The Los Angeles Angels have successfully signed infielder Nicky Lopez to a major league deal following his recent release from the Chicago Cubs. Lopez, known for his defensive prowess, has previously played over 2,000 innings at shortstop and is regarded as a glove-first player. Although his offensive performance has varied, with a peak batting average fueled by a high BABIP in 2021, his strong defensive metrics, particularly in terms of Outs Above Average, underline his value. Meanwhile, fellow left-handers José Quijada and Angel Perdomo appear to have been removed from the roster as they no longer have lockers.
Lopez, 30, was in camp with the Cubs on a minor league deal until recently. He was reassigned to minor league camp ahead of that club travelling to Japan for the Tokyo Series.
Broadly speaking, Lopez is a glove-first infielder. He did have one especially strong season at the plate in 2021, though that was largely fuelled by a .347 batting average on balls in play.
Collection
[
|
...
]