The MLB offseason is ever so slowly lurching to life, and that means trade rumors are starting to rear their head. Last week, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported that the Los Angeles Angels are considering trading outfielders Jo Adell and/or Taylor Ward and Morosi specifically mentioned the Phillies as a possibility.

The Phillies are in need of at least two outfielders, as Harrison Bader is a free agent and Nick Castellanos is expected to either be released or traded. One of those spots could be filled internally by Justin Crawford, but that would still leave one starting job up for grabs. Either Adell or Ward would fit that spot. Today we’ll look at Adell and tomorrow we’ll focus on Ward.

Jo Adell was the tenth overall selection by the Angels in the 2017 MLB draft as a right-handed hitting outfielder. He quickly climbed the prospect rankings despite initially being considered a raw but enticing physical talent, peaking at number six overall on MLB Pipeline’s rankings on the eve of his MLB debut in 2020. Adell played 38 games in his COVID-shortened rookie season and disappointed, slashing .161/.212/.266 and was worth -1.4 fWAR.

Over the next three seasons, Adell played in just 140 games with the Angels and continued to struggle to hit MLB pitching. From 2021 through 2023, Adell slashed .228/.272/.393 with a 33.7% strikeout rate that would have been the third highest in MLB among that span if he qualified. Still, it was 19th among all hitters with at least 450 plate appearances between 2021-2023. Adell’s 76.2% contact rate in the zone was also among the worst in MLB over that span. just a little bit lower than his Angels teammate Mickey Moniak (76.8%).

Adell started the 2024 season in a crowded outfield with Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, and Moniak. That necessitated a change in Adell’s swing to try and generate more contact in order to receive playing time, and that change proved fruitful. Adell had the best season of his career to that point, slashing .207/.280/.402 with a career-high 20 home runs in 130 games. He improved his contact in the zone to a career-best 81.6% and cut his strikeout rate in half to 27.9% while raising his walk rate to a career-high 7.8%.

2025 saw an even better improvement from Adell, as he posted career highs in WAR (1.2), home runs (37), OPS (.778), and slugging percentage (.495). Adell looked to have reverted back to his old self to start the season, but after making another mechanical change in removing his leg kick permanently in July, Adell slashed .248/.320/.451. His zone contact rate once again improved to 84.8% and his strikeout rate dropped again to settle at 26.4% even as his walk rate fell back to around his previous career average.

Adell will be 27 years old in April and is under team control through 2027. He’s projected to earn $4.5M in 2026 through arbitration this winter, a raise from the $2.1M he made in 2025. Adell is very much still a work in progress, but his potential is tantalizing. He’s had two straight seasons where he’s made tangible changes to his swing and process that has resulted in better results, and he’s still just scratching the surface of the ability that landed him as the tenth overall pick.

The Phillies need to get younger and have been searching for a middle of the order right-handed bat for years. Adell could check both boxes. But despite his strides with his bat, his defense is still severely lacking. He’s graded out as a poor outfield defender throughout his career, with -10 defensive runs saved and -19 outs above average. Adell’s 2025 season was by far his worst defensively, as he graded out as one of the worst defenders at any position with -14 DRS, -12 OAA, and -13 fielding run value. However, most of that negative value in 2025 was while playing center field where Adell was next to Jorge Soler who was a DH playing in the field. Adell was better when he played right field but still below average, posting -1 DRS and -4 OAA with a -5 fielding run value.

The Phillies are sure to be connected to many outfielders this winter, and Adell is just one of the names they’ve been linked to so far. It’s hard to get a read on just exactly what each team is planning to do this offseason yet though, as the GM meetings have only just concluded and the Winter Meetings are still weeks away. But the Angels are a team worth monitoring.

So, should the Phillies target Jo Adell in a trade this offseason? Is he the solution for the void in the outfield? Or is he too much of a project? What would you be willing to give up for Adell?