BALTIMORE -- The Angels made the most out of being clear sellers for the first time in recent memory, as they traded right-hander José Soriano to the Blue Jays, veteran reliever Brent Suter to the Braves, outfielder Jo Adell to the Guardians, reliever Ryan Zeferjahn to the Cubs and reliever Kirby Yates to the Pirates for a haul of eight prospects ahead of Monday’s Trade Deadline.
It started early Monday, when they traded Soriano to the Blue Jays for shortstop Arjun Nimmala, outfielder Eddie Micheletti Jr. and right-hander Angel Rivero. Later in the day, the Angels acquired infielder Nacho Alvarez Jr. from Atlanta in exchange for Suter before getting catcher Jacob Cozart from Cleveland for Adell. They then received catcher Moisés Ballesteros and right-hander Mason McGwire (son of Mark McGwire) from Chicago, and right-hander Kyle Robinson from Pittsburgh.
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“I’m excited about what we're able to accomplish today,” said interim general manager John Mozeliak. “We knew that things had to be different. The direction of where the franchise was going needed to change, and this was an opportunity during the Trade Deadline to do just that.”
It came after the Angels also acquired third-base prospect Angel Arredondo from the Rangers for catcher Logan O’Hoppe and reliever Chase Silseth on Wednesday. The Angels are taking advantage of being in clear sell mode under Mozeliak, who is being tasked with helping turn around a franchise that hasn’t been to the postseason since 2014.
It marks a shift for the organization, especially considering Soriano (2027), Adell (‘27), Zeferjahn (‘30), O’Hoppe ('29), and Silseth (‘30) are all under team control beyond this year. But the Angels did hold onto shortstop Zach Neto and left-hander Reid Detmers, whose names also came up in trade discussions.
“We definitely listened to offers on them, but we were not comfortable with the offers we received,” Mozeliak said. “And given the talents of those two individuals, we are certainly happy they are part of our organization moving forward."
Nimmala, ranked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 43 overall prospect, is a rising 20-year-old shortstop and is considered the headliner in the return for Soriano. He was the second-highest-rated prospect acquired at the Deadline, behind only Zyhir Hope (No. 25).
Nimmala, the No. 20 overall pick in the 2023 Draft out of Strawberry Crest High School in Dover, Fla., has had a strong season offensively. Entering play Monday, he’s slashed a combined .265/.364/.453 with eight homers, 18 doubles, 34 RBIs and six stolen bases in 62 games between High-A and Double-A this season, including an .806 OPS in 33 games at Double-A.
“Nimmala was somebody that we had targeted in this process,” Mozeliak said. “And obviously getting a top prospect in a deal like this was super exciting for us.”
TRADE DETAILS
Blue Jays receive: RHP José Soriano
Angels receive: SS Arjun Nimmala (LAA's No. 2 prospect), OF Eddie Micheletti Jr., RHP Angel Rivero
Braves receive: LHP Brent Suter
Angels receive: INF Nacho Alvarez Jr.
Guardians receive: RF Jo Adell
Angels receive: C Jacob Cozart (LAA's No. 18 prospect)
Cubs receive: RHP Ryan Zeferjahn
Angels receive: C Moisés Ballesteros, RHP Mason McGwire (LAA's No. 15 prospect)
Micheletti is an outfielder/first baseman with solid contact skills from the left side and some power as well. The 24-year-old was an eighth-round pick from Virginia Tech in 2024 and hit .251/.347/.454 with 14 homers, 20 doubles and 45 RBIs in 93 games with Double-A New Hampshire.
Rivero, 19, is a Venezuela native having a strong season in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League. He’s posted a 2.36 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 23 walks in 42 innings.
Alvarez is a former top prospect who is still just 23 years old and made his MLB debut as a 21-year-old in 2024. The Fontana, Calif., native slashed .216/.277/.298 with two homers, 12 doubles and 15 RBIs in 66 games across '24 and '25, but he has been at Triple-A Gwinnett this year.
Cozart, 23, fits a need as a defensive-minded catcher who hits left-handed. The 2024 second-round pick was ranked as Cleveland's No. 18 prospect and batted .239/.330/.384 in 79 games at Double-A Akron this year.
Ballesteros also fits that mold as a left-handed-hitting catcher, although he’s more of a bat-first player and might be related to designated hitter. But the 22-year-old was ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospects before each of the last two seasons and has slashed .249/.328/.408 in 79 games in the Majors. He'll be on the roster on Tuesday.
“Catcher is an area we needed to upgrade,” Mozeliak said. “What we like about [Cozart] is he does have some offensive upside, but from a defensive standpoint, very strong. … Ballesteros is more bat first, defense second, but we spent a lot of time to understand what he’s been doing on the defensive side.”
McGwire, 22, is a local product who attended nearby Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo and has posted a 3.64 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 24 walks in 59 1/3 innings between Single-A and High-A this year. He’s an intriguing arm who has experience as both a starter and a reliever.
“We brought in players with some connection to the Orange County area, but also have real upside as players,” Mozeliak said. “It really did create a lot of depth, not only at the lower end but also closer to the big leagues.”
Robinson was an 11th round pick out of Texas Tech in 2024 and registered a 4.55 ERA with 78 strikeouts and 34 walks in 83 innings across three levels, including Double-A. The 23-year-old doesn’t rank among the Angels' Top 30 prospects, but the 6-foot-6 hurler has been solid as a starter this year.