played this offseason in Australia.
INF Denzer Guzman (non-roster invitee): Guzman just hasn’t been able to develop any power in the minor leagues. Still, with the lack of depth on the infield for the Angels, it makes sense to give him a spring training opportunity.
C Juan Flores (non-roster invitee): Flores was in big league camp last year as a 17-year-old. He’s really highly thought of in the Angels system, and reached High A last season. The Angels’ catching depth after the big league players is suspect, so expect Flores and Dario Laverde to be pushed through the system.
C Dario Laverde (non-roster invitee): Laverde has recorded 15 triples in 163 minor league games. He might end up being the fastest catcher in the majors should he make it. Ideally, the Angels would like to see some of that translate to home run power. Just three of his 46 extra-base hits have been long balls.
INF Yolmer Sánchez (non-roster invitee): Sanchez was a Gold Glove Award winner with the White Sox in 2019. He and Tim Anderson were part of that young core of White Sox players who expected to compete for championships for years. Sanchez hasn’t appeared in a big league game since Aug. 25, 2022, with the Mets.
(Photo of Mike Trout: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
