Angels Trade Outfielder Jo Adell to Guardians
August 3, 2026 - Written by Cade Lalim
A great player, teammate, and friend. ❤️
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) August 3, 2026
Thank you, José! pic.twitter.com/vUExVUDVvJ
The Angels' sell-off continued when they traded outfielder Jo Adell to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for catching prospect Jacob Cozart. Adell marks the fourth controllable player the Angels have traded within the last week, joining Logan O’Hoppe, Chase Silseth, and Jose Soriano. They also traded left-handed reliever Brent Suter to the Atlanta Braves.
Adell is still under club control for one more season beyond this year and won’t become a free agent until after the 2027 season. After breaking out in 2025 by mashing 37 home runs, driving in 98 runs, and posting a .778 OPS, he’s cooled off a bit this season but has still proven to be a productive bat.
Through 111 games, Adell is hitting .239 with 16 home runs and an 89 wRC+. He’ll be a perfect addition to a Guardians lineup that has been lacking power and will join an outfield mix of Steven Kwan, Petey Halpin, and Angel Martínez. Considering Adell bats right-handed, he also provides balance to a Cleveland lineup that is heavily filled with left-handed hitters and switch-hitters.
In return, the Angels acquired catching prospect Jacob Cozart, the Guardians' 18th-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline. Cleveland selected Cozart in the second round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of NC State, signing him to a $2,050,000 bonus. The left-handed hitter and right-handed thrower is best known for his superb defensive abilities. He has spent the entire 2026 season with Cleveland’s Double-A affiliate and is on track to make his major league debut sometime in 2027.
He’s very similar to fellow Angels catching prospect Juan Flores, as both are excellent defensive catchers who have been questioned more for their offensive upside. That said, both Cozart and Flores have shown encouraging improvements at the plate this season. Cozart is not projected to be a major offensive threat, but he has hit 10 home runs this year while posting respectable 11% walk and 24.8% strikeout rates.
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