With one MVP award, four Silver Slugger awards, and five All-Star Game appearances already under his belt before the age of 25, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout has a keen eye for young talent when he sees it.
His first glimpse at the Yankees’ new and unorthodox youth movement was in full swing this past weekend in Anaheim, and Trout’s praise for rookies Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Tyler Austin, Chad Green, and Luis Cessa was considerably high for an opposing player.
“They’re all young stars,” Trout told NJ Advance Media on Sunday before the Angels’ 2-0 win over the Yankees. “They’re good for the game. When younger guys get opportunities, you like to see them take advantage of it.”
Of the five rookies, 23-year-old catcher Gary Sanchez grabbed Trout’s attention the most, as Sanchez went 4-for-11 from the plate in the series, which included his sixth-career home run on Saturday night.
“So far Sanchez has been great,” Trout said. “All of their young players look really good. I’m impressed.”
While the Yankees’ future appears to be bright, the same can’t be said for Trout’s current situation in Anaheim, as the last-place Angels own a record of 52-72 in the AL West, well on their way to missing the postseason for the sixth time in the last seven seasons. Trout, who is only in the second year of a six-year, $144.5 million contract extension which includes a full no-trade clause, realizes that the rebuilding process has been slow.
“It sucks for sure, but we’ve got a good front office,” Trout said. “We’ll see what happens.”
What Yankees fans would like to see happen is Trout living much closer to home. A native of Millwood, N.J., Trout tirelessly hears about the Yankees, Mets, and Phillies’ desire to acquire him in 2021, despite that his next destination, if there even is one, hasn’t been decided.
“I know,” Trout said about the rumors. “I hear it all the time.”
Trout, who was MVP runner-up for the third time in his career in 2015, is hitting .308 with 23 home runs and 77 runs batted in this season, and is once again facing fierce competition for the prestigious accolade in 2016.
