The Angels went through much of the 2025 season sacrificing defense for offense throughout their lineup. Most notably, Jo Adell was given a chance to be the Angels’ everyday center fielder after a Gold Glove campaign in right field in 2024. The defense did not translate, as Adell’s range and instincts in center field caused a lot of trouble for the team. With Taylor Ward in left field and Mike Trout/Jorge Soler in right field, Adell was still the best option for center field. That is, until the team decided to make a big change in the outfield.
Bryce Teodosio is an absolutely spectacular defensive baseball player. He is one of the few center fielders who was graded out with a true 80-grade defensively, and he instantly jumped off the screen once he joined the Angels towards the end of their 2025 season. And even better, Teodosio was performing at the plate at the beginning of his time as the Angels’ everyday center fielder.
For a brief moment in time, it seemed like Teodosio might just be enough to save the Angels’ season. Ultimately, the team and their new defensive ace in center field slowed down. The team fell well out of playoff contention, and Teodosio’s batting average began to drop as MLB pitchers got more used to the 26-year old. But does that just mean the curtain has closed on Teodosio as the Angels’ center fielder?
Angels do not need to explore CF in free agency as they already have answer in-house
There is a lot of talk this offseason of the Angels being tempted to bring in a center fielder in free agency or on the trade market. With Adell and Ward already involved in trade talks, there’s a chance the team parlays one of their sluggers into a center fielder that does not sacrifice defense for offense or vice versa. There’s also a chance that Angels’ top prospect Nelson Rada makes his own case for the center field job in Spring Training.
However, the Angels should have a little more faith in Teodosio than it appears they do. If Teodosio can hit close to .220 or is a slightly below average offensive center fielder, he will still supply a net positive value to the Angels. His defense is that good. Rada deserves a shot, no doubt, and bringing in a veteran like Cedric Mullins could still be beneficial. Nevertheless, Teodosio was a positive player in 2025, and it’s fair to assume he won’t go through a slump as bad as he did at the end of the season. If he can survive as a nine-hole hitter, Teodosio’s defense and base running wizardry is more than enough to warrant consistent playing time in 2026.
