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Mike Trout is undoubtedly one of the best players in the game of baseball. His name and stature make him synonymous with the brand of his team, the Los Angeles Angels.
Trout was drafted 25th overall by the Angels in the June 2009 Amateur Draft out of Millville High School in New Jersey. From the beginning, scouts and fans knew that the kid was an absolute beast.
As a rookie, instead of signing an MLB contract, Trout opted for a signing bonus of $1.215 million. In 2012, his first full season, Trout hit 30 home runs, 83 RBIs, and led the MLB in stolen bases with 49 of them. It was enough for him to be named the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year.
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In 2013, Trout signed a one-year deal worth only around $510,000. He was hoping to prove that his rookie season was not a fluke, and knew that he would be in line for a lot more if he showed what he could really do.
The following season, Trout signed for $144.5 million over six years as a 23-year-old. In 2014, he showed the Angels why they needed him. Trout hit 36 home runs and a league-best 111 RBIs. He also led the Angels to the postseason, only to be swept by the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS.
Following another MVP season in 2016, Trout knew that he was in for some serious cash when his contract expired in 2019. Before the 2019 season, the Angels locked Mike Trout down with a 12-year deal worth $426 million.
In 2022, Trout earned a base salary of $35,450,000, while carrying a total salary of $37,116,666, according to Spotrac.
Despite his own personal accolades, Angels fans are beginning to get frustrated. The Angels have not made the postseason since 2014, even with the addition of Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani.
In June 2022, Trout had the worst slump of his career. He hit only around .100 as the Angels lost 13 straight games, all but handing the AL West title to the Houston Astros.
Mike Trout will be locked down until the 2030s
Indeed, Mike Trout will be an Angel until 2031. Hopefully for fans, he will have brought the Angels at least one World Series title by then. For now though, Angels fans can only sit and wait for the big man to bring playoff baseball back to Angel Stadium sooner rather than later.
