When Angels star Mike Trout's first car $12,465 2000 Ford Ranger went under the hammer with autograph bonus

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has been one of the best sluggers in the past decade. The 32-year-old has received numerous hitting titles over the years, highlighting his impact on the field.

Through his early journey, he had a companion, a car. Trout's first car, the Ford Ranger, went up for auction at the Goldin Auctions 2016 Premium Live Auction at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Atlantic City.

Other notable Trout memorabilia up for auction include a 2015 game-used Red Angels jersey that he wore as well as a 2012 rookie season game-used and signed old Hickory bat.

Trout's parents gifted him the 2000 edition pickup truck in 2007. Later, the outfielder went on to become an All-Star outfielder, used his MLB earnings to buy a new car, and sold the pickup to his Aaron Cox, the brother of his wife, Jessica Cox.

Interestingly, the car brought luck with it, as Aaron had a successful college baseball career at Gannon University and was picked by the Angels in the 19th round of the 2015 MLB Draft. Later, Cox bought a new car and gave up the two-wheel drive for sale.

According to Kelly Blue Book, a used 2000 Ford Ranger costs around $12,465. However, given that it was Trout's first truck, the sale in the auction was estimated to go over $15,000.

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Mike Trout's 2023 season and future outlook

Like his last few seasons, Mike Trout's 2023 campaign also saw him struggling with injuries, limiting him to only 82 games.

Trout was placed on the injured list on Jul. 4 after breaking his left hamate bone the day before when fouling off a pitch. On Aug. 22, he was activated from the injured list and returned against the Cincinnati Reds.

However, he was placed back on the injured list the next day due to persistent soreness in his hand during batting. Mike Trout had a .264 batting average, 81 hits, 18 home runs, 44 RBIs and 54 runs scored in 2023.

Trout will miss one of his all-star colleagues, two-way phenom, Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese star signed a blockbuster 10-year, $700 million deal with the LA Dodgers earlier this offseason. The move was on the cards, given the Angels inability to gather a competitive roster despite boasting two MVP-caliber hitters.

There were early rumors that the Angels would trade Mike Trout in 2024, but those were shut down. Trout signed a 12-year, $426.5 million deal in 2019, which hasn't paid dividends for either party, though.