“That’s the most incredible thing about it.’’ “I know he's been the best player over the last 10 years, but he was also the best player, arguably, every single season,’’ said Eddie Bane, the former Angels scouting director who drafted Trout. He already has a higher WAR than Johnny Bench, Reggie Jackson, Derek Jeter and numerous other first ballot Hall of Famers. He’s a nine-time All-Star with eight Silver Slugger awards, three MVP awards and a Rookie of the Year award on his resume.
“Truly an honor and a blessing,’’ he called it.įrom the moment scout Greg Morhardt began his lobbying effort and the Angels signed Trout out of Millville (N.J.) High School with the 25th pick in the 2009 draft, Trout has been the gold standard for ballplayers on and off the field. Even though he’s under contract with the Angels through 2030, Trout viewed the achievement as much more than a pit stop. In July, shortly before his 30th birthday, Trout joined an elite group of players with 10 years of MLB service time. The season hasn’t been completely uneventful. It's definitely wearing on me a little bit. “I come in every day, work hard, and it seems like it's just dragging. “It's a grind,’’ Trout recently told Los Angeles Angels beat reporters. In lieu of climbing outfield walls, he’s figuratively climbing the wall.
He’s appeared in only 36 games because of a calf injury, and he hasn’t played since May 17. The 2021 season has not unfolded the way Mike Trout would have planned or preferred.