Kent Bewley's News Story Collection

As the MLB trade deadline ticks ever closer, the Los Angeles Angels continue to make deals to send away some of their most valuable trade assets to other places. After trading away José Soriano to the Toronto Blue Jays, Jo Adell is now going to a playoff contender as he was dealt to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for minor league catcher Jacob Cozart, who is now the 18th-highest ranked prospect in the Angels farm system. Adell definitely carried a lot of trade value after having an offensive breakout in 2025 with 37 home runs and 98 RBIs, with him leading the Halos in hits(101) and RBIs(62) before his trade to Cleveland. Adell will look to mix well on a Guardians roster with some strong swingers such as José Ramirez, Rhys Hoskins, Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter. Cleveland currently holds the third Wild Card spot in the American League and are three games behind the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central.

Adell was drafted with the Angels’ first round pick in the 2017 MLB draft and he was forced into the big leagues during the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season. Adell struggled with keeping himself in the big leagues for the first few seasons of his career as he spent plenty of time playing for the Salt Lake Bees, where he put up a lot of power numbers in the Pacific Coast League. Eventually, Adell kept himself on the 26-man roster with 130 games played in the 2024 season as he hit 20 home runs and stole 15 bases. In the 2025 season, Adell took on a bigger role as he took over for Mike Trout in center field, where he had some defensive struggles. Adell’s breakout offensive year alongside Taylor Ward made him a tradeable asset in the offseason. Instead, Ward was dealt and Adell kept for the 2026 season. Adell’s best moment(s) as an Angel came defensively in right field, where he returned to in making incredible home-run robbing catches. On Sat, Apr 4, Adell robbed three possible home runs against the Seattle Mariners, including one in the ninth inning against Josh Naylor that helped preserve a 1-0 lead when he went into the right field stands and caught the ball with plenty of fans in the front rows of Section 135 cheering him on. A woman sitting behind Adell captured a backview picture with Adell holding up his glove with the ball in it. Those items were sent over to the National Baseball Hall of Fame Museum in Cooperstown, New York shortly after the game. Adell also had a couple of clutch walk-offs as an Angel, including in a Freeway Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers last August and a couple of weeks ago against the St. Louis Cardinals on a hit-by-pitch.

With Adell traded, the Halos lose one of their best bats but they potentially got a future catcher in Cozart, who is 23 years old and has a .239 average along with 10 HRs and 44 RBIs for the Double A Akron RubberDucks this season. Cozart could potentially be inserted onto the Rocket City Trash Pandas roster for the Halos, who traded away Logan O’Hoppe to the Texas Rangers. With some other good catchers in their minor league system along with a trio of Tyler Heineman, Travis d’Arnaud and Sebastian Rivero competing for playing time on the big league roster, Cozart could potentially provide future stability for the Angels, who are starting over from scratch and could finally be committing to a full rebuild under the direction of interim general manager John Mozeliak, who is being allowed to do something that no Halos GM has done in so many years. That thing is initiate various high-end trades for prospects to build up the farm system.

Another move that Mozeliak made was trading veteran reliever Brent Suter to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr, who could either be inserted into the big league roster or be optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. That could hinge on whether the Angels trade away Zach Neto, who could potentially be dealt for a big package to the Boston Red Sox or another interested playoff contender. Reid Detmers is another potential trade candidate who could be gone in the next few hours. For now, Adell is no longer an Angel and he ironically has a couple of giveaway items for the remaining home schedule at the Big A. There was scheduled to be a Jo Adell Football Jersey given away on Sun, Aug 30 against the Philadelphia Phillies and there is still the Home Run Robbery Bobblehead scheduled for Wed, Sept 16 against the Seattle Mariners, who ironically just acquired Taylor Ward from Baltimore. That HR Robbery Bobblehead for Adell could still be given away to the first 25,000 fans who show up to that home game, but that is to be determined. Adell will be scheduled to make a return to Angel Stadium on the Guardians in a few weeks’ time as a three-game home series from Aug 24-26 could see Adell be properly thanked by Halos fans for his time playing on the team.

Adell spent nearly a decade in the Angels’ system and was a bright spot on teams that finished with disappointing records in these past few seasons. Perhaps he could be playing in the postseason this October with a Guardians team seeking to make their third consecutive playoff appearance. Jordan Scott Adell will forever be remembered as a great defensive outfielder and clutch hitter for the older Mike Trout-era Halos.