Mike Trout gives his honest take on Angels rising star Logan O'Hoppe
Angels superstar Mike Trout has had extended absences from the ballpark in the past five years due to injuries. The Angels have also not fared well in the division, but catcher Logan O'Hoppe and shortstop Zach Neto have been their bright stars.
The veteran Trout, being one of the game's best, has a good rapport with his younger teammates, especially O'Hoppe. On Thursday, the duo, on Under the Halo Podcast, shared their thoughts about each other.
"I seen him. I was watching him in Double-A. He was hitting a homer like every night, so I knew he was coming up," Trout said of his first impression (11:36). "Just the way, the work, you know. Heard a lot of great things about him from the front office."
Trout shared that knowing and hearing about a slugger are entirely different things, but O'Hoppe lived up to his expectations.
"So when I got to see him come in, prepare, just a step ahead of everybody in preparedness, I think, you know, had a mental focus of trying to be great and to sustain and to be up here for a long period of time in a career, which he's been doing a great job," Trout added.
The three-time AL MVP praised the Angels catcher, pointing out that the 25-year-old doesn't take the game for granted and always strives for improvement.
Mike Trout has seen several players shy away from their weak spots, but O'Hoppe wants to rectify his shortcomings and doesn't complain.
Logan O'Hoppe believes learning from Mike Trout is a game-changer
Logan O'Hoppe was selected in the 23rd round of the 2018 MLB draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. They traded him to the Angels for Brandon Marsh on Aug. 2, 2022. He debuted in the MLB the next month. In hindsight, many believe the trade has worked well for the Halos.
After Mike Trout expressed his appreciation to O'Hoppe, the Angels catcher shared his experience with the three-time AL MVP.
"It's a game changer," O'Hoppe said (13:24). " (To) have Mike and have someone that's not only gone through it but done it at the highest level and done it as well as he has, you know, for as long as he's been doing it. I can't really put into words how much it means to not only me but the guys in that room."
Playing together with Mike Trout, O'Hoppe has learned how to handle adversity and success. For context, Trout's achievements in the MLB haven't translated to team success, though.