A seasoned striker Jeimer Candelario is having a strong camp with the Angels and has been working out at second base, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register . “We’re just seeing what our options are,” the manager Kurt Suzuki said. “Candy was swinging really well. He was playing really well.”
Candelario, 32, has some strong major league seasons to his credit but has been hampered by injuries in the past two campaigns. Accordingly, he has posted good numbers so far this spring, with a .333/.429/.708 batting line in 28 plate appearances. He won’t maintain a .467 batting average on balls in play forever but six of his eight hits came with extra bases.
Some skepticism about that small sample of spring plate appearances would be warranted, especially after Candelario put up a line of just .207/.265/.394 in 2024 and 2025, but dealt with injuries most of the season. He had a combined average of .254/.329/.437 from 2020 to 2023, which prompted the Reds to offer him a three-year contract worth $45MM. Cincinnati responded to his struggles by releasing him, which eventually led to Candelario being in camp with the Halos.
If the Halos are considering giving him a roster spot, it makes sense to see what kind of versatility he can provide. He currently has no second base experience. He has only played corner infield in his career. That works for both majors and minors. The Halos have shortstop and first base covered, with Zach Neto again Nolan Schanuel to hold those positions, respectively.
Third and second base are wide open. Yoan Moncada in theory he is an everyday third player but he is prone to injuries, especially lately. In his 10 major league seasons, he’s only reached 132 games played in three of them, with the latter coming back in 2021. Angels have to work under the assumption that you will miss some time.
The second base is a question mark. Christian Moore could be the answer but he has a .198/.284/.370 line in his career so far and still has options. He also spent time at third base in camp, so there is some flexibility there. Vaughn Grissom again Oswald Peraza they are the front line prospects but no one has yet clicked in the big leagues. Both are optional and can be suppressed.
Candelario is competing for a roster spot with other uninvited veterans Adam Frazier, Chris Taylor again Nick Madrigal. If he can play second base, it would add to his appeal and could give him a boost in that tournament. The Halos will use one bench spot in the backup catch Travis d’Arnaud. One will go to a deep outfielder, perhaps Bryce Teodosio. That could leave two spots on this team that includes Candelario, Grissom, Peraza, Frazier, Taylor, Madrigal and others.
Candelario already has one thing going for him that he is cheap. The Reds are likely to pay him this year, which is the final season of that aforementioned three-year deal. If the Angels offer him a spot, they would have to pay him the league’s maximum amount at any time he is on the roster. The team seems to be dialing back revenue as it deals with the new paradigm of streaming revenue, so that’s an attractive feature for them.
In a separate column, Fletcher gives an update on the outfielder Josh Lowewho has been battling left side pain in camp. Suzuki said they will try to get him a game as soon as possible on Friday and suggested there should be enough time for him to get fit by Opening Day. Assuming Lowe avoids the injured list, he’ll be getting regular playing time in the outfield. Mike Trout, Jo Adell again Jorge Soler. Those four are expected to share three outfield positions and the designated hitter slot.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
