In a recent Top 100 list, the center fielder for the Angels was ranked 19th.
Both among his colleagues in Major League Baseball and the Angels fan base, Mike Trout still has a sizable following.
On a recent ESPN list of the Top 100 players in MLB, the center fielder for the Angels came in at number 19. Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves is one of the people who thinks Trout is superior than that. As reported by Buster Olney:
We anticipated that participants would evaluate our rankings without the use of social media filters and comment as though they had just ingested a carafe of truth serum. Similar to Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves, who has played 44 games against Mike Trout in his career, who was taken aback by the player’s stature.
Olson remarked, “I know there’s always recency bias, but the folks who have been there and done it for a while have a little more power over me. Mike Trout in his teen years. That is absurd.
Olson is right when he says that Trout’s rating can only be explained by recency bias.
The three-time American League MVP and eleven-time All-Star, Mike Trout, had one of his poorest seasons ever in 2023. He batted.263 with a.490 slugging percentage and a.367 on-base percentage in 82 games. Even though his.858 OPS was still among the best in the game, it was the lowest since Trout’s breakthrough 2012 year.
Trout’s season was virtually cut in half due to a fracture in his left hand, which is an alarming trend. Since 2018, Trout has not participated in 140 games during a season.
In two important categories, Trout remains the current top by OPS (.994) and OPS+ (173). Around the league, he has instilled a sense of respect for both his glove and bat.
Trout thinks he’s found a weakness in his at-bat mechanics since the previous season that could help him reach his full potential. Trout’s rise in the unofficial rankings this time next year will only occur if he can regain his form and maintain his health in 2024.
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