The Los Angeles Angels continued to unload players under interim general manager John Mozeliak, sending outfielder Jo Adell to the Cleveland Guardians for catching prospect Jacob Cozart, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Adell, who is not eligible for free agency until after the 2027 season, is the fourth controllable player moved by Mozeliak, following trades of reliever Chase Silseth and catcher Logan O'Hoppe to the Texas Rangers, and starting pitcher Jose Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays. Veteran reliever Brent Suter, a pending free agent, was also dealt to the Atlanta Braves.
The Angels have also been fielding a lot of interest in shortstop Zach Neto (controllable through 2029) and starting pitcher Reid Detmers (2028) and could move them before the 6 p.m. PT deadline.
The No. 10 pick out of high school in 2017, Adell was always billed as a high-ceiling talent who needed lots of development. That development took a while. For years in the major leagues, Adell struggled with strikeouts, errant defense and occasional lapses on the bases. In 308 games from 2020 to 2024, he slashed .211/.268/.381 and was worth minus-7 Baseball-Reference wins above replacement.
Adell then turned in his best year in 2025, putting up a .778 OPS with 37 home runs and 98 RBIs. But this year, the struggles have continued. Adell is slashing .239/.287/.395 with 108 strikeouts and just 16 walks in 456 plate appearances. On one night this season, he robbed three home runs. On another, he saw a ball bounce off his head and over the fence.
For the Guardians, Adell, still just 27 years old, could slot in as a regular in right field.
Cozart, a second-round pick out of NC State in 2024, was ranked as the Guardians' 18th-best prospect by MLB.com. A defense-first catcher, he was slashing .239/.330/.384 in Double-A.
