The Angels’ sell-off continued on August 3, as outfielder Jo Adell was traded to the Cleveland Guardians. It ends Adell’s nearly one-decade stint with the organization. However, it gives the Guardians, a team that sat in the bottom five in home runs, a right-handed slugger who can hit for power.
The Guardians’ Return
- OF Jo Adell (.239/.287/.395, 16 HR & 33 XBH over 111 GP)
Jo Adell has been a career Angel, as the club drafted him in the first round way back in the 2017 MLB Draft. At the time, Adell was considered an uber-talented outfielder with legitimate plus power & looked upon as a potential building block to pair with Mike Trout. And while Adell didn’t live up exactly to the hype, he wound up being a good power hitter in Anaheim.
It did, however, take Adell time to adjust to Major League pitching. He made his MLB debut in 2020 but didn’t establish himself as a regular until 2024, when he hit 20 home runs and stole 15 bases. The following year, Adell posted a career season, as he clubbed 37 home runs for the Angels.
For this year, Adell is on pace for a 20-home run season. And there’s a lot to like with Adell, albeit with some flaws. One, Adell does have well-above-average power, which plays to all fields. Additionally, the 27-year-old is a left-handed pitching killer. This season, he’s slashed .303/.338/.571 with 10 home runs off southpaws.
But like with every hitter, there are some quirks with Adell. Aggressive slugger who doesn’t walk a lot. Additionally, Adell has consistently been good at catching up at the fastball. But with offspeed and breaking balls, significantly more swing-and-miss.
Adell has one more year of team control.
The Angels’ Return
- C Jacob Cozart (.239/.330/.384, 10 HR & 21 XBH over 79 GP (AA))
The Guardians made Jacob Cozart a second-round pick out of NC State two years ago. It’s the same school that produced now-Cleveland catcher Patrick Bailey, and it’s also where Cozart looked like a premium catcher. In his junior season with the Wolfpack, Cozart hit 19 home runs back in 2024.
Cozart has shown some aggressiveness at the plate this season, at times swinging more than taking. There’s also a good amount of swing-and-miss, too. However, Cozart does have a higher ceiling given that he can play a premium position and likely stick there. On top of that, there is some upside with the bat, as he hit a career-most 10 home runs with Akron.
He had a 23% CS% in Double-A this season.
Analysis
The Guardians don’t have a hitter like Adell in their lineup, which is why this move makes a lot of sense. While Cleveland does have hitters like Jose Ramirez & Chase DeLauter with power, the team’s lineup is filled with grinders and good defenders.
Adell does add a power punch, someone who can help even out the lineup and give the Guardians some pop. Plus, some stability in an outfield that has been shaken up at times this season.
As for the Angels, it’s the second notable trade made by the club on deadline day. Earlier on August 3, the Halos traded away ace Jose Soriano to the Blue Jays for three prospects. And when looking at the organization, it just makes too much sense as to why the club moved on from Adell.
Realistically, the Angels needed another reset, and the club was likely not going to win with Adell on the roster. So, make the most of that asset and use him to gain more organizational depth.
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