Angels acquire Hunter Renfroe, ship three players to Milwaukee in return
The Angels have made another trade to bolster their roster this offseason, shipping three pitchers to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for slugging outfielder Hunter Renfroe.
A lifetime .240 hitter, Renfroe, 30, is known mostly for both power at the plate and his rocket of an arm in the outfield. In seven big league seasons, he's hit at least 25 home runs four times, amassing 157 total in his young career. In the last two seasons, Renfroe leads all major leaguers with 27 outfield assists.
Last season, he hit .255 with 29 homers and 72 RBIs in 125 games played.
Originally drafted by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft, Renfroe made his big league debut in 2016. He spent four seasons with the Friars before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in a deal that sent Tommy Pham and Jake Cronenworth to San Diego.
He became a free agent following the 2020 season, his lone year in Tampa Bay, when he ended up signing a one year deal with the Boston Red Sox. Renfroe was again traded the next season, winding up in Milwaukee.
Following the 2023 season, Renfroe is slated to head to free agency as he reaches his final year of arbitration.
In return for Renfroe, the Brewers will receive right-handed pitchers Elvis Peguero and Janson Junk, as well as left-handed pitcher Adam Seminaris.
Peguero and Junk made their big league debuts in 2021, but have spent minimal time on the Angels active roster. The Halos acquired both via trade in 2021 as part of the deal that sent Andrew Heaney to the Bronx.
Seminaris, on the other hand, has yet to appear in the MLB. A Cal State Long Beach grad, he reached Triple-A in 2022.
In Peguero, the Brewers are receiving a 25-year-old Dominican Republic product with just under 20 MLB innings under his belt. He features a two primary pitches, a plus-slider that had a 30.6% whiff rate last season. His sinker reaches mid-90s.
In his 16 appearances with the Halos, he's tossed 19.2 innings to the tune of a 9.15 ERA with 12 strikeouts and a 1.615 WHIP.
Junk, 26, who was the No. 16 prospect for the Angels last season, features a four-pitch repertoire, primarily relying on a fastball-slider combo.
Contrary to Peguero, who has made all of his appearances out of the bullpen, Junk has six big league starts so far, featuring a 4.74 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 24.2 innings pitched.
Seminaris, a 24-year-old Pomona native, appeared in High-A, Double-A and Triple-A in 2022, totaling 101.2 innings pitched with a 3.54 ERA, 97 strikeouts, 38 walks and a 1.426 WHIP.
He was drafted by the Angels in the fifth round of the 2020 MLB June Amateur Draft.
The Halos have been busy this offseason, signing left-handed starter Tyler Anderson to a three-year deal following a career year with the Dodgers before they traded for an everyday third baseman in Gio Urshela, who they acquired from the Minnesota Twins.
