The Los Angeles Angels don’t have a deep list of players with minor league options remaining. Among position players, only Gustavo Campero has three options left — and maybe Christian Moore if he’s considered. On the pitching side, Ryan Zeferjahn and José Fermin also have three, while Sam Bachman and Jake Eder have two each. But most of those players aren’t at risk of being moved.
This piece focuses on players who the Angels might designate for assignment (DFA) — those unlikely to be claimed by another team due to limited value, giving the Angels a chance to keep them in the organization.
1. LaMonte Wade Jr.
With Chris Taylor expected to return to the MLB roster shortly, the Angels will have to make room — and that likely means either Wade Jr. or Campero will be cut. Wade Jr. is out of minor league options, meaning he’d have to be DFA’d to be removed from the roster. Campero, on the other hand, still has options and is a switch-hitting outfielder the team is clearly high on. If the Angels were going to cut Campero, they probably would’ve done it already.
Both Wade Jr. and Campero cover right field and serve as bench options. Here’s how they’ve performed with the Angels:
Wade Jr.**: 22 games, .156/.255/.156 slash, .410 OPS, .203 wOBA, 29.4% strikeout rate, 7.8% walk rate Campero**: 17 games, .125/.243/.219 slash, .462 OPS, .221 wOBA, 18.9% strikeout rate, 10.8% walk rate
Wade’s high strikeout rate and lack of power make him a poor fit for a team already struggling with strikeouts. Campero brings better contact skills and adds some energy to the lineup. He’s also stronger defensively and is both younger and cheaper. Wade’s performance in his earlier 50 games with San Francisco wasn’t much better, either.
All signs point to Wade being the odd man out — and if he clears waivers, Triple-A Salt Lake could be his next stop.
2. Carson Fulmer
Like Wade Jr., Fulmer has no remaining minor league options. He was a late addition to the roster and hasn’t shown enough in recent seasons to secure his spot. The Angels have other arms who could take over Fulmer’s bullpen role. While they might choose to option Jake Eder first, Fulmer being DFA’d is very much in the cards, especially with the team in dire need of pitching help.
Prospects like Ryan Johnson (performing well in High-A), George Klassen (impressive in Double-A), and other 40-man arms such as Caden Dana, Sam Aldegheri, Víctor Mederos, and Jack Kochanowicz could replace him. Chase Silseth is also still an option.
Fulmer’s fastball velocity hovers around 92 mph and he posted mediocre stats in 86.2 innings last year. While the team appreciates his character, he’s a fairly replaceable right-hander.
3. Scott Kingery
Although Kingery isn’t on the major league roster, he has previously been DFA’d and retained by the Angels, suggesting it could happen again.
After a hot start at Triple-A that earned him a call-up, Kingery has struggled significantly since being sent back down. In 12 games with Salt Lake since June 2, he’s hitting just .109/.163/.174 with a 30.6% strikeout rate.
The Angels aren’t likely to cut ties with other players like Niko Kavadas, Kyren Paris, or Matthew Lugo in his place. Chad Stevens might be a DFA candidate before Kingery, though Stevens currently has more upside.
Other Possible DFA Candidates:
Chad Stevens, Kevin Newman, Jake Eder, Gustavo Campero, Hunter Strickland