Ranking the 5 most valuable Angels players from the 2023 season

3) Zach Neto

The Angels entered the season without a true shortstop. Sure, guys like Gio Urshela, Luis Rengifo, and David Fletcher could play the position and not embarrass you, but they're not primary shortstops. With the Angels not having a true shortstop on the roster, the team made the decision to promote Zach Neto from the minors despite being drafted not even a full year prior.

Neto had appeared in just 44 minor league games before getting the call, yet he still looked like he belonged from the get go. Yes, his career did get off to a slow start as he recorded one hit in his first 16 at-bats, but then he really got going offensively.

After that initial rough stretch, Neto went on to slash .279/.359/.468 with six home runs and 22 RBI in 51 games. The Angels went 29-22 in those games, and Neto looked like one of the best shortstops in the American League. His glove was always steady, and his bat was as good as it had ever been in the crucial Texas series before he landed on the IL.

His overall numbers on the season aren't great, and that's mainly because of his performance after that first injury. While the numbers don't jump off the page, Neto's impact was pretty clear. The team played better when he was on the field. Much better.

The Angels with Neto went 43-41. WIthout Neto, they were 30-48. Two games over .500 with him, 18 under .500 without him. Obviously Neto wasn't the sole reason they won those games, but his impact on this team is impossible to overlook. Hopefully he can find a way to stay on the field in 2024 and help lead the Angels to wins.