Sell, Sell, Sell: Why the Angels Must Commit to a Rebuild
July 26, 2026 - Written by Cruz Cambero
According to @BGlobeSports, #1 Prospect Franklin Arias could be included in a trade for a high impact SS like Zach Neto or Jeremy Peña.
— Matthew Crory (@matthewcrory) July 25, 2026
“The (Red) Sox believe 20-year-old Franklin Arias is their shortstop of the future, but he could be included in a trade of that magnitude.” pic.twitter.com/1Lk0x0uBxi
Over the past two weeks, reports have come out that the Angels could finally be sellers at the trade deadline. This comes as a big surprise because throughout Arte Moreno's tenure, he has never really wanted to sell big at the deadline. The biggest example is Shohei Ohtani, who could have brought back a massive return if he had been traded. Instead, the Angels held onto him, only to watch him leave in free agency that offseason.
So why the big change now?
The reason is new interim general manager John Mozeliak. After the long-overdue firing of Perry Minasian late last month, Mozeliak took over and immediately brought a different attitude. He is not sugarcoating the Angels' failures. He has been honest about where this organization stands.
Mozeliak has talked about how, during his time with the St. Louis Cardinals, he also inherited a franchise going through a difficult stretch. He turned things around by making hard decisions, including trading franchise icon Jim Edmonds. That deal eventually brought back David Freese, one of the clutchest postseason players of all time, who helped lead the Cardinals to the 2011 World Series title.
From 2007 through 2025, Mozeliak had only two losing seasons, and the Cardinals reached the playoffs ten times during his tenure.
Mozeliak is already bringing new life into the organization. During this year's draft, he finally let the scouting department have more freedom to draft the players they believed in. That resulted in the Angels taking a high school player in the first round for the first time since 2018. That is a stark contrast to Perry Minasian's philosophy of targeting mostly college players who could move quickly through the system. Mozeliak sees the writing on the wall. The Angels are nowhere close to competing for a World Series.
This trade deadline is rumored to be one of the biggest sell-offs the Angels have had in years. Key players like Jo Adell, Reid Detmers, José Soriano, and even Zach Neto have all been mentioned in trade rumors.
Now here's how I think Mozeliak should approach this deadline.
First are the players that absolutely have to go: Jorge Soler, Kirby Yates, and Brent Suter. The biggest reason is simple. All three are on expiring contracts.
Out of those three, I actually think Kirby Yates could bring back the best return. I could see the Angels landing a prospect ranked somewhere between No. 15 and No. 20 in another team's system. As for Soler and Suter, I think the best-case scenario is probably a top-30 prospect or even a former top prospect who just needs a fresh start.
Honestly, I would not mind taking a chance on a failed prospect. The Angels have actually done a good job of turning players like that around. Just look at Mickey Moniak, Vaughn Grissom, and Oswald Peraza.
Trading Yates and Suter would also open the door for younger relievers to step into bigger roles. Guys like Sam Bachman, Chase Silseth, Sammy Natera, and eventually Ben Joyce deserve the chance to prove they can be long-term pieces for this bullpen.
Now we get to the big names.
The four players generating the most trade buzz are Jo Adell, José Soriano, Reid Detmers, and Zach Neto.
Out of those four, I think Jo Adell is both the most likely player to be traded and the one that makes the most sense for the Angels.
Adell is under team control through 2028, but he has the least control out of this group. I think a team would have to give up one top-five prospect, another top-ten prospect, and a solid mid-tier prospect to get him. Players with multiple years of control are not cheap.
Another reason trading Adell makes sense is because of the wave of outfield prospects coming through the Angels' system. Nelson Rada, Raudi Rodriguez, Hayden Alvarez, and Juan Cespedes are all waiting in the wings. Rada and Rodriguez, especially, look like the next two outfielders who could make their way to Anaheim after putting together great seasons in the minors.
Now, out of the Angels' two premier young pitchers, I actually think Reid Detmers is the one you move, even though it hurts me to say because he is my favorite pitcher on the team.
Neither Detmers nor Soriano becomes a free agent until 2029, but based on their track records, Detmers makes the most sense. He has shown flashes of being dominant, but he has also struggled with consistency throughout his career.
If either Detmers or Soriano is traded, the Angels should demand an even bigger package than what they would get for Adell. I would want at least two top-five prospects and another top-ten prospect in return.
The reason I lean toward keeping Soriano is because of the chemistry he has built with rookie pitcher Walbert Ureña, who has had a stellar first season. Having that kind of relationship in the clubhouse is important when you are trying to build a winning culture and a young core that can grow together.
Now for Zach Neto, it is a completely different conversation.
Neto is, and should remain, a cornerstone piece of the Angels' future. Along with Nolan Schanuel, Denzer Guzman, and Christian Moore once he gets called up, they represent the young core of this infield.
If the Angels were to trade Neto, the return would have to be massive. I would need at least two top-five prospects, with one of them being a top-two prospect in that organization's system, plus another top-ten prospect.
Neto loves Anaheim, and he genuinely loves playing for the fans. Unless a team completely blows the Angels away with an offer, I would not move him.
Of course, the biggest name the Angels have is Mike Trout.
Trout has repeatedly said he does not want to leave Anaheim. He wants to win with the Angels. At some point, people have to respect that. Yes, I would love to see Trout finally win a World Series with a contender like the Phillies, but Trout is simply too loyal. He wants to win where it all started.
That's why this trade deadline is so important. If the Angels commit to selling and make the right moves, they can finally build the foundation of a sustainable contender around Trout. Trading veterans for top prospects may hurt in the short term, but it gives the organization its best chance to surround Trout with the talent needed to compete for a championship in Anaheim.
Because of that loyalty, I truly believe Mike Trout will be the greatest Angel of all time. And if the front office finally embraces a true rebuild, they could give him something he has chased his entire career: the opportunity to win a World Series with the only franchise he has ever wanted to call home.
At the end of the day, though, all of this depends on Arte Moreno.
He cannot repeat the mistake he made with Shohei Ohtani by refusing to sell when the value was at its highest. This organization has been stuck in the middle for far too long. They are not bad enough to fully rebuild, but they are nowhere near good enough to compete for a championship.
If the Angels truly want to build a sustainable winner, Moreno has to let John Mozeliak run this deadline without interference. Let him make the tough decisions. Let him build this organization the right way.
For the first time in a long time, the Angels have a chance to change the direction of this franchise.
Sell. Sell. Sell.
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