The Los Angeles Angels signed yet another infielder, Donovan Walton, to serve as a defensive depth piece, with the signing reported by Mark Polishuk of MLBTradeRumors.com.
Walton is the definition of a journeyman, having spent six of the last seasons in the big leagues, most recently with the Philadelphia Phillies. He began his latest travels early last year, signing a deal with the New York Mets before the season, then getting traded to the Phillies in July.
Advertisement
He managed to make Philadelphia’s active roster, and Donavan made a pair of starts at second when the Phillies ran into some bad injury luck, but that was the extent of his 2025 playing time in the big leagues.
It’s not hard to identify the issue that keeps him moving from team to team. The 31-year old has slashed just .172/.223/.298 over 214 career plate appearances, but his defensive versatility as a middle infielder, third baseman and left fielder has given him multiple opportunities as a depth piece.
Walton is also a classic “Four A” player in many respects. He has hit well in Triple A with a slash line of .281/.365/.435 over 1479 plate appearances, so he’s considered an adequate “break glass in case of emergency” defensive option.
Advertisement
That’s more than good enough for the Angels given their current infield situation, which is thin to say the least. They traded for middle infielder Vaughn Grissom, who will get an opportunity to compete with prospect Christian Moore for playing time at second or third.
The Angels have several other players who will complete for depth or backup roles in spring training, but third base especially is still considered a hole that needs to be filled. The Halos recently passed on Japanese free agent Kazuma Okamoto, who signed a four-year, $60 million deal over the weekend.
The rumor mill currently has the Angels considering third baseman Nolan Arenado of the St. Louis Cardinals, but Arenado would be strictly a stopgap option. He’s 36, and the Angels are considered possible trade partners if the Cardinals want to move him, but Arenado also has a trade close he’d need to waive for a deal to get done.
Advertisement
Walton has “Salt Lake” written all over his baseball resume right now if he can hit a little in spring training, and he’d become a depth piece at the Angels Triple A affiliate. He’s probably a long shot, but long shots are what the Angels are about right now as they go about the task of filling holes in their 2026 roster.