Mike Trout

Drafting Trout in the first round has been a no-brainer for close to a decade now, but is that still the case heading into 2022? Take the name away and the fact is he's averaged just 106 games played over the past four full seasons around some health issues, most notably a torn UCL in his thumb in 2017 and the strained right calf this past season. Granted 2021 marked the first time he's played in fewer than 114 games over a full campaign, but Trout's running has waned as well, with the outfielder finishing with two steals last year after swiping a lone base in 2020 (meaning he's stolen three bases in his last 89 regular-season games). Speed is usually the first skill to go as a player enters his 30s, and he's Mike Freakin' Trout, he does not need stolen bases to be great. We know he's headed to Cooperstown one day, but the missed time and the decline in running are valid concerns in regards to his fantasy value for this upcoming season.

Amidst an unprecedented 2020 season, Trout remained one of baseball's great constants, putting together another MVP-caliber campaign for a disappointing Angels squad. Sure, his numbers slipped a bit -- Trout's .993 OPS was his lowest in four seasons -- but that was still sixth best in baseball. The advanced metrics were all elite, too, as the megastar's xSLG (.613), hard-hit rate (55.1%) and average exit velocity (93.7 mph) each ranked in the 97th percentile or higher. From a fantasy standpoint, Trout did not disappoint, tying for fourth in the league with 17 homers and sixth with 46 RBI. Perhaps the only letdown was that Trout stole one base after notching double-digit steals for eight straight seasons. That's enough to keep him from being the consensus first overall pick in rotisserie drafts, but Trout still holds the title of Best Player in the Game and is a worthy top-three selection in all formats.

For the first time in a few years, Trout will not be the consensus first overall pick in drafts as Christian Yelich and Ronald Acuna Jr. will challenge him for the top spot. His rate stats remain the best in the league but Trout has averaged only 129 games the past three years. Plus, there are concerns Trout will not run enough to keep up with Yelich and Acuna. He's still just 28 years old and the last time Trout posted an 11-steal season (2015), he followed it with 30, 24 and 22 before dipping to 11 in 2019. As mentioned, Trout's production on a rate basis is unmatched, as he's slashed .303/.447/.634 the past three campaigns. His 2019 season ended in early September with soreness in his right foot, requiring a surgical procedure to relieve the pain. Trout will be back to full health in the spring but for some is an injury risk. It's hard to believe, but many will be settling for Trout with the third pick.

Trout remains the best overall talent in the game of baseball and should be the first overall player taken in any draft and the most expensive player purchased in any auction. If we could place animated GIFs into player capsules, a mic drop would be the only thing needed to describe what Trout brings to the table. He has raised his on-base percentage five consecutive seasons, and each of the past three has been over .400. There is nothing he does not excel at as he continues to accept his walks when the league does not want to pitch to him, and he is 46-for-his-last-52 in stolen-base attempts. There have been 38 players in the history of baseball who have at least 250 home runs and 200 stolen bases over the course of their career. Trout needs 10 home runs and 11 steals to join that list in 2019, and will have made the list before his 28th birthday. 1.1; set it and forget it.

For the first time in his career, Trout required a stint on the DL in 2017 after he tore the UCL in his left thumb in late May. He missed 39 games as a result of the injury, but showed no lingering effects of the ailment after returning to the lineup following the All-Star break. Over his final 67 games, Trout hit .285/.429/.552, with 17 homers, 36 RBI, 12 steals, and a 58:48 BB:K in 301 plate appearances, a pace that would have made him a 40-homer, 30-steal player over a full 162-game season. The per-game production was once again at an MVP level, and it's hard to believe that he's still just 26 years old. Since the second half of the 2017 season, the Angels have upgraded the supporting cast around Trout, and his run-production numbers could tick up slightly in 2018 as a result. Even if he's no longer the unanimous choice as the No. 1 overall pick in drafts, he's still on the short list of players in the conversation.

It's possible we haven't seen Trout's best season yet. Granted, this can be said of all 25-year-old players but no others have been putting up MVP-caliber campaigns since they were 20, winning in 2014 and again in 2016. Most impressive is that Trout's strikeout and walk rates have improved each of the last two years, further cementing the league's best floor. The concern over dwindling steals was assuaged last season as Trout swiped 30 for the first time since 2013. His power dropped, but when 29 homers is a disappointment, the bar is set high. The outfielder is a lock for over 100 runs, averaging 116 the past five seasons while a threat to drive home 100 teammates. Others are legitimately in the conversation but pegging Trout with the first overall pick or spending top auction dollars is absolutely warranted. No one else has the combination of his super-high floor...with upside.

How does one write anything new about the best player in the game today? He has scored 100 or more runs in every full season in which he has played and has driven in at least 90 runs in the last three seasons despite the challenges in front of him and behind him in the lineup. He does strike out above the league average rate, but fell a duck snort or two shy of hitting over .300 for the third time in four seasons. There is the issue of his stolen base total declining each of the past four seasons, but that has been offset by the growth in power production. Seriously, there is nothing we could put into this block that could or even should stop you from using the first overall pick on him or dropping $40-plus on him in an auction format. You’re going to get what you pay for and that’s his true value.

After finishing second in the MVP voting to Miguel Cabrera in each of the previous two seasons, Trout took home the hardware for what may have been his worst performance in the big leagues in 2014. His numbers weren't bad by any stretch of the imagination, as he tallied a career-high 36 home runs and a .939 OPS, but he led the American League in strikeouts while tallying a career-low batting average (.287) and on-base percentage (.377). The strikeouts in particular did not sit well with Trout, as he admitted that he swung at a lot of high pitches in 2014. However, it was actually Trout's contact rate on pitches in the zone that took a tumble last year, as he made contact on swings at pitches in the zone just 85.1% of the time, compared to an 89.0% mark in 2013. While the strikeouts are a bit concerning, it's difficult to bet against Trout having another monster season in 2015, considering what he accomplished despite a career-high 26.1% strikeout rate last season.

At the end of last season, many wondered whether Trout could repeat his fabulous 2012 campaign. As it turns out, the phenom outfielder actually improved upon his numbers in 2013, increasing his walk rate from 10.5% to an outstanding 15.4%, and finishing the season with a final batting line of .323/.432/.557, good for an almost other-worldly 179 OPS+. The main concern from Trout's 2012 breakout seemed to center on his seemingly unsustainable .383 BABIP, but he was able to defy logic once again, posting a .376 BABIP in 2013. While this number, too, seems like it should decline, it may be that his baseline is such that the number proves to be one of skill thanks to his combination of elite power and speed, rather than good fortune. Trout was once again denied the AL MVP award in 2013, but the 22-year-old looks like he's going to be the one of the best players in the game for many years to come, regardless of how much hardware he has to show for it. He will no doubt be among the first players taken in nearly all 2014 fantasy drafts.

You've probably heard about Trout's rookie season by now, but just in case, let's provide a quick reminder: He produced a .326/.399/.564 batting line with 30 homers, a league-leading 129 runs scored, 83 RBI, and a league-leading 49 steals. He did all of that while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense (although he somehow didn't win the award) and despite spending the first month of the season in the minors. His skill set can best be defined as "flawless", although if you had to pick one flaw he could perhaps strike out a bit less often. Of course, he's still only 21 years old, and based on his minor league numbers and age, there is reason to believe that Trout could cut down on his 21.8 percent strikeout rate going forward. He'll need to do that in order to be an annual competitor for the batting title since his .383 BABIP is probably unsustainable even for an incredible once-in-a-generation talent like Trout. Getting away from the nit-picking, his combination of speed and power is unmatched and he'll be the odds-on favorite to win the AL stolen base crown this year, as well as the co-favorite (along with Miguel Cabrera) to take home MVP honors. Outside of a possible regression in batting average, there is nothing to indicate that Trout is headed for a sophomore slump, and he should live up to his promise as a first-round fantasy pick if he stays heallthy.

Trout tore up Double-A Arkansas last season with a .958 OPS and 33 stolen bases - numbers that are even more impressive when considering he was just 19. Trout also appeared in 40 games with the Angels last season, and while he hit just .220, he showed the skills that make him one of baseball's best prospects. Trout could probably start in the majors this year, but given the numbers crunch in the outfield and at DH, he'll almost certainly open 2012 in the minors. If he opens at Triple-A Salt Lake, watch out - his numbers could be even better in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Angels fans certainly have a reason to be excited about the future after looking at Trout's minor league numbers. In his first full season of professional ball, Trout hit .341/.428/.490 with 47 extra-base hits - including 10 homers - and 56 steals in 131 games. The Angels will be careful not to rush Trout since he will not turn 20 until August, but it is clear he is a star in the making. Expect him to begin this season with Double-A Arkansas.

The best of the Angels' No. 1 picks in 2009, Trout is already the organization's top prospect, a polished hitter with good speed. The primary questions about him are how much power will he have and whether he'll play center field or an outfield corner? He won't sniff the majors until 2013, so he's only a play in leagues with deep minor-league systems, but he's a strong play in those formats.