Los Angeles Angels: Three players that could be traded next
By Jason Reed
1. Kole Calhoun
When I heard the news of Martin Maldonado being traded I was surprised that is was not Calhoun that got traded first. Not that I want Calhoun traded from the Angels, he just seemed like the perfect trade chip to be overvalued by a contending team.
He still can be.
Calhoun, at the very least, is a great defensive outfielder that can work counts at the plate and serve as a grinder. When he is seeing the ball well, Calhoun’s smooth left-handed swing naturally produces gap-to-gap contact.
Calhoun has not been seeing the ball well this season, however. The outfielder is hitting just .196 with a .252 on-base percentage over an 81-game window.
He still has the foundation to be a very solid hitter and a chance of pace could result in his batting average rising back to the .260-.270 range, where he has made a living as a professional baseball player.
A team like the Philadelphia Phillies could use extra outfield depth that at the very least will be an improvement defensively. For a team like the Phillies, this is a low risk, high reward deal while it opens the door for AAA standout Michael Hermosillo.