In what seems like a long overdue decision, the Los Angeles Angels sold off several valuable players at this year’s MLB trade deadline.
One of those players finding a new home was 27-year-old right fielder Jo Adell, who was shipped to the Cleveland Guardians in exchange for catching prospect Jacob Cozart.
Entering Monday’s action, the Guardians are second in the American League Central at 57-56, three games behind the Chicago White Sox. Cleveland also currently holds sole possession of the final AL Wild Card spot.
After making his big-league debut during the shortened 2020 season, Adell has played in parts of each of the last seven seasons. In 2026, he is slashing .239/.287/.395, posting a 93 OPS+ in 111 games. Adell has mashed 16 homers and doubles apiece, also driving in 62 runs in the heart of the Angels’ order.
Drafted out of Ballard High School by Los Angeles with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 Draft, Adell signed with the Angels as an 18-year-old, forgoing his college commitment to the University of Louisville. He peaked as MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 prospect in all of baseball during his three-year ascension to the majors.
But Adell struggled early in his big-league tenure, unable to replicate his minor-league success while also dealing with a left oblique issue. However, he put together a breakout campaign in 2025, finishing with 37 homers and 98 runs batted in. Adell had a 115 OPS+, which was the first season of his career where he’s been above league-average offensively.
Although he hasn’t been as productive this season, Adell still has punished lefty pitching. The righty bat is hitting .303 with a .910 OPS against southpaws, crushing 10 homers against opposite-handed arms. He should definitely help a Guardians offense that has the sixth-worst wRC+ (93) in baseball and has hit the fourth-fewest home runs (109).
Possessing some of the best bat speed in the sport, Adell has made less contact in 2026. That trait will likely always be in his game, but Adell could be headed to a perfect destination to shore up his whiff and discipline skills. Cleveland logs the seventh-best team walk rate (9.6%), and could encourage him to be more selective as he maximizes his power profile at the plate.
They also could make more of Adell’s athleticism. He has never stolen more than 15 bases in a season, and has just five swipes in 2026. The Guardians make a name for themselves by playing small-ball and being advantageous baserunners. Adell also boasts some defensive highlights, including robbing three homers against the Seattle Mariners on April 5.
With the help of Adell’s bat, Cleveland could clinch their third consecutive AL Central title, or at the very least, get back to the postseason. He is under control through 2027 as well, giving the Guardians a quality outfield option beyond this playoff run. This transaction might not steal the headlines during a jam-packed trade deadline, but Adell could be a sneaky valuable pickup that pays dividends for a team that has been in search of right-handed thump for a while.
