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There’s always something special about a homegrown talent being drafted by a club and eventually reaching superstar status.
Every team has examples of just that and the Angels are no different. They’ve always prided themselves on being an organization that develops talent from within, especially during their run of success in the early 2000s. Here’s a look at the Angels’ Top 5 homegrown talents who were originally drafted by the franchise:
(No. 25 overall, 2009 Draft)
It's still amazing to look back and see that 21 teams passed on Trout in the 2009 Draft and he wasn't even the Angels' first selection, as he was picked immediately after the club drafted fellow outfielder Randal Grichuk. Trout has won the American League MVP Award three times and has been an All-Star eight times. He was also the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year and has finished in the Top 5 in balloting for AL MVP for a record nine years in a row. Trout, 29, is already the club's all-time leader in WAR with 74.6 and is signed through the 2030 season. So Trout still has plenty of time to add to his accolades.