Angels' Zach Neto Drawing Even More Trade Interest After Busy Summer

The Los Angeles Angels could face an increasingly difficult decision involving shortstop Zach Neto as trade interest continues to build ahead of the 2027 season.

Interim general manager John Mozeliak revealed during this week's General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas that more teams have expressed interest in Neto since the August trade deadline.

Mozeliak said there were "a handful of teams that were expressing a lot of interest" during the summer and indicated that even more clubs are interested now.

The comments provide another indication of Neto's considerable value around the league, although they don't necessarily mean the Angels intend to trade him.

Mozeliak said the organization remains focused on understanding how other clubs value its players before making significant decisions.

"I think really time will tell what ends up happening there," Mozeliak said. "But ultimately we're just trying to understand what people, how they value."

Neto was already among the Angels' most attractive trade candidates before the August deadline.

The Boston Red Sox reportedly expressed interest in acquiring the shortstop, but Los Angeles ultimately kept him.

The Angels instead traded several established players, including José Soriano and Jo Adell, while acquiring prospects to strengthen their farm system.

Neto subsequently finished the season with 27 home runs, 77 RBIs and 24 stolen bases in 157 games.

His combination of power, speed and defensive ability makes him particularly appealing to teams seeking a long-term answer at shortstop.

The 25-year-old also remains under team control through 2029, giving interested clubs more than a short-term rental.

As MLB.com reported, Mozeliak is gathering information about potential transactions while the Angels await the arrival of their next front-office leadership group.

However, the Angels face considerable uncertainty about who will ultimately make that decision.

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment has begun preliminary meetings with general manager candidates, but the franchise's ownership transfer remains subject to MLB approval.

Mozeliak is expected to leave when his contract expires in December, potentially leaving major roster decisions to his successor.

Los Angeles finished 62-100 in 2026, making the question of whether to rebuild around Neto or trade him for multiple prospects especially important.

Trading a productive, controllable shortstop could accelerate the organization's rebuilding efforts, but it would also remove one of its few established young stars.

For now, the growing number of interested teams gives the Angels additional information about Neto's market value.

Whether that interest eventually produces an acceptable offer remains uncertain.