Zach Neto is falling short right now and Angels fans can probably guess why

The Los Angeles Angels have been waiting for Zach Neto to take the next step and emerge as a true superstar. There have been points where it looked like the 25-year-old was on the verge of a breakout, like last season, once he came back from a shoulder injury. He was cooking by the end of May, but by season's end, he came in with a 116 wRC+, just one point above 2024's 115 mark.

Neto entered the 2026 season ranked by MLB.com as one of the top-10 shortstops in the game, but just barely, squeaking in at No.10. Neto's 26 homers and 26 steals last year show how explosive he can be, but there's still something holding him back.

The Angels are still waiting for Zach Neto to take the next step

Let's preface this by saying that Neto is a very good player. Many clubs would love to have a guy like him on their team. He can be electric with his power-speed combo, plays with high energy, and is a vocal leader, even when things aren't going right.

But when it comes to reaching the next level, there have been a few things that have held Neto back. One thing that has always plagued him is his low walk rate, which has resulted in a below-average on-base percentage. Since debuting in 2023 through the end of last season, Neto had managed a below average 6.2% walk rate and a .316 on-base percentage.

So far in 2026, he's fixed that. Sort of. Neto's walking 15.5% walk rate, though that lofty number has only resulted in a good-but-not-great .362 OBP. Part of the reason why is that Neto's only batting .237.

This gets to the real crux of the issue. Neto has been above average at recognizing pitches out of the zone. His chase rate has improved from a 29th percentile mark in 2024 to a 36th percentile mark in 2025, and finally to a 63rd percentile performance so far in 2026. However, despite chasing out of the zone less, he still whiffs at roughly the same rate.

Neto whiffed at 27.1% clip in 2024. He swung and missed at a 29.1% rate last year. This season, he's whiffing 28.7% of the time, so far. Given that he's cut the chase rate down, that means the majority of these whiffs are coming on pitches within the strike zone.

That's where Neto needs to improve. He needs to connect more when he swings at pitches in the zone, while maintaining his newfound plate discipline, in order to supercharge his on-base ability. For one thing, Neto's shown he can do a lot of damage when he squares up pitches, which is easier to do when the offering is in the zone. For another, even the tough strikes will mean something if he can move runners over via contact.

If the Angels are going to go anywhere, they need Neto to be a serious superstar. The good news is, getting there is within reach. The bad news is that a lot of time has already passed, and he's been unable to address the deficiency.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow