Angels add more depth, re-sign utilityman Taylor (report)

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Angels are bringing back veteran utilityman Chris Taylor after his stint with the club last year, according to a report on Thursday from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman.

The club, however, has not announced the deal, which is expected to be a Minor League contract. Position players don’t report to camp for physicals until Sunday, with the first official full-squad workouts set for Monday.

Taylor, 35, joined the club as a free agent last year after he was released by the Dodgers in May and batted .179/.278/.321 with two homers, five doubles and 10 RBIs in 30 games. He had tough luck with the Angels, breaking his left hand twice after being hit by a pitch in June and breaking it again on a diving attempt in the outfield on a rehab assignment in late July.

Taylor, though, remains a versatile defender, as he saw action at second base, third base and all three outfield positions last year. The 35-year-old also has a career .248./.327/.419 slash line with 110 homers, 200 doubles and 443 RBIs in 1,123 games in 12 seasons with the Mariners, Dodgers and Angels. He also has a career .791 OPS in 80 postseason games and won the World Series in 2020 and '24 with the Dodgers.

The Angels currently have fellow utilitymen Oswald Peraza and Vaughn Grissom competing to make the Opening Day roster, and both are of out of Minor League options. Christian Moore is the favorite to win the second base job, but he has others pushing him, such as Peraza and Grissom and non-roster signing Nick Madrigal.

Taylor now figures into that mix as a player who can play all over the diamond, including center field, which gives the Angels another option as they look at their current possibilities at that spot. Those include Jo Adell, Mike Trout, Bryce Teodosio and Josh Lowe, who was acquired in a trade with the Rays in January. They also signed Jose Siri to a Minor League deal, and he’ll get a look in center this spring, as well.

Taylor also gives Los Angeles some insurance at third base, as the team brought back Yoán Moncada on a one-year deal worth $4 million, but he has dealt with injuries in recent years. The Angels also signed veteran Jeimer Candelario to a Minor League deal to increase their depth at the hot corner.