Phil Gosselin signs minor-league contract with Angels, per report

Fan-favorite/local guy/former Phillies utilityman Phil Gosselin is headed to the Angels on a minor-league deal, according to The Athletic.

Gosselin looks to win a spot on the Halos’ bench in spring training after spending the last two seasons with the Phillies. He played 83 games here and hit .255/.312/.363 in 170 plate appearances while playing first, second, third, short, left and right field.

Gosselin, a West Chester native who played at Malvern Prep, got off to a hot start in 2020 after stroking the ball throughout spring training 2.0. He went 3 for 3 with two homers in his first game and 12 for 28 with three doubles, three homers and eight RBI in his first 11. He cooled off from there but did have a few more key knocks.

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Phil Gosselin, the High Street Hammer, strikes again. Solo homer. Phils up 7-1 in the eighth.
— Jim Salisbury (@JSalisburyNBCS) July 25, 2020

Gosselin will try to hit his way aboard the Angels as one of their four extra men. The Phillies' bench could still use some more offense. Right now, it shapes up as Roman Quinn, Adam Haseley, Andrew Knapp, and potentially one of Ronald Torreyes or recently acquired infielder C.J. Chatham. Marwin Gonzalez is a possibility.

This will be Mike Trout’s age-29 season, his 11th in the majors. He’s shown no signs of slipping and was joined last season by the steady, ever-productive Anthony Rendon, who fit in immediately behind him and hit .286/.418/.497 with seven more walks than strikeouts. The Phillies did not miss facing him.

The Angels did make a few solid additions this winter like closer Raisel Iglesias, outfielder Dexter Fowler, lefty starter Jose Quintana and righty Alex Cobb, but it’s still a top-heavy, incomplete roster.

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They’ll continue to miss Tommy La Stella, who was so good at the top of their order in 2019 and half of 2020 before being dealt to the A’s in August and signing a three-year, $18.75 million contract with the Giants last week. The Angels' return in that La Stella trade last summer was Franklin Barreto, a 25-year-old infielder who will be one of Gosselin's competitors for a roster spot.