What Should The Angels Get In Return This Deadline? Angels 2026 Trade Deadline Outlook
July 22, 2026 - Written by Zac Holladay
Per @JeffPassan, the #Angels are at very least listening to trade offers for Zach Neto 👀
— InsideHalos (@InsideHalos) July 21, 2026
(https://t.co/28d5bFRn0p) pic.twitter.com/VHos4VXAlF
It is mid-July and the festivities and excitement of Major League Baseball are in full-swing (literally). The moment comes around for every team around the league to determine whether they want to sell or buy at the August 3rd Trade Deadline. Teams look for what players around the league are worth trading for, and some are calling up clubs on an offer for their highly-valued pieces. This is a very exciting and intriguing time for the sport!
Well, not for the Angels. A record of 40-61 may be the most clear sign for the Angels to sell and may be the most obvious time to do so. And, well, some could say that we can keep the players to slowly grow a contending team around the young core, which is valid. But this team hasn’t succeeded with the awesome talent that the team has maintained for years now. So, why keep them? Why keep the talent that you have to ultimately fail for years under the ownership of Arte Moreno. There is no sign of when Arte will sell the team, or if he ever will. Let the talent that you have thrive with a new team and, in the process, bulk up your farm system.
MLB Pipeline ranks Angels’ farm system as the 28th best. They have failed on the bets they have taken on their picks for pitchers as that is their most obvious vulnerability. Very few gems have been found in the draft from the Angels in the last 10 years, and the ones that have panned out have taken a while to reach their full potential, and most not at all. This is including their position player draft picks, which have been better, but not what was expected of them.
And yes, it is hard to judge prospects at all, given they need time to develop and marinate in the Big Leagues. But the Angels have been ranked very low for years now, which is a clear sign of defeat in this case.
So, making it clear that the Angels need to bolster their farm, this Trade Deadline could be a big opportunity to do just that: add to their farm system. Angels have a flurry of guys with great value that could bring a decent haul back. Pitchers like José Soriano and Reid Detmers have gained massive interest from teams, and rightfully so. They have proved that their stuff is of the best in the league and that their confidence, matched with their efficiency, has considerable upside. Position players, like Zach Neto, Logan O’Hoppe, and possibly Jo Adell have a chance of being traded. As these guys serve a big deal in the Angels clubhouse and on the field, the possible haul back for them is substantial. And with Neto and O’Hoppe having multiple years of control and Jo Adell entering free agency after the 2027 season, the packages for these guys would be expensive and should include at least a few top prospects. In addition to these big targets, the Angels could also put a few young guys on the move, like Denzer Guzman, Kyren Paris, Christian Moore, Samy Natera Jr, or maybe even Ben Joyce. But this would be highly unlikely as these pieces would be used only to acquire a big, Major League ready piece, in which the Angels aren’t looking for, nor need.
So, what exactly would Angels be looking for in return? First off, the Angels need good pitching. Not just pitching… GOOD pitching. Unlike the draft, the Halos cannot approach the deadline as a chance to acquire any pitching with a decent track record. The Angels should be seeking high-end pitching prospects only. No reason to waste time on mediocre pitchers as the Angels have made plenty of those moves in the past and have hardly ever come out successful.
Second priority should be for an above-average defensive catcher with a respectable bat. It is pretty difficult to find a great defensive catcher with a decent bat, but one with these skills could truly do wonders for a pitching staff. Having a catcher that the pitchers can rely on and create good chemistry with while being dependable behind the dish could change the confidence of a pitching staff only for the better. Whether this would mean O’Hoppe would rotate the position or be traded in the future, this would be a fantastic addition for the team. Logan O’Hoppe is sure to be recommended by the players as a good team player and has good communications with the team, but his bat isn’t going to cut it in the Bigs and his defense is horrid, ranked as one of the worst defensive catchers in the league. An improvement on this position would certainly well-round this team very quickly.
Next priority for the Halos should be a power-hitting first baseman. Many would say “the Angels don’t need more power” as that’s the only thing the Angels do remotely well. But the main role for a first baseman, going back well into when baseball first started, is to drive in runs. A reliable, formidable first baseman is essential for almost every team. And while Nolan Schanuel is a solid first baseman, he is not fit as a starting first baseman, or at least right now. His approach to hit for average is one that is of much value for a team that lacks such a tool, but Schanuel’s display of being a “hitting for average” guy has not lived up to the organizations’ expectations.
As for the other positions, looking for above-average defense and baserunning is a must. The Angels have highlighted batting tools very heavily in past drafts and have produced a decent amount of the team's home runs, which is beneficial. But just like every good team, this club needs good fundamentals, and the most reliable one is defense. The Halos have showcased a few outstanding individual defensive seasons in the past from guys like Andrelton Simmons, Kole Calhoun and Jared Walsh, but the team has never been known for good defense. This may be an internal problem as maybe the defensive coaches haven’t pulled their weight. But great defense has never been there for this organization and it needs to be.
The Angels, again, can’t approach the deadline like it's the draft and get by expecting whoever you get to pan out on their own. Trading for top-end talent shouldn’t just be focusing on their talent and hoping they can perform and help you win games. They should be analyzing if certain players will fit their team and fulfill their needs. Yes, there are plenty of potential targets that the Angels could lay their eyes on, but can they improve with your specific team and get better with what your team has to offer? Also, they need to ask themselves if they can help the incoming players improve and develop their tools’ value as they progress through their years with the team. Yes, the Angels need all the help and expertise they can get their hands on, but this team needs to be careful and do it right. Even though Arte Moreno won’t help much right now, there is no reason not to improve this team for the future. Put this team in the right direction, because even with all the talent we have now, the team isn’t gaining any progress. Big changes need to be made!
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