For an Angels team in rebuild mode, the real prize this time of year isn’t a flurry of wins. It’s finding pieces that actually matter going forward. Right now, catcher/DH Moises Ballesteros is making a strong case that he’s one of them.
Since the calendar turned to September, Ballesteros has been swinging a loud bat. After reaching base four times against the Mariners last night, he’s pushed his monthly line to .378/.432/.649 with three home runs and a double. Over his last 20 games, he’s still been productive even with the sample widened out, hitting .304/.351/.478 with a pair of doubles.
The bat speed has shown up. So has the contact ability. And the best part for the Angels is that this isn’t just a one-week spike - it’s part of a trend that’s been building as he settles in.
The Angels’ decision to acquire the 50 grade prospect from the Cubs for reliever Ryan Zeferjahn already looked like a smart bet at the time. For a rebuilding club, a potential everyday bat with six years of club control carries far more value than a quality bullpen arm. That logic looks even stronger now.
Ballesteros came in as a top 50 prospect before the season, and his minor league track record suggested he could hit. His AAA line of .293/.366/.450 backed that up, and after 300 plate appearances in the majors, he’s starting to translate that profile into results.
That matters for a team that has spent years searching for real protection around Mike Trout. The Angels poured money into names like Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton hoping they could fill that role, then spent the last several seasons still looking for the answer.
It’s too soon to pin that burden on Ballesteros, but he is the clearest internal candidate they have right now. He’s a left-handed hitter with a high contact rate and strong on-base skills, and he can also work the opening created when first basemen hold Trout near the bag.
If this keeps going, Ballesteros could become the kind of bat that helps drive Trout in and lift the offense around him. Paired with another on-base threat, he could also help create better chances for Zach Neto to hit behind them.
Of course, prospects are a gamble. Even highly regarded hitters with solid minor league numbers can run into trouble once they get to the majors.
But Ballesteros has kept improving as the season has worn on, and that’s the encouraging part. Pitchers have video.
Scouts have seen him. Adjustments have been made on both sides.
Ballesteros has answered.
That’s what makes this stretch so important for the Angels. A lineup spot that had been a weakness behind the plate, and at designated hitter over the last two years, suddenly looks like it could become a strength. Ballesteros can occupy one of those spots every night, and that alone changes the shape of the roster.
The rebuild is still unfolding, mostly at the AA level, but the Angels may already have found a couple of useful building blocks. Wade Meckler looks like a quality leadoff hitter, and Ballesteros now looks like a middle-of-the-order bat. Put them with Mike Trout and the scorching hot Zach Neto, and the Angels can at least see the outline of a lineup that might actually score runs.
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