The Angels released a list of non-roster invitees to major league Spring Training today. It included several players with previously-reported minor league deals as well as outfielder Jason Martin and right-hander Carson Fulmer. Martin is repped by Roc Nation Sports and Fulmer by Icon Sports Management.
Martin, 28, spent the 2023 season in Korea, playing for the KBO’s NC Dinos. In 118 games, he hit 17 home runs and slashed .283/.360/.455 for a 125 wRC+. He walked in 11.3% of his plate appearances while striking out at a 21.3% clip. He also stole 15 bases in 18 tries.
Prior to heading overseas, he had received limited looks in the big leagues. He got into 85 games between the Pirates and Rangers from 2019 to 2021, hitting just .206/.260/.328 in that time. His work in the minors has naturally been better, including a line of .260/.339/.472 in 328 Triple-A contests.
The Angels currently have an outfield mix that will likely see Mike Trout, Aaron Hicks and Taylor Ward in regular roles. But each of those three have battled injuries in recent seasons, with Trout last reaching 120 games in a season back in 2019. Hicks has never topped 137 and Ward has never topped 135. Mickey Moniak is on hand for some playing time and he had a nice season in 2023, hitting .280/.307/.495. But he struck out in 35% of his plate appearances and won’t be able to sustain a .397 batting average on balls in play. Jo Adell is also there but he’s also had serious strikeout concerns and is now out of options, which could squeeze him off the roster eventually. Strikeout concerns are also present for Jordyn Adams.
The Halos may need depth on the grass and they have signed Jake Marisnick and Willie Calhoun to minor league deals, now adding Martin into that mix. If Martin is able to crack the roster at any point, he is out of options.
Fulmer, 30, was with the Angels on a minor league deal for much of last year. He was briefly added to the 40-man roster in late September and then outrighted after the season. He was able to make three appearances and brought his career major league tallies to 140 2/3 innings over 77 appearances. He has a career ERA of 6.14 along with a 19% strikeout rate, 13.2% walk rate and 40.7% ground ball rate.
He spent most of last year in Triple-A, making 12 appearances, 11 of those being starts. His 41 innings of work at that level resulted in a 5.27 ERA, 17.5% strikeout rate, 14.8% walk rate and 47.6% ground ball rate.
He’ll provide the Angels with a bit of non-roster pitching depth, though he’s facing a steep climb of getting back to the big leagues. The Halos have a rotation mix of Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning, José Suarez and Chase Silseth, as well as guys like Zach Plesac, Sam Bachman, Davis Daniel and Victor Mederos. If Fulmer is added to the roster at any point, he’s out of options.
At least Ron Washington will be entertaining. He’ll be like Casey Stengel on the ’62 Mets.
You think this is the 62 Mets?
Angel fans don’t really know what it’s like to root for a really bad team. Unlike every other team in baseball, they have never lost 100 games. Actually, they have never lost more than 95.
This team is much better than some of the Angel teams we have recently watched. I’m looking forward to the year, and I’m looking forward to a year the Angels can just play baseball instead of bending over backwards to please Ohtani.
The team really isn’t terrible, just need everyone to stay healthy. The bullpen is completely revamped, and same thing with the coaches.
The last couple of years was like watching games with Damocles sword hanging over our heads.
Win or lose Ohtani.
It turns out the fear of losing Ohtani was worse than losing Ohtani.
I’m just looking forward to a nice, fun season of baseball. Let the kids play, and I hope to God the bullpen doesn’t implode.
We still need a backup shortstop, I’m starting to cope with the idea of rengifo/stefanic playing third.
Are you not entertained! Are you not entertained! Haha!
No I to think this Angels squad will be fun to watch. I do like your theory of, “the fear of losing Ohtani was worse than losing Ohtani”. It makes sense, now the kids can just get out there and have fun and play ball.
Is this team good even if it’s healthy?
Usually I like your takes Halo11 but there’s nothing to get excited about here.
Eh, I like your optimism but they’re a big bat at least from competing. Haven’t done anything to replace Ohtani hitting and that rotation is all nos. 3-5 types, thus far. Giving the DH to Trout and Rendon to stay healthy is less productive than signing a big bat. The off-season isn’t over yet.
What about the giants winning 104 games a couple years back with a bunch of bandaids, and one starting pitcher, and a decent bullpen. I’m hoping the coaching staff changes the outcome.
It was 107, but I did forget about gausman either way that lineup isn’t much different from the angels.
Yes Al, it is optimism but, “so you say there’s a chance”.
Ohtani thou, replacing his 40 Hr’s is no problem. You’d think you’d get 20 from whomever DH’es, and you can get 20 more just from a healthy Trout.
They won 73 games each of the last two-years and lost their two best players in Ohtani. Plus they lost a lot of other guys as well. Moore was in this pen last year, so we’ve added Stephenson– and the other new faces are similar to what we had. Maybe they’ll be great, but our starters won a collective total of 22 games last year– that’s all 5 combined!
No September baseball for the Angels this year Moreno has a lock on his coin purse counting those pennies “The Angels are staying in touch on Blake Snell (and Jordan Montgomery and Bellinger). They like Snell, but team owner Arte Moreno hasn’t given the go-ahead.” What does that mean? Staying in touch like hi, how are you? Nice, passing bye Come on Arte give it you’re too shame to show your facing no interviews, the Laughing stock of baseball
F bomb, F bomb F bomb. heaven can’t wait.
Now Arte have a nice day
Most of those guy are probably stuck with a three year deal with a opt out after the first year. Everyone is waiting them out.
Hoping Sanó makes the opening day roster. Not in love with our starting rotation. Sandoval, Silseth, Anderson don’t excite me. Enjoy watching Detmers, but he’s up and down. I do like how our Halos new bullpen is full of mostly guys who throw gas. Montgomery would be a nice add. Either way, looking forward to a decent season. Halos may surprise some people.
Detmers won 4-games. Put it another way, he won four more games than you and me.
I’m trying to wrap my head around your “bending over backwards “ for Ohtani. How is it going to be better without the best player on the planet? I haven’t been a fan of the six man rotation but not having an ace on the mound hardly makes them better.
The only way the Angels can approach .500 is if the starting pitching can improve by a lot, Rendon and Trout are healthy enough to play in at least 140 games, and Neto, Shanuel and O’Hoppe have strong seasons. There is literally no position players depth in the minors. There is no reason indication that Arte will allow Minasian to spend more to improve the depth on the major league level. I always try to be optimistic during ST but the schedule in the first six weeks of the regular season is brutal. We should know about the Angels’ chances real soon.
I’m going off that wise was signed as a bullpen coordinator, and everyone else was left in the cold as far as jobs. The coaching staff sucked because they were waiting on the sell that never happened. I believe they could have made a run with the staff, bullpen currently, and ohtani last year. Arte was a year late, and you can say the same with the rangers they got bochy instead of Woodward, and greatly improved with the same team.
But you can’t make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear. Pitching and defense wins– period. They could piece together enough offense if they had a staff that could hold teams between three and four runs a game. This staff isn’t close. They all had ERAs in the stratosphere. Sandoval and Canning are going into their sixth seasons– Sandoval isn’t suddenly going to master his control issues and be unemotional. Canning isn’t going to suddenly be durable. Detmers isn’t going from 4-wins to 15. This staff is not good with two front line arms missing at the top of the rotation.
You do realize the bullpen would almost always bring in 2-3 runs that were charged to the starting pitcher, and the defense was bad because a lot of guys were playing out of position due to injuries, that issue still hasn’t been addressed if rengifo is the super backup it’s going to be a problem once again. Bringing up the defense because I also saw easy plays that ended in a 4 run implosion
This is just a slap now in our face as angel fans Stop adding nobodies!! Shut us up and go get a Bellinger!!
They won’t make it to the roster no need to stress. Just bodies for the spilt squad
As long as they are minor league deals, then no harm. It’s MLB deals for bad players that worry me.
Not just Fullmer as said, it will be a tough up hill climb for both of these guys to break camp with the team. But maybe they’ll take a minor league assessment there after. Dunno….
There are worse places to play than the PCL.
Very aggressive by Perry! He certainly appears to be going world series or bust.
Lots of breaking Fulmer News these days.
Let the kids play. Find out who these kids are.
There is going to be a lot to root for, and as long as the kids get a chance and we don’t blow games where the bullpen is the arson squad that it has been. I’m not going to fret about it.
Completely agreed.
We may have a young core developing and I’d rather have them compete a bit than lose 110 games. So that new bullpen holding leads is crucial.
I bet the Angels will be battling for 500 and not battling for 90 loses.
I don’t think this is a 90 loss team.
There’s a very wide range of outcomes with such a young team.
I think I’ll predict 76-86 so under 90 wins as well.
However, I’d be less surprised with more wins than I would more losses.
Agree with you both. But what’s the point of staying at 76-86 wins every year? Besides the financial for Arte. Blow it up or spend. Thus far it’s the same strategy every year of signing cheap underperforming guys hoping they all reach their 90th percentile ceiling in the same season. Not working.
I think this year they’ll let Neto, Schanuel, O’Hoppe, and the young rotation play a lot to see what they have.
There’s not much to blow up. Trout’s contract and injuries make him hard to trade. Ward, Drury, Esteves, maybe Rengifo can be traded.
Might as well let them play a bit. See what we have. Then sell off later.
Agree and that’s my point. If this is it and they want to let the kids play then trade the veterans with value and retool for a year or two. Letting the kids play is for non-contenders so they might as well get prospects and high draft picks in the meantime.
If this team added Snell, Chapman and Duvall i think they make the playoffs. But we need some talent. Or get Snell and Ryu or Clevinger and Duvall. Get somebody. We haven’t added a single starter as a pitcher or on the field. Hicks is a platoon player. Think about that— it’s impossible.
Snell has pitched more than 130 innings twice. Duvall is 35 years old with a sub 300 OBP, and Chapman has been in decline says Covid and insulted every hitter on the Angels.
These are the types of moves that have put the Angels exactly where they are.
Well my friend, then do nothing. We are scheduled to win 74.5 games and we have the 29th ranked farm system. So what am I paying to watch? Stefanic and Regnifo? Jo Adell? Chapman is a stud and maybe the best defender at the position who goes to the post. Dumbing down Snell’s talent is absurd. He”s a better pitcher than Ohtani. Duvall is a cheap power bat for one-year if they’re not signing Bellinger. Fine, Sign martinez to DH. Sign Soler. Plenty of bats and arms out there. Sign Montgomery. Ryu on a one-year. Trevor Bauer? We are going nowhere as constructed other than 4th place and if everything breaks right maybe .500.
I say evaluate. Don’t play whack-a-mole. Don’t chase your tail. Keep your first round pick. Don’t pay for a career year. Don’t invest in aging stars.
Then after 2024, when things become less cloudy, solve the problems you know about.
I’m glad the Angels are not going to try to solve the problems they don’t know about.
Adell has every chance to be much better than Duval, and if he’s not, cut him. Rendon has every chance to be at least as good as Chapman, if not cut him. And Rendon never said every hitter on the Angels sucked, that comment is restricted to Chapman.
Here we come playoffs!
I don’t think anyone thinks it’s likely the Angels will make the playoffs.
And is that really the goal? I think the goal is to find the players that can play and purge the players that can’t.
My alcoholic mother believes!
I can see them in playoff contention at the deadline. But I agree time to sell, the expiring contracts/ spare parts. Also the same with Arte sell sell sell.
How are they going to be in contention after winning 73 games each of the last two season with the MVP of those seasons gone and no replacements? They have not added a single starting pitcher or starting position player. Even if no one gets hurt and they all play– we are projected to win 74.5 games and finish 4th. Who exactly pitches against Verlander and Valdez? Jacob DeGrom, Scherzer, Eovaldi? The entire Seattle rotation that is the best in the division? They need two front line starters– two. They needed to add one last year and they didn’t. And this year they lost their ace– so that’s two! We are in deep trouble unless we make some additions.
Did the angels have a frontline starter when they won the World Series? Most likely everyone you listed will be on the dl for a extended period of time, except Valdez. They need to play them to see what they got. Sandoval had a sub 3 era two years ago. last year was going off a pitching script the only pitcher that wasn’t was ohtani. I believe that’s the reason for the regression.
These are the types of guys you fill your AAA roster with when you don’t have actual prospects.
I am a bit intrigued by Martin.
Very true JJ, but most very good, to elite prospects skip AAA altogether. So we’ll need them in AA to. Hahaha!
But yeah, most teams top talents might get a cup of tea in AAA, maybe, but that’s it.
Yep. Law just ranked us 29th out of 30 for prospects and the Dodgers who draft nearly last every year are ranked at number three despite promotions and trading prospects.
Most Angels fans on here, Arte is cheap. He isn’t signing player A or player B. Same fans, after Arte signs exact same players, why did he pay them what they wanted? Arte needs to go. This is the first offseason since after 2009, that the Angels aren’t signing guys, just to make headlines. Snell has had 2 good seasons in his career, he doesn’t even pitch 6 innings. He has bad contract written all over him. Bellinger, if his price comes back to earth, makes sense. But not 200+ million
angelsbroncosfan- I used to think Snell was overrated. He seems to be improving the way he goes after batters. He walks a lot of batters, but I think he has great control. He is one of the top group at painted strikes and he misses the heart of the plate. He just seems to not want to give in and when he does, he still misses the heart. This does hurt his pitch count, but he did go at least 6 in 23 , most of the time. In a non CY year you can expect 120-130 innings. He is pretty durable, and he also is never really bad. 4.29 being his worst. He has a high floor with some high upside, and he is a proven big game pitcher. Bellinger is the one to me that might be more risky at least with the bat. Even at his best he has contact issues and doesn’t walk much. I would be OK with him ,but I would kinda like to see what Adell and Moniak can do.
30+ million a year for 120 to 130 innings isn’t smart. Now I know pitchers don’t pitch 200 innings anymore, but 120 to 130 innings from the best pitcher on the staff, isn’t good. I’d rather them pay Montgomery, less per year, to give the team more innings per start and not lose a draft pick
angelsbroncosfan- I can respect that and the money and draft pick. They are both proven good post season pitchers. I think Montgomery will probably resign with Texas. Also to note Snell, except for his rookie and the short season pitched at least 128 inn. the short season he was on pace for over 150 inn. Snell doesn’t miss a lot of starts. For the careers Snell has 992.2 innings Montgomery has 755 innings. That is 1 more year for Snell and 237.2 more innings pitched. Also Snell was pulled early many times he was pitching well and low pitch count in Tampa Bay. A lot was made of this policy, you might recall in the World Series against the Dodgers.
I always get Carson Fulmer and Matt Ginter mixed up. Man the White Sox suck at drafting and developing.
I’d rather have Brad Fulmer out of retirement at this point. This team won’t win 70 games let alone 80
I have them winning 67 this season. But that assessment was back in December.
Trevor Bauer drops his sales pitch for MLB teams looking for a Cy Young pitcher looking for an incentive based contract at league minimum . Angels need to sign him and Montgomery.
If Bauer is not signed he is being black balled from MLB.
Trevor Bauer yes 1000 % but Montgomery scares me he wants a big contract for winning the World Series needs to prove more . World Series winners after winning are a bust we can’t take that chance.
Might as well sign Julio Urias too and go for it all.
The difference is no filed charges and ultimately evidence she was after his money,
“‘Next victim. Star pitcher for the Dodgers,'” Bauer said in the video. “A text Lindsey Hill sent to a friend before she ever even met me. ‘What should I steal?’ she asked another, in reference to visiting my house for the first time. The answer? ‘Take his money.’ So how might that work? ‘I’m going to his house Wednesday.’ she said, ‘I already have my hooks in. you know how I roll.’ Then, after the first time we met, “Net worth is 51 mil” she said. ‘b—h, you better secure the bag’, was the response.
He is no saint but there are many players like him in all sports.
I’d sign Bauer tomorrow. It’s crazy that this kid is being blackballed after he was investigated and was found to not have commited a crime.
He has another case so that’s three that have been filed so far
Hold on. This is crazy. These women were shaking him down for money. The District Attorney investigated these cases to see if there was a crime committed and they found no crime. They did not press charges. Their cases were so weak that no charges were filed. So what exactly is he being punished for? Are you aware that most of these players have a different woman in every city? That the women wait for them at their hotels and pursue these players? That deviant sexual practices are common and the norm with these young players? Since when did the MLB become the morality police? If he was beating a woman or a violent felon or drug dealer, or anything in that vein I’d understand, but he was exonerated!! No charges were filed or will be filed. The women asked him to do things and then complained that he did those things. The problem is they had texted him their wants.
@carllafong he has another case, maybe this is different than the others. The Lindsay hill one was thrown out, and suspect not to sure about the others the mlb talked to all three. I would be expecting a lawsuit from bauer if they didn’t have something on him. Wondering if he had the first one sign a nda.
urnuts- youAREnuts. Bauer is not being black balled. Teams have already got rid of him. He makes bad choices. Just like the fans, some players he rubs the wrong way others are fine. That is even worse for a team because it breeds division. The Indians got rid of him pronto (no pun int) when he threw into the stands. He can pitch well but he also has had really bad years too. No team will sign him this year because I believe he has a new unrelated case against him.
Hey Mr. Righteous, what you’re saying is just not true. The Dodger players went to management and asked them not to release Bauer. Are you aware of that? This guy is one of the top pitchers in the game and he’s being prevented from making a living for what exactly? Because you think he’s a freak? Some players don’t like him? Part of his bad wrap came when he broke in and wouldn’t listen to pitching coaches and chose to do things his way. He was labeled a malcontent. The problem is he was right and they were wrong. Now more and more players are adopting his methods of training. Players have not complained beyond whatever personal gripe Gerritt Cole and he had together. And regardless of what this guy is personally, he has the right to work– especially when it’s been determined he committed no crime. So let’s stick with Anderson and his six era because he’s a Boy Scout. If you knew how bad half these guys are off the field you might stop watching altogether. I know from personal experience that most of these guys have sexual relationships with women all over the country– whether they’re married or not. To single Bauer out is not right.
carllafong- Not sure what was not true? I was saying that there are players on both sides. I never saw were that ALL or MOST of the players where on that side of the fence. This is an entertainment business and PR is important to a team. My point being that, even though I agree that somethings like the coachability are questionable, He has plenty of reasons for teams to not want to sign him. Personally, I have no problem with any of the the stuff he does. Well, most . People do all kinds of stuff behind closed doors. If it is legal no problem. His problem is that he makes a lot of bad decisions. He also is not so good some years. He has had worse years than what Anderson put up last year. The reason they are going with Anderson is because He has a contract for 2 more years, had a sub 3 ERA the year before and it is rumored that the new pitching coach says he was tipping pitches with the Angels. Lastly, I think the “Hey Mr. Righteous” was a little out of line here.
@ur he might not be as cheap as everyone thinks he just said league minimum, so if it gets backlash and he’s not performing they can cut him. Problem is he will most likely hit the bonuses and I can see it being 15-20 million for one year that’s what Harvey and syndergaard got.
Well if he hits the bonuses likely it still would be a bargain and if he stinks release him. For me it is not much of a gamble.
@ur Yeah agree, but the fact he’s saying that might mean this one is more serious. He would be suing the mlb if he had cause for wrongful termination. That makes me wonder if the first one signed a nda, and he can’t disclose information. The second one he didn’t settle and that’s the only one leaked. Third one is still pending.
Unless he goes 0 for spring training, I have to believe that Marisnick makes it as 4th or 5th OF. Too much veteran presence not too. Trumbo, my friend, or Halo, would have more of a pulse on things Angel’s and I would defer to them, but Washington is going to count on veterans to help start the season and process…
I don’t see Marisnick making the team unless an outfielder is traded. Trout, Moniak, Adell and Hicks can’t be optioned; Taylor Ward can be optioned, but won’t be. That’s five outfielders, so no room for Marisnick.
He spent so much time in the hospital that he became a nurse!
They had a blowpen that lost -34 games. I get the narrative the angels had the two best players in the mlb and still suck. Also I believe the only coach that was hired was wise as a bullpen coordinator a steep decline from a pitching coach. Do you see the correlation about the last two years the coaching and bullpen sucked. Also they won 22 games because loup came in and put gasoline on the fire. Has anyone signed loup shoot I’m not sure if the KBO will take him. Besides ohtani they lost Renfroe, and some junk that haven’t been signed yet, and moniak covers his production
I don’t think Estevez is a closer. On top of that he was overused and lost movement on his fastball. It didn’t matter who the coach was they weren’t going to get more out of Loup, Teprera, Herget, Wantz and so on and so forth. You need talent. Stephenson most likely becomes the closer. Barry Enright will be a large upgrade for sure, and they have more power arms, but we are banking on a lot of guys bouncing back in that pen– which could happen. We are in real trouble over 162 with this starting staff which has been largely same for the last three-years and we say the same thing each year– if Detmers can step forward, we like Canning and if he can stay on the field, if Sandoval can control his emotions, and now we add the ifs on Silseth as a rookie (most potential of all of them) and then what to do with Anderson? It’s a fourth place rotation. I’d sign Snell and a second pitcher Clevinger, Ryu– pick one. Trade Sandoval, Adell and prospects to Chicago for Cease or Miami for a significant starter. Silseth and Detmers are the 4 & 5. canning is the long man and spot starting depth. Then add a bat and this team can compete for a playoff spot
I agree with the assessment on estevez, he might end being the 4th or 5th reliever. For the most part of season they only had moore, and estevez with a bunch guys that haven’t been signed so far because they were terrible. Cimber has a decent track record said he had a bad back last season that he was pitching with, they have a decent mix that they haven’t had. Most of the guys they can cut if they falter, and bring up Joyce or Bachman. As far as the starting rotation they have Anderson, saurez and plesac battling for two spots it’s about the same as clevinger, and ryu. Unfortunately the angels are stuck with Anderson I rather have him in the pen, maybe they can trade him next year.
I doubt Aaron Hicks has a “regular role.” Way more upside to Moniak vs righties and Adell will also have more at bats against lefties and at DH vs righties. Hicks is a depth piece at best.
I think ward is not back yet he had multiple face fractures and surgeries, hicks is just here for a quick audition, and probably Marisnick as the guy that plays once a week after that he has a minor league deal not sure if he can opt out.
I remember when Jason Martin was the OF of the future with the Pirates. Guy got a cup of coffee and sent on his way. Nice depth piece for the Angels at least. Maybe Martin sticks in LA and becomes a late bloomer.
Angels need a good #1 & #2 starter, All they have are a bunch of #3-6 rotation guys. They had Ohtani & still couldn’t make the playoffs!
Let the kids play! I have a feeling some of their starting pitchers will surprise people by the end of the year. This team may one of those teams that gets hot towards the last part of the season.
Least we what they got. The GM will at least know what to build around for next year
Let what kids play? Rendon? You can go the route of young guys and that can be fun if there is a coherent plan and a minor league system to support that plan? Nothing like that exists. Just watching sub par talent toe the rubber because it’s cheaper and then say let’s watch Stefanic is ridiculous. The guy is 28 and a rookie. A singles hitter with no power and a marginal glove with ZERO trade value. He is not in their long term plans. We have marginal arms as starters at the moment. We have not added a single starting pitcher or position player. We lost Ohtani for nothing. The time to trade him was a for a huge haul 1 1/2 years ago. Then we’d be able to fill kids in all over the diamond and watch them develop– but they even failed there. They have no plan.