The Los Angeles Angels are stuck in baseball purgatory. No matter the payroll, no matter the manager, this team just cannot seem to build a winning roster around Mike Trout. At some point, the Angels will need to focus on laying a better foundation. That means trading quality veterans for large prospect hauls, building up a weak farm system and building for the future.

Zach Neto has already heard his name in trade rumors. The 25-year-old shortstop is coming off of yet another productive season, posting a career-high 27 home runs along with 24 stolen bases. He posted a .766 OPS and 116 wRC+; his 3.9 fWAR, or wins above replacement, ranked sixth among shortstops. Under club control through 2029 at a bargain rate, Neto is probably the Angels' most valuable trade chip. Should Anaheim go sniffing around the trade market, the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies immediately stand out as potential destinations.

Braves trade proposal for Zach Neto

Shortstop is a position that continues to give Atlanta problems. The Ha-Seong Kim signing did not pan out; Mauricio Dubón is excellent in a pinch, but the Braves would prefer to move him around the diamond more. Neto addresses those concerns and provides Atlanta with a ready-made star in the prime of his career, still early in his window of club control. He's also another powerful right-handed bat to stack in the middle of the order, which potentially allows the Braves to explore trades for a certain former MVP in the outfield.

The Angels will ask for a haul in return. The Braves are lucky enough to house multiple young pitchers worth their weight in gold. Atlanta probably has high hopes for Spencer Schwellenbach and A.J. Smith-Shawver next year, with both returning to full strength. Therefore it's J.R. Ritchie who headlines this trade; he pitched 73.1 innings with a 4.91 ERA in his first taste of MLB action. The surface-level numbers aren't great, but the 23-year-old wields a solid four-pitch mix and should take off with further development. Nothing can raise the floor for a struggling team like quality pitching.

The Braves also cough up 2025 first-round pick and No. 3 prospect Tate Southisene, a potential five-tool infielder who can replace Neto in the near future. Henrick Hernandez, a 23-year-old southpaw, is Atlanta's No. 12 prospect. He can struggle with command, but he's knocking on the MLB door and could provide the Angels will valuable bullpen innings as soon as next season.

Red Sox trade proposal for Zach Neto

Boston made sweeping changes to its infield at the trade deadline, acquiring both Curtis Mead and Adley Rutschman — and paying a steep price to do so. The end result was a swift first-round exit in the playoffs, so it's back to the drawing board for Craig Breslow. Boston could decide to save its bullets after trading several top prospects; or, the Red Sox can push more chips in and improve the weakest spot in their lineup.

Trevor Story's days as a dependable, everyday shortstop are over. Neto brings right-handed pop and speed that should play extremely well at Fenway Park. The strikeout issues mirror Story in a way that could frustrate or dissuade Red Sox fans, but the raw talent is too significant to pass up. Story in his prime was quite the talent, after all.

Boston dealt multiple top young arms for Rutschman at the deadline, so the headliner is rookie southpaw Jake Bennett, who emerged from relative obscurity after an offseason trade to deliver a 3.65 ERA in MLB 119.1 innings. The Angels also roll the dice on No. 5 Red Sox prospect Henry Godbout, a 22-year-old infielder with a refined hit tool; he has experience at both shortstop and second base, although the latter is probably his strongest position.

Phillies trade proposal for Zach Neto

While the Phillies are short on MLB-ready prospects, 22-year-old fireballer Gage Wood is an exception. He's also their No. 1-ranked prospect, so it's a bold swing for a front office led by legendary GM Dave Dombrowski. Desperation is a common emotion around Philly these days, however. This Phillies core is aging and the World Series window is closing; Neto's youth, speed and right-handed power are something Philadelphia can benefit from immensely.

It's not the most natural fit on paper, as Philadelphia already has Trea Turner locked at shortstop. That said, there are rumblings of Turner moving off of the six next season. Neto isn't a great defender himself; if either moves to second base or center field, it would not be the most shocking development. The Phillies can also insulate them, hopefully, with plus defenders elsewhere. Bryson Stott has already proven himself malleable between third and second base.

In addition to Wood, a potential impact arm for next season, the Angels grab 22-year-old shortstop Bryan Rincon, the Phillies' No. 4 prospect. Rincon was something of an unknown before a breakout 2026 campaign in Double-A, where he posted a .927 OPS. The Phillies also throw in No. 19 prospect Juan Villavicencio, a 21-year-old shortstop who overcame past injuries to flash elite glovework with a .923 OPS in Single-A this past season.