Heading into the 2026 MLB trade deadline, the Los Angeles Angels look ready to make noise, and Zach Neto is one of the names drawing the most attention.
Interim general manager John Mozeliak knows the roster needs change, which could leave the Angels active over the next week and a half. Neto, one of the club’s best players, has come up more often in trade chatter lately, and it’s easy to see why. He’s putting together another solid season, hitting .238/.326/.446 with 19 home runs and 46 runs batted in.
That kind of production matters even more because Neto isn’t reaching free agency until after the 2029 season. For a team hunting for a shortstop, that’s a major selling point. A player with that level of control can bring back a serious prospect package, and there are three teams that could be willing to pay up.
The New York Yankees are one of the clearest possibilities. Earlier rumors tied Neto to the Boston Red Sox, but that idea feels a little less certain now that Boston has traded for Curtis Mead.
The Yankees, meanwhile, have been linked to the idea of upgrading at shortstop and were also connected to Washington Nationals All-Star CJ Abrams. Neto may not be Abrams, but he would still fit well in New York, and the Yankees have the kind of farm system that could overwhelm the Angels.
The Atlanta Braves are another club that could make a strong push. Shortstop has been a problem for them, with Ha-Seong Kim, Jorge Mateo, and Mauricio Dubon all getting turns there.
Right now they’re using rookie Jim Jarvis, but if they want to keep pace with the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East, an upgrade makes sense. A deal built around Atlanta’s top prospect, left-handed pitcher Cam Caminiti, and No. 5 prospect, shortstop Alex Lodise, would be the kind of return the Angels should chase.
Then there’s the Tampa Bay Rays, who are also in the market for help at shortstop as they try to stay ahead of the New York Yankees in the American League East. Tampa Bay doesn’t usually operate like a deadline buyer, but Neto could be a worthwhile exception. Recent reporting says the Angels want young catchers, and the Rays have two appealing ones in Nathan Flewelling and Caden Bodine, ranked No. 2 and No. 3 in their system.
The Angels are in a strong spot because they know shortstops are in demand and they have one worth moving. Neto could stay put, but if Los Angeles does decide to deal him, the Yankees, Braves, and Rays all look like teams capable of putting together a serious offer.
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