Mike Trout's impending position change could offer Reds the perfect trade candidate

While the Cincinnati Reds have a surplus of outfielders on the 40-man roster, none of the extant options seem like the missing piece to complement Spencer Steer and TJ Friedl. The free agent market is likely too pricey for the budget-minded club, so Cincinnati may have to resort to a trade. Luckily, the Los Angeles Angels and Mike Trout may have just provided the Reds with a solution.

When the Angels acquired Jorge Soler at the end of October, the trade shifted Los Angeles’ offensive makeup. Soler will likely slip into the DH position, pushing Trout into one of the corner outfield spots. 

The Reds could benefit from Mike Trout’s flexibility and the LA Angels’ outfield logjam

This will leave either Jo Adell or Taylor Ward out in the cold. Adell was long one of the most anticipated prospects in baseball, climbing to the No. 2 spot in Baseball Prospectus’s rankings before making his pro debut in 2020. Even after a lackluster 2024 season, the Angels seem unlikely to deal a much-hyped young player with three more years before free agency.

That leaves Ward. Once he cracked the starting lineup in 2022, he has been among the Angels’ most productive and consistent players. He has appeared at every field position except second base and shortstop and has turned into a serviceable corner outfielder, leading all AL left fielders in range factor per game and putouts.

Ward would be a substantial step up for the Reds offensively as well. He has an excellent eye and produces consistent results. In 2024, 41.9% of Ward’s batted balls were in Statcast’s “launch angle sweet spot,” good for fourth-best in the Majors. League-wide, these types of hits yielded a .585 batting average and 1.057 slugging percentage. For Ward, this resulted in a career-high 25 homers last season. Why wouldn’t the Reds jump at the chance to snag this guy?

Ward is still arbitration eligible for the next two years, so the asking price could be somewhat steep. The Angels’ farm system has few notable prospects in the upper levels, something the Reds have a plethora of. Cincinnati is heading for a crowded rotation in 2025, so dealing from this area of surplus wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

Connor Phillips, currently the Reds’ No. 15 prospect according to MLB.com, could be an intriguing piece in a trade offer. His up-and-down career has frustrated many Reds fans, but he might still have enough value to draw interest. The Reds would certainly need to add a couple other youngsters to sweeten the pot, but stabilizing their outfield at the big league level should outweigh any concerns about depleting the farm system at this point.

More Cincinnati Reds News and Rumors