As of September 14, the Los Angeles Angels are officially out of playoff contention, meaning it’s time for the team to begin preparations for the 2026 season. Although the Angels have struggled immensely, hope lies within the youth of the roster to snap the 11-year playoff drought.
The recent starting lineup for the team features an average age of 26, with the youngest player being 21-year-old shortstop Denzer Guzman, and the oldest player being 34-year-old veteran Mike Trout. These young guns could be the key to the Angels success next season, especially with the reduced production of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon’s suspected release.
Guzman finally saw some action in mid-September, where in his 23 at-bats as a major leaguer, he recorded four hits, two of which were home runs. This is a steady start for the rookie, and hopefully it is only up from here.
Right fielder Jo Adell has had a marked improvement since 2024. Barring triples, the promising 26 year old increased in every offensive category, having the best season of his five year career. If he continues to improve, the Angels can prioritize him as a reliable offensive threat.
23-year-old first baseman Nolan Schanuel has been consistent over the 2024 and 2025 season. He has quickly become a reliable piece for the team, sporting a respectable .268 batting average, and notching 128 hits in 129 games. If Schanuel can increase his production even more than he already has, the Angels will be much stronger offensively, bringing them up from 24th in the MLB in runs per game, and giving more leeway to pitching struggles with better offense.
Logan O’Hoppe, the 25-year-old catcher, had a quality start to the season before his June slump. His sharp decline in the latter half of the season was concerning, but if he can regain his pre all-star break rhythm, the Angels will have an additional weapon to their offense.
Finally, other notable young ballplayers who could take a leap next year are center fielder Bryce Teodosio (26), second baseman Christian Moore (22), third baseman Oswald Peraza (25), right handed pitcher Caden Dana (21), who is the youngest pitcher in Angels history to win a debut game, and others.
Having a younger team is like a coin toss; if the coaching staff and trainers are able to develop these young talents into dependable ball players, the Angels could have a decent 2026 season and even be a contender in the next few years. However, if they repeat their prior developmental mistakes, the team will remain the black sheep of California baseball.
Time will tell, but the Angels’ youth could be the key to reversing the franchise’s fortune in the 2026 MLB season.