The Angels are taking a roundabout approach to bolstering their bullpen this winter, focusing on signing veteran players to minor league contracts. The latest example is right-handed pitcher, as reported by Baseball America’s Taylor Blake Ward.
Though it’s not confirmed, Brogdon is likely to be invited to big league spring training. General manager Perry Minasian has yet to address the major league bullpen that will form when spring training concludes and the regular season begins, but he’s clearly adding depth players who are expected to make their debut at some point in 2025.
Brogdon is the third former Dodgers reliever Minasian has brought in this offseason, following left-handed pitchers Victor González and Garrett McDaniels.
Additionally, in early December, Minasian signed former Cardinals and Rockies right-hander Dakota Hudson to a minor league contract in a deal similar to Brogdon’s. Another trend: Brogdon, who will turn 30 soon, is from California, just like Travis d’Arnaud, Kevin Newman, and Kyle Hendricks.
Connor Brogdon might have lost a step, but is certainly worth a look
The Dodgers, always active, needed to make room on their 40-man roster before the Rule-5 Draft during the winter meetings. They quickly deemed Brogdon expendable due to his absence in the 2024 season. The Angels took advantage of this opportunity to acquire him at a low cost, as he only pitched 3.0 innings in the majors and 14 in the minors last year with the Phillies and Dodgers, struggling with plantar fasciitis.
His fastball, once in the mid-90s, now hovers in the lower-90s, and he mixes in a low-80s changeup and a cutter. His four-seam fastball was likely more reliant on speed than movement, often turning into a less effective two-seam. In fact, he threw more changeups than fastballs in 2023 with the Phillies. He performed well in AAA Oklahoma City in 2024, but he’s expected to move to the more challenging AAA Salt Lake once spring training concludes.
Brogdon is certainly worth consideration given his time with the Phillies and Dodgers, two successful organizations. The Dodgers are known for their smart handling of minor league deals with reclamation projects, so following their lead makes sense.
After Brogdon was designated for assignment in April, the Dodgers bypassed the waiver process and acquired him by sending Benony Robles to the Phillies. During his time with the Phillies, Brogdon posted solid numbers with sub-4 FIPs and sub-1.3 WHIPs in 2021 and 2022, establishing himself as a reliable back-end bullpen option. Now, he’ll attempt to reinvent himself with the Angels. Perhaps he’ll focus more on his cutter.
With limited movement in the relief pitching market, the Angels are expected to be active in pursuing free agent arms. Even if they don’t bring in major bullpen reinforcements, they have depth options like Brogdon ready to contribute as they face the challenges of the upcoming season.
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