The Los Angeles Angels made another significant move this offseason, signing Zack Cozart to a multi-year deal
The Los Angeles Angels have certainly taken the headlines throughout the offseason. Whether it was signing the biggest name of the Braves released prospects in Kevin Maitan, signing the biggest name on the entire market when the signed Japanese star Shohei Ohtani, or filling multiple holes by acquiring Ian Kinsler to be a consistent bat at the top of the lineup and handle second base. Today, they added yet another piece!
Ken Rosenthal of The Atlantic was first to report that Zack Cozart has signed a three-year contract with the Angels.
Cozart’s contract
The note from Rosenthal stated that Cozart will receive a 3-year, $38 million pact from the Angels to likely man the hot corner for the team.
Cozart has always been noted as an exceptional defensive shortstop during his career with the Cincinnati Reds. However, a change in his approach this season sparked by a YouTube video aided in a career-best season and an All-Star appearance.
Cozart hit .297/.385/.548 with 24 doubles, 7 triples, and 24 home runs in 507 plate appearances with a 67/78 BB/K ratio, a definite career high in walk rate as well without adding strikeouts.
One issue that many were concerned about with Cozart is his age and injury history as Cozart is 31 and has just one season of over 600 plate appearances in his 7-year career. Many rumors were that Cozart would have to be willing to move off of shortstop in order to get any team interested, and many felt even then, he may have trouble finding a multi-year deal.
Obviously, being willing to make the move to third base allowed Cozart to market himself well for the Los Angeles Angels.
Weakness to a strength
The Angels went into the offseason having starters Yunel Escobar and Danny Espinosa leaving the team for free agency. While the Angels could use their already-heavy payroll as an excuse to go cheap at the positions, perhaps finding a platoon partner for Luis Valbuena at third base and signing another likely glove-first player for second base, they certainly went a different direction.
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With just Valbuena on the roster when free agency began for 2B/3B with even bench players for the positions from 2017 hitting the market, the Angels have turned a hole on their team to a surplus right now. Valbuena does offer an excellent lefty bat that can play first, second, or third, and he should see plenty of at bats in a righty-heavy lineup giving guys days off just to get balance in the lineup.
The Angels very well may have the best infield defense in the league on days when Valbuena is at first, with Martin Maldonado finally getting the recognition he deserves behind the plate as an elite defensive catcher, Kinsler is still an above-average defender, Cozart most likely will be able to provide excellent defense moving over from shortstop to third base, and Valbuena plays a very good first base. That of course doesn’t mention arguably the best defender in the game, shortstop Andrelton Simmons.
Most likely the Angels are done shopping for infielders outside of a minor league deal or two to add to the bench competition, but right now, the team has already turned what would have been a deficit into one of the best defensive and offensive infields in the game on paper in just a matter of a few days and a few moves.
After a few years of toiling in an almost solo show in the lineup, it sure seems like the Los Angeles Angels on paper will have star Mike Trout surrounded with a much better team in 2018, and much of the team is around for 2019 as well, so this could be a team with a shot to make some noise out west for a couple of years at least.