The Los Angeles Angels do have their share of stars, especially when it comes to power hitters. There’s Mike Trout, of course, who could be returning to center field after a season as a full-time DH, and outfielder Jo Adell is always a power threat who could step up to become the team’s biggest new star.
But that’s not who Theo DeRosa, Brent Maguire and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru of MLB.com selected as the team’s biggest star. They chose shortstop Zach Neto, describing him as “unquestionably” the team’s top player for the last two seasons.
Statistically, it’s hard to argue with their choice. Neto had a WAR of 3.1 last year and 3.5 the year before that, and they projected him to step up to 4.3. That’s a big jump, but it makes sense given that Neto played in 128 games last season.
Neto is also a sneaky power threat in his own right. He hit 26 home runs, which is the same number Trout hit, and given the fact that he stole 26 bases last year, it’s not hard to imagine him becoming a 30/30 player in 2026.
The shortstop is considered a plus defender with good instincts, a strong arm and reliable hands, although he comes out lower in some defensive rankings that focus more on range. Unfortunately, it looks like Neto will be playing next to Yoan Moncada as his third baseman, and the fact that Moncada is a virtual statue at the hot corner will undoubtedly hurt Neto’s defensive rating this season.
Neto has talked a lot about using mental focus to improve his defense, as he occasionally struggles to separate his offense and defense and ends up taking bad at-bats into the field. That’s a minor weakness as far as the Angels are concerned, and Neto is one of the most underrated shortstops in baseball at this point in his career.
If there’s a big concern about Neto, it’s about his future in Anaheim. Specifically, does he actually have one? He’s going to get paid in the very near future, and the fact that the Angels haven’t extended him after his performance the last two seasons doesn’t bode well for his long-term outlook.
In the meantime, Angels fans should enjoy Neto while they have him on the field and in the lineup. He plays hard and does things the right way, which isn’t exactly common in the field and up and down the lineup.