Detroit Tigers: Exploring a trade with the Angels

The Angels have worked hard to re-stock their farm system, with a handful of highly talented players sitting near the top. While they likely won’t part with Jo Adell, Kevin Maitan or Jahmai Jones, the Detroit Tigers could still get their hands on some high quality prospects from LA. Here are a few options:

Griffin Canning

The Tigers would have to be excellent salesmen to get Canning for any of the Angels projected targets. The former second round pick sat out 2017 after a long collegiate season at UCLA. He’s looked very solid so far in 2018 however, already pitching at Double-A Mobile. He has a 2.25 ERA and a 43/18 K/BB ratio through 40 innings. Canning has the tools to be a big league No. 2 or 3 starter, and if the Tigers could get him they would further boost their already elite pitching farm system.

Taylor Ward

Ward was originally a catcher prospect who the Angels snagged at the end of the first round in 2015. He has converted to third base, and since then his hitting has taken off. He began the year at Double-A, where he slashed .345/.453/.520 with six home runs and eight stolen bases. Through eight games at Triple-A Ward is hitting .364 with one home run and two steals. His high on-base skills and burgeoning power could help him develop into an everyday third baseman. The Tigers are obviously set at third with Jeimer Candelario, but acquiring a bat like Ward’s is never a bad thing. The Tigers could always move either Ward or Candelario to first base in a year, allowing Miguel Cabrera to DH. Ward would be a great target in a Shane Greene trade.

Brennon Lund

Lund reminds me a lot of Tigers prospect Mike Gerber. A polished college bat who was taken in the 11th round, Lund has done nothing but hit at every minor league stop. He is currently at Double-A Mobile, slashing a clean .276/.367/.388 with three home runs and 14 stolen bases. Lund profiles more as a fourth outfielder in the big leagues, but at 23 years old he could be knocking on the door in a year or two.

He’s a plus runner and a plus defender. If he develops even average power, there’s a chance he could become a low-end big league regular. If the Tigers could pry Lund away in a deal for Hardy or Fiers, that would be a steal. Otherwise, he’d make a great secondary or third piece in a Shane Greene or Francisco Liriano deal.

Hector Yan

Yan is similar to Wilkel Hernandez, the right-handed pitcher the Tigers acquired for Ian Kinsler last year. A five-foot-eleven left-hander who gets his fastball into the mid-90’s, Yan still has a lot of development to do. That shouldn’t surprise anyone, as he’s just 19 years old. Still, he’s posted a 10.4 K/9 in his two professional summers, and profiles as an electric bullpen piece in the future. The Angels contention window may not last three or four more years, so it makes sense for them to trade Yan in a package for someone like Greene, who would help them right away. Meanwhile, Yan looks like he could be an outstanding bullpen piece for a Tigers team that is competing around 2022.

Next: Exploring a trade with the Seattle Mariners

The Detroit Tigers have a lot of trade pieces. The Los Angeles Angels have some holes they need to fill. Don’t be surprised to see these two teams involved in trade rumors for the next six weeks.