veteran infielder Haimer Candelario Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports that he is having a strong camp with the Angels and is working on some drills at second base. “We’re just seeing what our options are.” manager kurt suzuki said. “Candy is swinging the bat really well. She’s playing really well.”
Candelario, 32, has had a strong major league season on his record, but has been hobbled by injuries the past two seasons. For what it’s worth, he’s hitting .333/.429/.708 in 28 plate appearances so far this spring. He won’t be able to maintain his .467 batting average in plays forever, but six of his eight hits were extra-base hits.
Notably, although Candelario hit .207/.265/.394 in 2024 and 2025, he battled injuries for most of that time. He posted a combined slash of .254/.329/.437 from 2020 to 2023, which led to the Reds offering him a three-year contract worth $45 million. Cincinnati responded to his struggles by releasing him, and Candelario ended up in camp with the Halos.
If the Halos are thinking about offering him a roster spot, it makes sense to look at what kind of versatility he can offer. He currently has no second base experience. He only played in the corners of the infield throughout his career. It’s the same whether it’s major or minor. The Halos have a shortstop and a first baseman. jack netto and Surprised Chanuel Each manages that position.
Third and second bases are more open. Yoan Moncada While theoretically an everyday third baseman, he has been injury-prone, especially recently. Over 10 big league seasons, he has appeared in 132 games in just three of those seasons, the most recent coming in 2021. The Angels have to operate under the assumption that he will miss some time.
Second baseman is also a question mark. Christian Moore That may be the answer, but he has a .198/.284/.370 line so far in his career and is still an option. He also spent some time at third base in camp, so there’s some flexibility there. Vaughn Grissom and Oswald Peraza These are former prospects on the roster but have yet to reach the big leagues. Both have no choice and can be squeezed out.
Candelario is competing for a roster spot with other veteran non-roster invitees including: Adam Fraser, Chris Taylor and Nick Madrigal. If he could play second base a little bit, it would add to his appeal and give him a boost in that competition. The Halos use one bench spot for a backup catcher. Travis d’Arnaud. Another would go to a depth outfielder. Bryce Theodosio. There could be two spots left in a group consisting of Candelario, Grissom, Peraza, Frazier, Taylor, Madrigal and others.
Candelario already has one thing going for him in that he’s cheap. The Reds are still on the hook for having to pay him this year, the final season of his aforementioned three-year deal. If the Angels give him a spot, they only have to pay him the prorated league minimum while he’s on the roster. The team appears to be reducing salaries while dealing with the new broadcast revenue paradigm, which is certainly attractive to them.
In a separate column, Fletcher provides an update on the outfield. Josh RoweAt camp, I am battling left oblique pain. Suzuki suggested he would try to get him into game action as early as Friday and that opening day would give him plenty of time to relax. If Rowe avoids the injured list, he could see regular playing time in the outfield. Mike Trout, joe adele and jorge soler. These four players are expected to share three outfield spots and the designated hitter spot.
Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images
