ANAHEIM -- While it’s still unclear what changes are coming for the Angels heading into next season, including who will be the club’s general manager and manager, it is known that the club will have a new center fielder in 2027.
Superstar Mike Trout returned to that position last season, but interim GM John Mozeliak said a day after the regular season ended that Trout would be moving to left field in ‘27. Trout, 35, played in 142 games, which was his most since he played in 159 games in ’16, but met with Mozeliak and decided a move to a corner outfield spot would cause less wear and tear on his body.
“Candidly, it wasn't where I came to him and said, ‘Hey, let's think about moving,’” Mozeliak said. “He came to me with what he thought might be best for his future. Obviously, he played the most games this year since 2016, and 10 years out was a long time. I think he understood the demands of playing center every day on his body. He recognizes where he is at his age, and now he's trying to think about how to finish his career strong. And he knows getting himself out of center field and maybe being less on his feet in the outfield, he will benefit from an offensive standpoint. And ultimately, I think that's a win for both sides.”
Trout was productive in '26, slashing .242/.382/.421 with 22 homers, 26 doubles, 11 stolen bases and 54 RBIs but didn't hit like his former three-time AL MVP self. He was an All-Star for the 12th time, however, and his 4.1 Wins Above Replacement ranked seventh among all AL outfielders, per Baseball-Reference.
Defensively, his range was considered below average by advanced metrics with -5 Outs Above Average (OAA), but he displayed an above-average arm and still ranked in the 83rd percentile in sprint speed. He should profile as a solid defender in left, which would allow Wade Meckler to take over in right field after his breakout season.
Mozeliak said Trout understood that the club would be better with a better defender in center and that this could help keep him healthy going forward. Trout previously moved to a corner outfield spot in ’25 but injured his knee running to first base in late April, and when he returned later in the season, he was limited to designated hitter duty.
“He is open-minded to playing left field or even DHing more in the future, and that could get his bat in there every day, which is a positive,” Mozeliak said. “But then upgrading our outfield defense would help as well. So, net-net, I think these are two interesting aspects on how we think about our roster building moving forward, and the fact that he's open-minded to it is helpful as well.”
The big question now is who would replace Trout in center, as they have some internal options with plus defense but with question marks offensively. Bryce Teodosio has proven to be an elite defensive center fielder but is just a career .200/.246/.273 hitter in 98 career games over the past three seasons.
Nelson Rada, the club’s No. 6 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is coming off a strong year at Triple-A Salt Lake but is just 21 years old and doesn’t offer much power. He hit .278/.376/.363 with three homers, 22 doubles and 43 stolen bases in 128 games in his second stint at Triple-A. He is likely to debut at some point in ’27, but the Angels don’t seem eager to rush him into a starting job.
Their biggest rising prospect has been Hayden Alvarez, who is now MLB Pipeline’s No. 98 prospect after an impressive showing at two levels in the Minors. He could be the club’s center fielder of the future with his combination of speed, power and plate discipline but is only 19 years old and isn’t likely to debut until ’29.
So if the Angels want to acquire a center fielder via free agency or trade, they don’t need to look for a long-term solution at the position.
One intriguing option could be free agent Daulton Varsho, who still profiles as a plus-defender in center but is coming off a down year offensively with the Blue Jays and Astros. He’s a left-handed bat, which the Angels need, and could be a bounce-back candidate after dealing with a wrist injury. Other potential options in free agency include Trent Grisham, Tyrone Taylor, TJ Freidl and Cedric Mullins (mutual option).
So it’ll be interesting to monitor how the Angels approach center field heading into ’27.