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Zach Neto Wins AL Player of the Week, Continues Transformation Into One of Baseball's Best Young Stars
The Angels have spent much of the season searching for the foundation of their next contender. They may have already found the centerpiece. On May 24, Zach Neto was named American League Player of the Week after one of the most dominant stretches of his young career. During the week of May 18-24, Neto hit .444, collecting 12 hits in 27 at-bats while adding three home runs and eight RBIs.
It was the latest milestone in what has become a breakout season for the Angels' shortstop. Through May 24, Neto is batting .312 with 64 hits, 12 home runs, and 43 RBIs. His offensive production has placed him among the American League's elite hitters. Neto has combined power, contact ability, and run production in a way few young middle infielders can match. He is tied for first in the American League in RBIs with Gunnar Henderson.
He is also among the league leaders in several major offensive categories:
Hits: Third in the AL with 64, trailing only Luis Arraez of the White Sox (70)
Total bases: Third in the AL with 113, behind Brent Rooker (131) and Bobby Witt Jr. (121)
When the Angels signed him to an eight-year, $191.1 million extension earlier this season, the organization was betting on the player it believed he could become. Neto has already begun validating that investment.
The extension was not simply a reward for past performance. It was a commitment to a player the Angels believed could become the face of their next competitive window. What makes Neto especially valuable is the completeness of his game. He provides power from a premium defensive position. He creates offense without relying solely on the home run. He runs the bases aggressively and plays with the energy that has become a defining characteristic of the Angels' new core.
For years, the organization searched for young players capable of joining Mike Trout as franchise pillars. Neto is emerging as that player. The Player of the Week award is only one accomplishment in a long season, but it is another reminder that the Angels' decision to invest in their young shortstop was not based on hope alone. It was based on belief.
Zach Neto is giving them every reason to believe.
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