Zach Neto is morphing into a superstar right before Angels fans' eyes

In 2024, Elly De La Cruz, Bobby Witt Jr., and Gunnar Henderson headlined the surging new generation of superstar shortstops; however, at the same time, Zach Neto was turning in an All-Star worthy season in Anaheim. After playing in 155 games and accumulating 23 homers, 30 stolen bases, and countless defensive gems, Neto injured his shoulder with less than a week left in the season.

Injury aside, Neto had very few concerns after his 2024 season. His strikeout numbers were incredibly high, but those numbers tend to naturally come down as players mature. Neto looked the part of a former first round draft pick, and figured to be a building block moving forward. Neto has clearly separated himself from the other young Angels. While other youngsters are being sent down, Neto has cemented himself as the shortstop of the present and future.

Since Neto's return this season, Neto has been the best shortstop in baseball, bar none. He has accumulated 1.2 WAR in less than 20 games and has commandeered a Halo squad in desperate need of both a spark and leadership. He is hitting the ball as well as just about anyone in baseball, especially when compared to his peers at shortstop.

A lot of people - Angels fans and media alike - are already pondering how much money Neto is going to make. And while that is an interesting discussion, especially considering the Angels' inability to sign Neto this off season to secure his future in Anaheim, his performance on the diamond is far more important.

The key to Neto's hot start to the season has been an incredible power surge. He is slugging .514 so far after posting a career .420 slugging percentage prior to 2025. After spending the offseason rehabbing a shoulder injury, one would have expected a slight decrease in power, but Neto has flipped the script and now looks like a potential 30+ home run shortstop.

There are two main factors in this power surge: Neto's ability to barrel the baseball as well as adjusting his swing to increase his launch angle. When he hit 30 home runs last season, he was barreling the ball at 8.4 percent, with his current 2025 rate at 13.7 percent. On top of that, his launch angle has shot up to 18.8 this season. Considering he averaged launch angles of 14.5 and 12.3 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, it seems Neto has found his sweet spot as a slugger. He has not sacrificed home runs for fly outs, either, as his line drive percentage is up so far this season (all advanced stats per FanGraphs).

Sure, the Angels may not be contenders in 2025. And yes, Perry Minasian may have cost the Angels a few million dollars by not extending Neto prior to this season. But the most important takeaway is that for the first time in over a decade, the Angels appear to have a homegrown superstar in their lineup night in and night out.

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