Brandon Drury is headed to his fifth team in four seasons, as the free agent infielder agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, Dec. 20, according to multiple media reports.
Drury, 30, won a National League Silver Slugger in the utility category this year after producing the best power numbers of his career. Splitting the year between the Cincinnati Reds and the San Diego Padres, he hit a combined .263/.320/.492 with 28 homers and 87 RBIs in 138 games.
The Padres acquired Drury at the August trade deadline in exchange for minor league infielder Victor Acosta.
A 13th-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2010, Drury was dealt to Arizona in 2013, and he played for the Diamondbacks from 2015–17.
He subsequently played for the New York Yankees (2018), Toronto Blue Jays (2018–20) and New York Mets (2021) before signing with Cincinnati as a free agent ahead of the 2022 season.
In 645 career games, Drury has a .252/.302/.434 batting line with 79 homers and 277 RBIs. This year, Drury started at third base, first base, second base and designated hitter, and he also appeared at shortstop and in right field.
Third base and first base have been his most common positions, and he was a semi-regular outfielder during his Arizona tenure.
First and second base might be the most likely landing spots for Drury with the Angels, though he also could back up third baseman Anthony Rendon.
