Mike Trout: Major League Baseball’s Best Player?

Many experts, pundits, and fans alike consider 23-year-old Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim centerfielder Mike Trout the best baseball player in the game today. There’s little doubt that if the team with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2009 MLB draft could have a do-ever, they would pick Trout in a heartbeat. Mike ending up being selected 27th overall by the Angels, and has had a legendary big league start since arriving to the show in 2011. The first pick of the ’09 draft belonged to the Washington Nationals, who used it to select right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations thus far, seeing as how he’s often been injured.

Of course, hindsight is 20/20, and at the time, Trout was merely a high school prospect from New Jersey. A lot of scouts are weary of East Coast high school ballplayers because they can’t always play year-round due to weather restrictions. Though, after putting up a season for the ages in 2014, you’d have to think the 26 teams who passed him up are face-palming big time at the moment.

Playing in his first of what will most certainly be many All-Star games in 2012, Trout won the American League Rookie of the Year Award at season’s end while finishing runner-up in MVP voting, and everyone who follows the game knew something special was abound. By the time the summer of 2013 had ended, Trout again finished second in AL MVP voting. However, after the completion of the 2014 campaign, everyone was certain: Mike Trout is officially the best player in Major League Baseball.

At the rate he’s going, there’s little question that Trout will surely find his plaque in Cooperstown when it comes time to hang up his spikes. For some perspective, check out the company Mike is keeping through his age-23 season by WAR (wins above replacement). You’ll notice that the other four men on this list are Hall of Famers.

Last February, Trout signed a six-year, $144.5 million contract extension en route to winning his first AL MVP, putting up monstrous numbers not seen in a decade. Mike finished the year with 36 home runs, a league-leading 111 runs batted in, with 115 runs scored. The only downside was that No. 27 lead all of baseball in strikeouts with 184.

To begin the 2015 season, Trout launched his 101st career home run, making him the fastest to 100 homers and 100 stolen bases in MLB’s long, illustrious history.

With his 100th HR, Mike Trout (23 years, 253 days) is the youngest player to 100 career HR and stolen bases in MLB history

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 18, 2015

It’s not that Trout is special with merely his prowess at the plate or his speed on the basepath, it’s that he may just be the most exciting player in the game to watch, as well. Whether he’s launching balls over the outfield wall, sliding awkwardly to avoid a tag at third, or making spectacular plays in the field with his glove, Mike Trout is sure to please baseball fans for many, many years to come.

Here’s some of Trout’s best defensive plays so far through his early career.

Many would argue that Nationals right-fielder Bryce Harper currently deserves the “most exciting” title, seeing as how he’s currently second in homers (20), third in RBI (47), and fifth in batting average (.328). Yet, Harper has yet to put together one entirely healthy season to showcase what he can do for a full 162-games.

Currently, Mike is batting.285, with 16 long balls and 34 RBI. As previously noted by the Inquisitr, Trout sits in second place amongst outfielders with over 3.6 million fan votes ahead of the Midsummer Classic on July 14.

On the lighter side, Trout’s girlfriend’s brother, Aaron Cox, was selected by the Angels in the 19th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, which occurred from June 8 to June 10.

Big congrats to my boy @Aaroncox19 getting drafted by the #Angels!! #MLBDraft #soSick

— Mike Trout (@MikeTrout) June 10, 2015

Let us know in the comments section if you think Mike Trout is baseball’s best player.

[Photo by Harry How/Getty Images]