Angels Fire 'Baseball Spy' Scout Over Rockies Filming
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- Justin Prinstein was fired by the Angels earlier this season after he was spotted filming Rockies coaches with his phone from the scout seating section at Coors Field ahead of an early-June series between the two teams.
- Prinstein had branded himself 'The Baseball Spy' on social media; he was hired by the Angels in December and previously worked for the Reds and two professional teams in Korea.
- Then-Angels GM Perry Minasian fired Prinstein promptly after MLB notified the club of the rules violation, then personally apologized to Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta and GM Josh Byrnes.
- Multiple sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic that both organizations believe Prinstein acted on his own initiative and the Angels are not facing any league punishment.
- MLB's 2020 rule changes, implemented after the Astros sign-stealing scandal in collaboration with the players' union, tightened restrictions on electronic and visual-enhancement devices used to identify team signs.
- The Rockies went on to win two of three games in the series, which was played in Anaheim.
Why it matters: The Angels moved within days of MLB's notification: they fired Prinstein, then-GM Minasian apologized to Rockies executives DePodesta and Byrnes, and both clubs agreed he acted alone — sparing the Angels any league penalty. Under the 2020 post-Astros rules, even solo scout violations now force organizations into visible accountability moves.
