How the Looming MLB Lockout Is Already Shaping the Los Angeles Angels Roster

Last Saturday in Washington D.C, Kyren Paris was placed in right field for the first time in his career. As happens in baseball, the ball immediately found him and he misplayed the line drive for a hit. Paris is known for his overall athleticism but should never have been put into that situation.

Since his call up to the big league club, Paris has gone 0 for 15 at the plate and filled in around the diamond. Outside of a hot streak to begin the 2025 season, Paris has not looked the part of a future MLB ballplayer. But he is on the active 40 man roster so he got the call to The Show yet again while higher rated, true outfield prospects stayed in AAA.

Kyren Paris and Christian Moore Will be Locked Out.

Players on teams 40 man rosters will be locked out once the current collective bargaining agreement expires in December. In the Angels case, their rushed promotion of Christian Moore means their 2024 first round pick will be among the group of players locked out in December. The same goes for Kyren Paris.

Both Moore and Paris put up good numbers in the super thin air of Salt Lake City. The Pacific Coast League is a hitters paradise and their bat speed made up for their swing decisions and allowed the pair to post numbers that look glossy on the surface level.

After a dismal start to the season a AA where he slashed .200/.280/.248 Paris was moved to AAA and hit a robust .307/.427/.554 with 13 home runs in 62 games. His chase rate and whiff rate were still elevated but with the AAA season winding down the Angels brought him to the big league club.

Christian Moore was not ready for MLB level competition at the beginning of the season and headed to AAA. He also had contact rate issues but in the PCL managed to slash .302/.431/.512 with 11 home runs in 86 games. And he has again looked overmatched at the plate at baseball's highest level.

Nelson Rada and Raudi Rodriguez Will Not Be Locked Out

In looking at the Angels prospect rankings, Nelson Rada has been near the top for a couple of years. Raudi Rodriguez started climbing up them this season. Both are true outfielders with Rada's defense being exceptional. Offensively, Raudi Rodriguez had an incredible year in AA with doubles power galore.

In looking at the Angels rebuild, these two are more likely to be part of the next winning core than Kyren Paris.

However, adding this duo to the 40 man roster now would mean losing the them during the lockout. By keeping their higher rated prospects in the minor leagues the Angels are ensuring they get a full Spring Training and season in the minors no matter what happens at the MLB level.

The Angels are Not Alone

The Angels are not alone in this approach. September call ups throughout the league are lower than usual and minor league games are featuring more top prospects than usual for this time of year. Minor league players are subject to a separate collective bargaining agreement that does not expire so teams, including the Angels, are looking to maximize the development windows of their near MLB talent.

In the meantime, Paris and Moore can be evaluated by the new front office and potentially show some signs of belonging at the MLB level. Blame Perry Minasian for short cutting Moore's development time in a desperate attempt to save his job. Moore not being ready for MLB yet is perfectly fine.

Until the lockout is resolved several players worthy of an MLB call up will not receive one. The bonus here is that the Arizona Fall League rosters are stacked and fans will be able to watch high quality minor league games until the big boys and owners figure out a new CBA next year.

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