Frazier appears to be the leading candidate to open the season as the Angels' starting second baseman after Christian Moore and Kyren Paris were optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Saturday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
The Angels thinned the competition further by reassigning Nick Madrigal to minor-league camp, leaving Frazier, Oswald Peraza and Vaughn Grissom (hand) as the main contenders for playing time at the keystone. Neither Peraza nor Grissom have minor-league options remaining, giving them good odds of making the Opening Day roster, but as the lone left-handed hitter of the trio, Frazier -- who is attending camp as a non-roster invitee -- may actually have a better chance of seeing the bulk of the at-bats at second base. A career .264 hitter, Frazier possesses strong contact skills, but his lack of power and modest speed limits his overall fantasy appeal. Expect the 34-year-old to shift into a utility role once the Angels decide that Moore is ready for an extended run.