Angels Place Infielder on Injured List, Promote Former First-Round Draft Pick

Angels second baseman Luis Rengifo (2), third baseman Oswald Peraza (10), shortstop Zach Neto (9) and first baseman Logan Davidson (21) celebrate the victory against the Minnesota Twins at Angel Stadium on Sept. 9. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Angels placed shortstop Zach Neto on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Saturday with what the team described as a left hand strain. In a corresponding roster move Tuesday, they selected the contract of infielder Carter Kieboom.

Neto, who hasn't played since last Thursday in Seattle, has a brief window to return before the regular season ends, putting his 2025 season in jeopardy. He's eligible to return on Sept. 23, just in time for the final homestand of the regular season — three games against the Kansas City Royals and three against the Houston Astros.

More news: Angels' Jo Adell Reveals Why He Made $5,000 Donation to Rio Foster

Kieboom's next regular season game will be his first in two years. A former first-round draft pick by the Washington Nationals (28th overall in 2016), Kieboom was slashing .319/.368/.449 in 93 games at Triple-A Salt Lake. He has 34 multi-hit games this season (12 with three or more hits) and was batting .319 (15-for-47) with six runs, two doubles and six RBIs in September.

Kieboom, 28, elected free agency after last season and signed a minor league contract with the Angels in December 2024. He was invited to the Angels' spring training camp in Tempe, Ariz., and went 5 for 14 (.357) with two walks in nine games. However, he has been mired in the minors for the last two seasons.

Kieboom will become the 65th different player to appear for the team this season and would make his first MLB appearance since Oct. 1, 2023 for Washington. He played 133 games for the Nationals between 2019-23.

More news: ESPN Insider Doesn't Hold Back on Angels' Struggles Under Arte Moreno

Angels interim manager Ray Montgomery penciled Kieboom into the number-seven spot in his batting order Tuesday in Milwaukee, playing first base.

Game 1 vs Brewers: pic.twitter.com/lgAafa1TLE

— Erica Weston (@EricaLWeston) September 16, 2025

Neto was hit by a pitch on his left hand Aug. 20, and told reporters that it had been bothering him ever since. He visibly aggravated the injury fouling off a Matt Brash pitch in his final at-bat last Thursday in Seattle and hasn't played since.

Through 128 games this season, Neto has a career-high 26 home runs and sports the best batting average (.257), on-base percentage (.319) and slugging percentage (.474) of his career.

The IL stint means a longer runway for Denzer Guzman, the 21-year-old shortstop who will bat eighth Tuesday against Brewers starter Freddy Peralta. Guzman is the No. 9 prospect in the Angels' system according to MLB Pipeline, and could hang around as a third baseman if Neto returns to the lineup this season.

Selected from the minors on Saturday, Guzman recorded his first major league hit on Sunday and went 2-for-3 on Monday in Milwaukee.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.