Matt Thaiss

Thaiss has yet to get a real shot at big-league success despite a series of solid minor-league seasons and the ability to work behind the plate as well as at the corner-infield spots. He has good enough power to consistently hit 20-plus homers in the majors and has always been willing to take a walk, though holes in his swing have resulted in a 30.6% strikeout rate through 278 career big-league plate appearances. In his initial three stints with the Angels, Thaiss worked exclusively in the infield, but he got a look at catcher last season, logging 11 starts at the position. With Max Stassi coming off a down year and Kurt Suzuki retiring, 2023 could have presented a prime opportunity for Thaiss to audition for a more prominent role, but the emergence of rookie Logan O'Hoppe presents a substantial roadblock to that possibility. Stassi and O'Hoppe figure to work as the team's top two options behind the plate, and the offseason addition of Gio Urshela further impedes Thaiss's path to playing time in the infield. If he remains on the roster, he'll likely have a hard time finding at-bats as no better than a third option at any position.