Former All-Star Sanó invited to Angels camp after missing 2023
The Los Angeles Angels invited former All-Star slugger Miguel Sanó, who didn't play in the majors last season, to spring training.
Sanó is among over 20 non-roster players who will be part of the Angels' Cactus League roster this spring. He signed a minor-league contract with the club on Feb. 1, per MLB's transaction log.
The 30-year-old spent all of his eight major-league seasons with the Minnesota Twins and was once one of that organization's brightest young stars as well as a top power threat. Sanó hit 25 home runs four times and topped the 30-homer mark twice with the Twins, including a career-high 34 in 2019. He was an All-Star in 2017 after hitting 28 homers in only 483 plate appearances.
In 2021, his most recent full season, Sanó played in a career-high 135 games as the Twins' primary first baseman and posted a .778 OPS along with 30 home runs. Minnesota declined an option on his contract after a knee injury limited him to just 20 games in 2022.
Sanó sat out last season after failing to find a new home. He began his comeback this offseason in his native Dominican Republic, where he hit .225/.346/.405 with two homers and 13 RBIs for the winter-ball club Estrellas Orientales.
In Angels camp, he'll presumably compete for a platoon first base or DH role on their roster or a place in Triple-A Salt Lake. Brandon Drury is currently projected to open the season as the Angels' DH, while rookie Nolan Schanuel is among the front-runners to hold down first base.
Other notable players invited to Angels camp on Friday include veteran pitchers Carson Fulmer and Adam Kolarek, catcher Francisco Mejía, and third baseman Hunter Dozier.
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