Angels Rumors: Top Halos Prospect Could Be Traded at Deadline
Things have changed in rather dramatic fashion of late for the Los Angeles Angels.
The team's season was essentially left for dead early this month, when a 1-9 stretch to end the first half dropped the team, for all intents and purposes, out of realistic playoff contention.
They were languishing far away from the postseason picture, and with centerfielder Mike Trout absent until what's projected to be late August, all signs pointed to the Angels calling it quits on the season -- and potentially letting their biggest star in Shohei Ohtani go along with it.
Now after completely flipping the script during the most unexpected of times, the Halos are just four games out of a playoff spot, won't be trading Shohei Ohtani and look like they'll be buying at the deadline.
But who could be on the move if the Angels upgrade their roster before August 1st?
According to The Athletic, they expect the Halos top prospect -- catcher Edgar Quero -- to be dealt before MLB's trading period ends.
Swapping Quero may be needed to make trade. Upon first look it may be painful, but it would also make sense. Here's what The Athletic had to say about a potential trade.
"Because he’s a catcher, the 20-year-old is susceptible to being traded for two reasons. The first is simply that he has more trade value than any of their other prospects, and would certainly be attractive to any team looking to part with major-league talent. The other is that he’s a catcher, and the Angels view Logan O’Hoppe as the catcher of the future in the organization." (via The Athletic)
Even though Quero is doing reasonably well in his first season at Double-A, to the tune of a .245/.385/.332 slash line, the path for him to get to the big leagues is blocked by O'Hoppe, who figures to be an Angel for the foreseeable future.
As a result, the Halos No. 2 prospect (O'Hoppe is No. 1) is expendable, and the Angels both could and should try to maximize his high trade value ahead of one of the most consequential trade deadlines in franchise history.
We'll see over the next few days if Perry Minasian and the rest of the Angels front office follows that advice.
