A few members of the 2024 Angels have moved on to new teams as the organization continues to overhaul its 99-loss roster. Among them is Niko Goodrum, who technically counts despite appearing in just four games last season—the fewest of any Angels position player. The versatile utility man has signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres, marking his first major league appearance since mid-May with the Angels. What a perfect replacement for Jurickson Profar!
The #Padres sign a well-traveled veteran utilityman to a minor league dealhttps://t.co/3SkkO27KQK pic.twitter.com/bxQpnDmke1
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) January 19, 2025
The Angels—and really any team—could benefit from a switch-hitting utility player like Niko Goodrum. At his best in 2019, Goodrum was a versatile asset for the Tigers, playing every position on the field while posting a solid .248/.322/.421/.743 slash line with 12 home runs and 27 doubles. While never a star, his ability to contribute from both sides of the plate and cover multiple positions made him highly valuable to ball clubs.
Now 33 years old, the former second-round pick is clinging to his MLB career. Similar to Roansy Contreras, Goodrum spent last season bouncing around the league, with stints in the Twins, Rays, Angels, Pirates, and Orioles organizations.
Roansy Contreras has joined his sixth team in the past year, returning to familiar territory. The New York Yankees claimed him off waivers after he was designated for assignment (DFA) for the fourth time this offseason. Contreras originally signed with the Yankees as an international free agent and was traded five years later in the deal for Jameson Taillon.
It’s a tough spot for Contreras, as no player wants their career to be so uncertain. However, there are some silver linings: since it’s the offseason, he doesn’t have to constantly relocate, and repeated waiver claims mean he remains on a 40-man roster, earning more than he would otherwise.
The downside is that Contreras is out of minor league options, meaning he must make a big-league bullpen or face being DFA’d again. While he hasn’t yet proven himself reliable enough for a bullpen role, teams like the Angels, Rangers, Reds, Orioles, and now the Yankees see potential in him as minor league depth. His intriguing fastball shape and velocity keep him on teams’ radars, but he struggled during his time with the Angels last season.
Where Contreras ends up after spring training remains to be seen, but another waiver claim seems likely. Perhaps this time he’ll stick with a team, even if it means falling off the 40-man roster and earning a lower paycheck.
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