Last year, Mike Trout proved once again that he has not slowed down one bit. The three-time MVP finished the season with 40 home runs, 80 RBIs, and a .283 batting average. While the Angels as a team struggled, Trout found himself yet again in the race for MVP, finishing 8th in the voting.
"We didn’t talk enough about how Mike Trout hit FORTY homers in 119 games in 2022. Just absurd." - Dr. Death Steve Wheeliams
Since his 2012 debut, Mike Trout has been on a clear path to the title of "Greatest of All-Time." In his first full season in the majors, Trout put the MLB on notice, hitting 30 home runs and 86 RBIs while also stealing a career-high 49 bases.
After finishing second in MVP voting during his rookie campaign, Trout has won three American League MVP awards, nine Silver Sluggers, and has been selected to the All-Star team 10 times.
While there have been conversations about whether Trout is the best player in baseball, he remains one of the best players in the MLB The Show video game series. The superstar outfielder is one of three players on MLB The Show '22 to have a 99 overall ranking.
"MLB The Show needs to supercharge Mike Trout right now. 6 straight games with a homer. 34 on the year in 99 games this season. The guy is incredible" - Adam Samuels
The only other members of the "99 Overall Club" in the 2022 version of the video game series were pitcher Jacob deGrom and outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. The list will continue to grow in the 2023 installment, with Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani most likely to join the "99 Overall Club."
Mike Trout's prospect scouting report in MLB The Show 2011
While Trout has regularly been one of the best players in the video game series, his 2011 scouting report became a legendary piece of baseball gaming history.
"This is MLB The Show’s scouting report on Mike Trout in 2011…." - JpaBaseball
According to Trout's player card in the game, he “could be a decent regular, nothing more.” The game claimed, “if he goes yard more than a half dozen times, be thankful.”
While hindsight was always 20/20, Trout was one of the top prospects in MLB history, yet the game gave him "D" potential. It's safe to say that the Los Angeles Angels superstar has surpassed his video game expectations.