Angels coaching staff starting to shape out, Perry Minasian confident in outfield group

LAS VEGAS — While the MLB offseason is officially underway, general manager meetings are kicking off at full steam in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian met with the media on Wednesday afternoon and discussed the progress of the Angels coaching staff under new manager Kurt Suzuki. He also provided his thoughts on the current state of the Angels' outfield.

Since November of 2020, he's been tasked with bringing back glory to an Angels team that has not reached the postseason since 2014.

The Angels' postseason drought dates back to Minasian's days as a scout for the Atlanta Braves. The drought has been so bad, that it's been almost just as long since the Angels have had a winning season as the last time they finished above .500 was in 2015, finishing with a 85-77 record, finishing third in the American League West.

But since Minasian took over the Angels' front office in November 2020, the club has been long removed from better days as they have failed to even win 80 games with him leading the charge. In 2021, they finished 77-85, 73-89 (2022), 73-89 (2023), 63-99 (2024), the most losses in a single season in franchise history, and 72-90 in 2025.

For Minasian, the time is ticking to turn a starved franchise back into winners, and it begins this offseason.

Kurt Suzuki hired as Angels manager

Three weeks later, the team hired Kurt Suzuki as the team's next manager and brought him on a 1-year deal.

"He's tied with me." Minasian said during Suzuki's introductory press conference.

"In sports, we're all on one-year deals. That's just the way sports is, right?" Minasian said during the general manager meetings. "With that being said, I'm very excited about the partnership and the ability to work with him every day and talk to him. He's been somebody that's been with us the last three years."

Since then, the Angels have been quickly building out a whole new coaching staff.

As it currently stands, they have hired former Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux as their next pitching coach. 

Eaton is a two-time former teammate of Suzuki's in 2019 with the Washington Nationals when they won a World Series together, and again in 2021 when Eaton played in 25 games with the Angels.

"Obviously, Kurt and Adam were teammates and very close. We had a chance to have Adam play for us at the end of his career," Minasian said. "The intensity he brings on a daily basis, the knowledge of the game is deep. He's very detail-oriented."

Eaton will serve as the Angels' first base coach and outfield instructor, while Gibbons (A former Toronto Blue Jays manager from 2004-08, and 2013-18) will be the new bench coach.

"(Adam Eaton's) Ability to really focus on the finer things, whether it's bunting, baserunning, some of the small things that might go unnoticed. So excited to add him to the staff and Kurt's putting together a great staff, and it's going to be a good group."

On Wednesday, Fletcher also reported that the Angels made three more additions to the staff by bringing on former Angels catcher Max Stassi as the new catching instructor. They also added former Angels triple-A affiliate manager Keith Johnson to serve as third base coach and double-A manager Andy Schatzley as infield coach.

Suzuki and Stassi were once teammates on the Angels in 2022, when Suzuki served as his backup. Johnson has had two stints as a minor league manager with the Angels in 2008-18, and 2023-25.

Both Suzuki and Stassi were also teammates with current Angels catcher Logan O'Hoppe, who made his MLB debut in the tail end of the 2022 season.

While O'Hoppe has become the franchise catcher, the 2025 season was one that he'd probably like to forget behind the dish, as O'Hoppe had his fair share of framing issues and not getting runners out.

O'Hoppe finished last season ranking 54th among catchers with a -3 CS above average, and backup catcher Travis d'Arnaud wasn't much better, ranking 44th with a -2 CS above average.

Both Suzuki and Stassi were known for their defensive skills behind the plate and will likely help reshape the catching position.

Minasian feeling good about the outfield

Another question that surrounds the Angels this offseason is what the outfield will look like.

At the beginning of spring training last season, three-time American League MVP Mike Trout announced that he would be moving over to right field as a way to keep himself healthy.

Trout played just 22 games in right field before falling on the injured list due to a bone bruise on his right knee, trying to beat out a throw at first against the Seattle Mariners. It was the same knee he had surgery on a year before due to a torn meniscus.

After he came back from the Angels' lineup quickly shifted as designated hitter Jorge Soler started to see regular playing time in right, until he spent time back and forth on the injured list due to a back injury.

The club's outfield made another transition by bringing up centerfielder Bryce Teodosio to play center while moving Jo Adell over to right and leaving Taylor Ward out in left.

Defenisvely, Teodosio's glove made an immediate impact out in center, flashing elite defense across the field.

Offensively, not so much.

Teodosio slashed .203/.248/.304 while logging 1 home run and 7 RBIs in 138 plate appearances.

Outside of Ward, Adell, and Teodosio, the Angels are loaded with right-handed bats, such as Gustavo Campero and Matthew Lugo, a name that spent much of last season going back and forth from the Minors to the Major League roster.

Minasian said he is very confident in the group that they have.

"We have some very talented players in our outfield," Minasian said. "It is an area we feel really, really fortunate to have."

While the Angels are loaded with right-handed hitters in the outfield, they're in desperate need of a left-handed bat.

It remains unknown if the Angels will add a left-handed bat this offseason, but this year's free agency class is loaded with left-handed hitters like Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, and Cedric Mullins, a trio of hitters that would make an immediate impact in their lineup.

As of now, the only impactful left-handed bat the Angels had last season was first baseman Nolan Schanuel, who had a .264 batting average and a .742 OPS.