MLB Legacies: Mike Trout

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Baseball truly is America’s favorite pastime: a fact that has resulted in a recent surge in Major League Baseball (MLB) popularity in recent years.

With the rising quality of its players, and its marketability to young and old fans, MLB now houses some of the sporting world’s greatest figures. Ever-changing MLB odds are a testament to that.

One of these names you simply must know is Mike Trout, who is arguably baseball’s most outstanding modern player in terms of his accolades and playing style.

Trout is every bit as good as other modern sports stars, and has shone bright since the first second he stepped onto the field. 

Who Is Mike Trout?

Born on August 7, 1991, Mike Trout is one of the most well-rounded professional baseball outfielders playing in MLB. And with a nickname like “The Millville Meteor,” you’d expect nothing less!

A brand ambassador, Investor, and enthusiastic baseball student, the L.A. Angels star may just be the MLB’s most universal man. He hits with power, easily makes regular contact, has patience at the plate, and plays a stellar defense in center.

He’s also generally just very likable on and off the field.

Professional Career Highlights

Arizona Angels (2009 – 2010)

Unlike many other players competing in the league, Trout started his baseball career directly after leaving high school in 2009. He began by playing for the rookie-level Arizona Angels in the Arizona League (AZL).

Here, he accumulated some impressive stats, including an OBP of .418 in 39 games and 187 plate appearances.

Los Angeles Angels (2011 – Present)

2011 – 2013

The Los Angeles Angels decided to promote Trout in July 2011 as a replacement for the injured Peter Bourjos, playing in center field. Trout would go on to make his major league debut a few days later and has never looked back.

He had one of the league’s most impressive rookie seasons, managing to break both the American League rookie record and the Angels’ franchise record after crossing home plate in 14 consecutive games. This occurred after he scored a home run during a game in July 2012.

Trout went on to represent the Angels during the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In 2013, he was also the only player actively in the American League to reach base every game of the month. 

He was also the first-ever Angels player to gain two consecutive streaks of reaching base in 33 games.

This winning streak continued into 2014 when he was unanimously chosen as the AL MVP, the sixth player in the history of the MBL to win the All-Star Game MVP and regular-season MVP in the same season.

Following on from such a great few introductory years with the Angels, he’d go on to break many more franchise and MLB records with the team.

2015 – 2019

In April 2015, Trout became the youngest-ever player in MLB history to reach a total of 100 home runs and also 100 stolen bases. For the second consecutive year, Trout was also granted the All-Star Game MVP Award. He became the first-ever player to win it in consecutive years.

He would sign a record-breaking 12-year, $426 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels in March 2019, extending his time with the team. However, this season would come to a swift end after an injury.

He had a cryoablation procedure to look at a neuroma in his right foot in late 2019, with the surgery to remove it scheduled just a few days later. This did not deter him and he finished the season with a career-high number of home runs (45).

2020 – Present Day

Trout hit his 300th career home run in September 2020, breaking the all-time Angels’ record that had previously been held by Tim Salmon. The remainder of the season went well, considering it was shortened by the Coronavirus pandemic.

He ended up with a torn calf muscle in May 2021. As a result of this injury, he was shut down for the remainder of the 2021 season. Fortunately, he would bounce back in time for the 2022 season.

In 2022, again, Trout would make career history by hitting his 1,000th run for the franchise. Despite being sidetracked by a costovertebral dysfunction, Trout ended the 2022 season with 40 home runs, 80 RBIs, and batting .283 in a total of 119 games.

On July 19, 2022, Trout announced that he’d be captaining the United States national baseball team during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Major Achievements

Trout has some of the following impressive accolades under his belt:

• A ten-time All-Star (consecutively from 2012 to 2019, and 2021-2022)
• Three-time AL MVP (2014, 2016, and 2019)
• Three-time All-MLB First team (2019-2020, 2022)
• AL Rookie of the Year (2012)
• Two-time MLB All-Star Game MVP (2014 and 2015)

Summary

Truthfully, no young baseball player stands a chance at matching the accolades, accomplishments, and prowess that Mike Trout shows on the diamond. 

Through hard work and dedication, Trout has established himself as one of baseball’s all-time greats, and this position does not look set to change anytime soon.