Angels' Christian Moore Looks to Shorten Swing After Rookie Season

The 23-year-old infielder aims to build on his 53-game debut in 2025 as he competes for the everyday second base job.

Feb. 22, 2026 at 7:03pm

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Christian Moore, the Angels' 2024 first-round draft pick, is focused on shortening his swing this spring training after a rocky rookie season in 2025 where he hit just .198 with a 34% strikeout rate. The 23-year-old infielder is the leading candidate to be the team's everyday second baseman, but faces competition from veterans like Adam Frazier, Chris Taylor, and Nick Madrigal, as well as young prospect Kyren Paris. The Angels are also experimenting with Moore at third base to get his bat in the lineup.

Why it matters

Moore has the prospect pedigree to be a key part of the Angels' future, but his struggles in his debut season exposed some holes in his swing that he'll need to address to solidify his spot in the lineup. The Angels are counting on Moore's development to help boost an offense that underperformed in 2025.

The details

After hitting .198 with a .655 OPS and a 34% strikeout rate in 53 games last season, Moore has made shortening his swing a priority this offseason. "Last year I got a little too big at times," Moore said. "Not saying I was trying to leave the yard, but definitely trying to hit the ball hard. But these guys throw the ball hard enough, if I can just put the barrel on it, I'm a strong guy." Manager Kurt Suzuki is confident that with more experience, Moore will continue to develop, saying "It's just being in big situations. We see the talent. The talent is there. It's just getting reps."

  • In 2025, Moore played 53 games in his rookie season with the Angels.
  • This spring training is Moore's second as a professional.

The players

Christian Moore

A 23-year-old infielder for the Los Angeles Angels, who was the team's first-round draft pick in 2024. He is the leading candidate to be the everyday second baseman, but is also being evaluated at third base.

Kurt Suzuki

The manager of the Los Angeles Angels, who is confident that with more experience, Moore will continue to develop as a major league player.

Tony Vitello

The former college coach of Christian Moore at the University of Tennessee, where they won a national championship in 2024. Vitello believes Moore can become a "thorn in the side" of opposing teams due to his ability to adjust and think through at-bats.

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What they’re saying

“Last year, you think you're training for it. At least this year having those 50 games of experience, now I understand what I'm going up against every day, the level of competition and where my mind and body needs to be. It was awesome having that experience and having that going into the offseason.”

— Christian Moore

“It's just being in big situations. We see the talent. The talent is there. It's just getting reps.”

— Kurt Suzuki, Manager

“I think he can become a guy in the lineup that everybody else is game-planning around on the opposing team because he's a thorn in their side. One of the reasons he is that is because he can really adjust. He thinks his way through at-bats. In the cage when he's preparing, it's not just to get swings or to feel good, it's with a purpose and to put together a game plan on how he's going to have success.”

— Tony Vitello, Former College Coach

The takeaway

Christian Moore's development will be crucial for the Angels as they look to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season. If he can make the adjustments needed to shorten his swing and cut down on strikeouts, he has the potential to become a key part of the team's lineup for years to come.