Newcomer Bundy among arb-eligible Angels

January 10th, 2020

ANAHEIM -- The Angels have a large of group of players eligible for salary arbitration, as they tendered contracts to eight players on Dec. 2 and also acquired right-hander , who is in his second year of arbitration.

The deadline for players and clubs to exchange salary figures for arbitration is 10 a.m. PT on Friday.

In addition to Bundy, infielder , outfielder , left-hander and relievers and are all eligible for arbitration.

The club and catcher came to an agreement on Thursday, sources told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, settling at Stassi's projected salary of $800,000. This is the first year of arbitration eligibility for the 28-year-old, who may miss the start of the 2020 season after undergoing right hip surgery this offseason. The Angels also settled with , per Feinsand, at $2.8 million on Thursday. Bedrosian, 28, was solid last season, posting a 3.23 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings. He was shut down at the end of the year with right forearm inflammation but is expected to be fully healthy heading into 2020.

Reliever Keynan Middleton has agreed to a $800,000 deal for 2020, a source told Feinsand. The 26-year-old came off Tommy John surgery in '19, pitching in 11 games with a 1.17 ERA and six strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. The Angels believe Middleton has the stuff to become an elite reliever, but now he has to prove it in his first full year healthy since the operation.

If the club and a player can’t agree to terms before the deadline Friday, then a hearing is scheduled in February. The Angels haven’t gone to a hearing since 2011, with former ace . (The panel ruled in the team's favor.) Last year, the Angels avoided arbitration with all nine of their eligible players before the deadline to exchange salary figures. Players and clubs can continue to negotiate salaries between Friday and a potential hearing, but many clubs, including the Angels, set a hard deadline for Friday for players to come to an agreement to avoid a hearing.

Here’s a look at the players eligible for arbitration and their projected 2020 salaries provided by Cot’s Contracts:

RHP Dylan Bundy (second year, $5.25 million)
Bundy was acquired from the Orioles for four Minor Leaguers on Dec. 4 and gives the Angels much-needed durability. Bundy, 27, has made at least 28 starts in each of the last three seasons and posted a 4.79 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 161 2/3 innings last year. The Angels believe the former first-round pick still has upside.

INF Tommy La Stella (third year, $3 million)
La Stella, 30, is coming off an interesting season that saw him get named an All-Star for the first time, only to miss most of the second half of the season with a fractured right tibia. if La Stella can pick up where he left off before the injury, he’ll be a major part of the lineup while seeing action at second base and first base. He’s also reunited with Joe Maddon, who was his manager with the Cubs.

OF Brian Goodwin (first year, $2 million)
Goodwin had a breakout season in ’19 and is expected to be the club’s starting right fielder to open the 2020 season. But Goodwin, 29, isn’t likely to have the job for long with Jo Adell close to reaching the Majors. Once Adell, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Angels' top prospect, takes over in right, Goodwin will become the club’s fourth outfielder, a role he excelled at in ’19.

LHP Andrew Heaney (third year, $5 million)
Heaney is the veteran of the rotation, but the 28-year-old was limited to 18 starts in '19, missing time with left elbow inflammation. Heaney did strike out 118 batters in 95 1/3 innings, so the Angels are hopeful new pitching coach Mickey Callaway can help put it all together.

RHP Hansel Robles (second year, $3.75 million)
Robles was a dependable closer for the Angels, racking up 23 saves and 75 strikeouts in 72 2/3 innings. The 29-year-old, who had a career-best 2.48 ERA, will again be the club's closer this upcoming season.

RHP Noé Ramirez (first year, $1.5 million)
Ramirez pitched in a variety of bullpen roles, including as opener, during a solid campaign that saw him post a 3.99 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings. Ramirez, 30, is expected to serve in a similar capacity in 2020.