2 Angels players who'll evolve into first-time All-Stars by next summer

Mike Trout missed the 2025 All-Star Game by 2% of the fan vote, and was not able to receive the honor of his 12th appearance in the Midsummer Classic. However, he came out slugging post All-Star break due to the extra rest and family time. While Trout's snub was proven to be fortuitous for the Angels, there are several youngsters who were much more upset by not participating in the All-Star Game.

Here are the current Angels players with at least one All-Star Game appearance on their CV: Trout (11), Kenley Jansen (4), Tyler Anderson (2), Yusei Kikuchi (2), Jorge Soler (1), Travis d'Arnaud (1), and *lol* Anthony Rendon (1). Here are the current Angels players whose contracts expire by the end of the season: Yoán Moncada, Luis Rengifo, Kenley Jansen, Tyler Anderson, Kyle Hendricks, Hunter Strickland and Chris Taylor, (Kevin Newman has a club option).

2 Angels players who'll evolve into first-time All-Stars by next summer

Zach Neto

This could not possibly be a colder take. Neto was the Angels' best player in 2024, is the team's best player in 2025 and will be the Angels' best player yet again in 2026.

The issue lies not with Neto, but with the absolutely loaded shortstop position in the American League. Some would say Neto already ranks highly enough to represent the Angels as a shortstop in the American League, but next season he absolutely will. Not only does the Angels' shortstop have the 5th highest OPS in the American League this year, but he has the 5th highest OPS of shortstops from 2024 on. The precedent is there for his greatness to finally get him a nod to the All-Star Game, and he certainly will next season so long as he does not sustain another shoulder injury that keeps him out for a month pre All-Star Game.

Yes, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, Jacob Wilson, Corey Seager, Carlos Correa and Jeremy Peña will still be in the American League. However, Neto is rising so fast that he could easily supplant Seager, Correa and Peña on the depth chart.

José Soriano

Do the Angels have more logical All-Star candidates than Soriano. Sure. Given the abundance of pitchers that make the All-Star Game, what Soriano is now and what he is building towards, he has a better shot next year than Schanuel, Adell, Ward, etc.

While his year-over-year growth seems stagnant, his availability (knock on wood) this season has been a revelation. The 26-year-old is making up for lost time due to injury, and is still refining his arsenal and finding himself at the major league level. Soriano is walking more batters, and is throwing more sinkers and curveballs than last year -- despite his tinkering during spring training and early-on in the season. You have to think that he will be able to hone himself in more and diversify his offering after the trials and tribulations he's faced in 2025.

If you take out Soriano's two blow-up outings in June (against the Red Sox and Nationals), he is posting a 2.91 ERA and a 3.29 FIP. Again, the more experience he collects, the more he will be able to tap into his pure stuff to achieve dominance.

Other Candidates: Nolan Schanuel, Reid Detmers, Taylor Ward, Jo Adell, Logan O'Hoppe, Christian Moore, Caden Dana, Ben Joyce, Robert Stephenson

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