GM Minasian signs 2-year extension with Angels

Perry Minasian will return as general manager of the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels announced that Minasian signed a two-year extension that will keep him atop baseball operations through the 2026 season.

Minasian, 44, had been nearing the end of his initial four-year contract.

The Angels haven’t been competitive in Minasian’s four years in the role, finishing with no more than 77 wins from 2021 to 2023 while currently on pace in 2024 for 93 losses, the most by the franchise since 1980. Their farm system, meanwhile, was once again considered the worst in the industry when ESPN released its rankings two weeks ago.

But longtime Angels owner Arte Moreno opted for stability after cycling through four full-time GMs from 2011 to 2021. Minasian was a bat boy who became a clubhouse attendant, then learned to scout and went on to front office roles with the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves, rising to assistant GM. He replaced Billy Eppler coming off the COVID-shortened 2020 season and struggled to win with a front-loaded roster and a barren farm system.

“Over the last four years, Perry and his baseball-operations staff have begun to lay the foundation for a bright future of Angels baseball. We have been impressed by the steps Perry has taken to infuse our major league team with young and exciting talent while also revamping our player-development process. We believe this extension will allow him to continue the vision of building sustainable success throughout the Angels organization and deliver a championship for our fans,” Moreno said in a statement.

Under Minasian, Los Angeles received three transcendent seasons from two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani but struggled to keep fellow stars Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon healthy. The cast around them left much to be desired. Minasian made headlines by steering an all-pitcher draft in 2021, but none of the 20 arms selected have yet made a significant impact on the big league roster.

However, under Minasian’s watch, the Angels have acquired potential building blocks in catcher Logan O’Hoppe, first baseman Nolan Schanuel, shortstop Zach Neto, right-hander Ben Joyce and second baseman Christian Moore, the latter of whom was taken in the first round of last month’s draft and is already thriving in Double-A. The new coaching staff, led by manager Ron Washington, has drawn positive reviews for its development of young players. And the franchise’s issues date much further back than Minasian’s hiring.

“I am incredibly thankful to Arte and Carole Moreno for their continued trust and support. I would also like to thank [team president] John Carpino for the tremendous working relationship we have developed over the last four years, and I look forward to continuing our plans of bringing the Angels back to being a consistent championship contender,” Minasian said in a statement.

The Angels will miss the postseason for the 10th consecutive year in 2024 and will soon clinch their ninth consecutive losing record. Their last playoff win occurred in 2009, even though Trout dominated the 2010s and Ohtani did what only Babe Ruth could in the early part of the 2020s. Los Angeles — a franchise that claimed an unlikely World Series title in 2002 and won five division titles from 2004 to 2009, all under longtime manager Mike Scioscia — lost the consistent prospect pipeline that once made it successful and couldn’t patch myriad holes through free agency.

It all came to a head in summer 2023. A hot stretch in July put the Angels on the precipice of contention and ultimately prompted the front office — Moreno specifically — to keep Ohtani rather than trade him months before free agency. Rather than inject their farm system with some much-needed young talent, the Angels traded what few top-shelf prospects they had for veteran reinforcements, then lost 19 of 27 games in August and later watched Ohtani leave to the crosstown Los Angeles Dodgers in the ensuing offseason.

The Angels are now navigating through what seems like a transitional period, waiting for their young players to develop and hoping Trout and Rendon can remain healthy.

Minasian will continue to guide them through it.