Mike Trout

MIKE TROUT

BIOGRAPHY

Michael Nelson Trout (born August 7, 1 9 9 1) is an American professional baseball center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Trout is a seven-time MLB All-Star, received the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2014 and 2016 (finishing second in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018 votes), and is a six-time winner of the Silver Slugger Award. He is nicknamed "The Millville Meteor."

The Angels selected Trout in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft. He made a brief major league appearance in 2011 before becoming a regular player for the Angels the subsequent season and won the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year Award unanimously.

Trout's athleticism on the field has received praise from both the mainstream media and sabermetricians. He is regarded as one of the most outstanding young players in the history of baseball, as well as one of the best current players in all of MLB. Trout led the American League in wins above replacement (WAR) in each of his first five full seasons (according to Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference.com).

Trout has led the American League in runs (2012-14, 2016) and times on base (2013, 2015-16, 2018) four times. As of 2018, he led all active major league ballplayers in career slugging percentage (.573), on-base plus slugging (.990), and stolen base percentage (84.75%), and was second in a career on-base percentage (.416). In 2019, he signed a 12-year, $426 million contracts with the Angels, the richest contract in the history of North American sports.

CHILDHOOD

Born to Jeff and Debbie (Busonick) Trout in Vineland, New Jersey, Mike grew up in nearby Millville, New Jersey. He has two older siblings, sister Teal, and brother Tyler. His father, Jeff (born January 7, 1961), played baseball at the University of Delaware.and was a fifth-round draft pick as a second baseman by the Minnesota Twins in 1983. Jeff played four years of minor league baseball before a torn plantar fascia and knee injuries ended his career. Mike grew up a die-hard Philadelphia Phillies fan and attended their World Series parade in 2008.

Trout began playing baseball in Cal Ripken Baseball, A Division of Babe Ruth League. His main position as a youth baseball player was the shortstop position. He wore #2 in honor of his childhood hero, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. He would switch to #1 in high school. Mike attended Lakeside Middle School and is a 2009 graduate of Millville Senior High School.

EARLY LIFE

Trout attended Millville Senior High School in Millville, New Jersey where he played both baseball and basketball, earning five letters (three in baseball and two in basketball). In his junior year, he threw a no-hitter against Egg Harbor Township High School. The Thunderbolts made it to the state playoffs and were defeated by Cherry Hill High School East. He started as a pitcher and shortstop and was shifted to the outfield during his senior year. That year, he hit 18 home runs, a New Jersey high school record. Trout had committed to play baseball at East Carolina University prior to the 2009 MLB Draft. Millville initially planned to retire Trout's jersey number but instead began awarding it to the team captain, starting in 2012.

Trout played travel ball with Tri-State Arsenal, one of the premier travel programs in the Northeast. He began working with the coaches at Arsenal at age 14. Trout played in various tournaments with Tri-State Arsenal, including the Perfect Game WWBA Championships in Jupiter, Florida in 2007 and 2008.

In the summer before his senior year, Trout attended the Area Code Games in southern California, where he went 6-for-11 against some of the best players in the country. Angels scout Greg Morhardt, who had played in the minor leagues with Trout's father, claimed Mike was the fastest and strongest 17-year-old he had ever seen.

LEAGUE GAME

The Angels selected Trout, using their compensation pick from the New York Yankees for their signing of Mark Teixeira, 25th overall in the 2009 MLB draft. He started his professional career in 2009 playing for the Arizona Angels of the rookie-level Arizona League, hitting .360 with a .418 OBP and .506 SLG with one home run, 25 runs batted in (RBIs), and 13 stolen bases in 187 plate appearances over 39 games. He was beaten out in being named AZL Most Valuable Player by Cody Decker. He finished the season playing for the Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Class A Midwest League, hitting .267 over 20 plate appearances in five games.[citation needed]

Before the 2010 season, Trout was considered the Angels' third-best prospect and the 85th-best in all of baseball by Baseball America.[28][29] He started the season playing for Cedar Rapids, where he hit .362 with a .454 on-base percentage (OBP) and a .526 slugging percentage (SLG) with six home runs, 39 RBIs, and 45 stolen bases in 82 games. He was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game. In July, Baseball America named Trout the second-best overall baseball prospect. After the Futures game, he was promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the Class A-Advanced California League.

After the 2010 season, Trout was named 2010 J.G. Taylor Spink Award as the Topps Minor League Player of the Year. At just 19 years and two months, he was the youngest player to win this award.[32] He was also named a Baseball America All-Star as well as a Topps Class A All-Star.

Prior to the 2011 season, Trout was ranked number one by ESPN's Keith Law in his 2011 top 100 prospects list and by MLB's Jonathan Mayo. Trout started the 2011 season with the Arkansas Travelers of the Class AA Texas League. He hit .324 with nine home runs, 27 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases in his first 75 games.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

All-Star Futures Game selection (2010)
2× American League Most Valuable Player (2014, 2016)
4× American League Player of the Month (July 2012, June 2014, July 2015, April 2017)
3× American League Player of the Week (June 11, 2012; July 13, 2014; Jul 12, 2015)
4× American League Rookie of the Month (May–August 2012)
American League Rookie of the Year (2012)
2× Baseball America Major League Player of the Year (2012, 2013)
2× Baseball America Minor League Baseball All-Star Team selection (2010, 2011)
Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year (2011)
3× Baseball America Top 100 prospect (2010–12)
ESPY Award for Best Major League Baseball Player (2015)
Fielding Bible Award at center field (2012)
Hank Aaron Award (2014)
Heart & Hustle Award (2012)
J. G. Taylor Spink Award (2010)
6× Major League Baseball All-Star Game selection (2012−17)
2× Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2014, 2015)
MLB.com Top 100 prospect (2012)
Players Choice Award for American League Outstanding Player (2014)
Players Choice Award for American League Outstanding Rookie (2012)
5× Silver Slugger Award at outfield (2012–16)
Sporting News Rookie of the Year (2012)
This Year in Baseball Award for Best Major Leaguer (2016)
This Year in Baseball Hitter of the Year (2014)
This Year in Baseball Award for Rookie of the Year (2012)
Topps Minor League Baseball All-Star (2010)
USA Today Minor League Player of the Year (2011)
Wilson American League Defensive Player of the Year (2012)
Statistical achievements