The Angels added an outfielder Josh Lowe in last night’s three-team trade that sent a relief Brock Burke in Cincinnati. General manager Perry Minasian took a Zoom call after the trade was completed this morning, hinting that Lowe could be in the running for the center field job.
“Obviously he has had a few seasons with injuries, but he is a player we believe can play all three. [outfield spots],” Minasian told reporters (including MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos). The GM noted that Lowe’s left-handed bat is a good addition to a lineup that leans heavily on the right side, especially in the outfield. Even after the trade. Taylor Ward at the start of the offseason, they had entered the day with a right-handed public outfield mix Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, Jo Adell again Bryce Teodosio. The only other left-handed hitter on the 40-man roster, Wade Mecklerrecently claimed waivers in San Francisco.
Lowe has been a consistent player for most of his career. He didn’t see a game in the middle last year and started just two games in 2024. The Rays picked him up midway through both games, and he pitched a combined seven innings. He has 156 innings of center field experience. That’s a very small sample from which to draw anything on defense metrics.
The 6’4″ Lowe has long strides and is an above-average runner, but Statcast hasn’t been flattering on his first step. Outs Over Average and Defensive Runs Saved have ranked him slightly below average for a right fielder over the past two seasons. It’s unlikely his metrics will improve if he’s tasked with playing a more difficult outfield position on a regular basis.
While Lowe is a great fit at corner, the Angels don’t have many other options. Adell started half of their games in center field last season. He ranked as one of the worst defensive center fielders in MLB and moved to right field in the final month of the season. Teodosio is a skilled defender who has hit .193/.236/.287 in 55 career games. Meckler hasn’t made a major league appearance in two years. The Angels may get Trout some outfield work again in 2026 but prefer him to the corner to keep him healthy.
Cody Bellinger would be a solid team, but there is no indication that the Angels are making a serious effort to add him to a long-term deal. Harrison Bader it can be a physical target, or it can be another bat in the right hand. Lowe would probably be their best option at the position, at least until the 20-year-old prospect Nelson Rada MLB is ready.
The Angels are aggressive about promotion expectations and have Rada split his 19-year season between the league’s top two. He played well in both stops and was able to make an early appearance in 2026. Prospect evaluators praise Rada’s style, speed and defense. He has little power and is slashing .292/.398/.360 in the minors.
Lowe will be looking for a bounce-back season after slashing .220/.283/.366 across 435 plate appearances in his final year with Tampa Bay. He was a breakout hitter the past two years and showed an All-Star caliber ceiling in 2023, when he hit .292/.335/.500 with 20 homers and 32 steals in 135 games. That was the only season in which he reached 110 games or 500 plate appearances. Lowe has been hampered by injuries, mainly oblique problems, the past two years.
