Mike Trout facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mike Trout
Trout with the Los Angeles Angels in 2022
Los Angeles Angels – No. 27
Outfielder
Born: (1991-08-07) August 7, 1991 (age 34) Vineland, New Jersey, U.S.
Bats: Right Throws: Right
debut
July 8, 2011, for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
MLB statistics (through July 27, 2025)
Batting average	.296
Hits	1,715
Home runs	397
Runs batted in	1,001
Stolen bases	214
Teams
Los Angeles Angels (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
11× All-Star (2012–2019, 2021–2023) 3× AL MVP (2014, 2016, 2019) 3× All-MLB First Team (2019, 2020, 2022) AL Rookie of the Year (2012) 9× Silver Slugger Award (2012–2016, 2018–2020, 2022) 2× AL Hank Aaron Award (2014, 2019) AL RBI leader (2014) AL stolen base leader (2012)
Medals Men's baseball Representing  United States World Baseball Classic Silver 2023 Miami Team
Signature

Michael Nelson Trout (born August 7, 1991) is an American professional baseball player. He is an outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels in Major League Baseball (MLB). Many people think Trout is the best player of his generation. Some even call him one of the greatest baseball players ever!

Trout has been chosen for the All-Star Game 11 times. He has won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award three times. He also won the Silver Slugger Award nine times. In 2023, he was the captain for the United States national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic.

The Angels picked Trout in the first round of the 2009 MLB draft. He played a few games in 2011. Then, in 2012, he became a regular player for the Angels. He won the Rookie of the Year Award that year. Trout is known for his amazing athleticism on the field. He has led the American League in a stat called "wins above replacement" (WAR) many times. This stat shows how much a player helps their team win.

Trout has also led the American League in runs scored and times on base. In 2019, he signed a huge contract with the Angels. It was one of the biggest contracts in sports history at the time.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Mike Trout was born in Vineland, New Jersey, on August 7, 1991. He grew up in a nearby town called Millville, New Jersey. He has two older siblings, Teal and Tyler.

His father, Jeff, also played baseball. He was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1983. Jeff played in the minor leagues for four years. Mike grew up loving the Philadelphia Phillies. He even went to their World Series parade in 2008!

Playing Youth Baseball

Trout started playing baseball in the Cal Ripken Baseball league. When he was young, he mostly played shortstop. He wore the number 2 because of his hero, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. In high school, he changed his number to 1.

Mike went to Lakeside Middle School. He graduated from Millville Senior High School in 2009.

High School Sports Star

At Millville Senior High School, Trout played both baseball and basketball. In his junior year, he threw a no-hitter in a baseball game. He started as a pitcher and shortstop. Later, he moved to the outfield in his senior year. That year, he hit 18 home runs, which was a New Jersey high school record.

Before the 2009 MLB Draft, Trout had planned to play college baseball. He was going to attend East Carolina University. Millville High School decided to give his jersey number to the team captain each year.

Trout also played for a travel baseball team called Tri-State Arsenal. He worked with their coaches from age 14. He played in big tournaments with them.

Before his senior year, Trout went to the Area Code Games in California. He played very well there. An Angels scout, Greg Morhardt, was very impressed. He said Mike was the fastest and strongest 17-year-old he had ever seen.

Mike Trout's Professional Baseball Journey

Starting in the Minor Leagues

The Angels picked Mike Trout 25th overall in the 2009 MLB draft. He started his professional career in 2009. He played for the Arizona Angels in a rookie league. He hit very well, with a .360 batting average. He also stole 13 bases.

In 2010, Trout was seen as one of the best young players in baseball. He played for the Cedar Rapids Kernels. He hit .362 and stole 45 bases in 82 games. He was even chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game. After that, he moved up to a higher minor league team.

After the 2010 season, Trout won the Topps Minor League Player of the Year Award. He was the youngest player ever to win it at just 19 years old. Before the 2011 season, many experts ranked Trout as the number one baseball prospect. He started 2011 with the Arkansas Travelers. He continued to play well, hitting .324 with 9 home runs and 28 stolen bases in 75 games.

Joining the Los Angeles Angels (2011-Present)

First Taste of the Big Leagues (2011)

Trout with the Angels in 2011

The Los Angeles Angels called Trout up to the major leagues on July 8, 2011. He made his first MLB appearance that night. In his next game, he got his first major league hit. He hit his first home run on July 24.

Trout was sent back to the minor leagues in August 2011. He had hit .163 in his first 12 games. But he was called back up later that month. On August 30, he became the youngest Angel to hit two home runs in one game. In his 40 games in 2011, Trout hit .220.

For the 2011 season, Trout was named Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year. He had a great year in the minors, hitting .326 with 11 home runs and 33 stolen bases.

Rookie of the Year Season (2012)

Trout robs J. J. Hardy of a home run, June 27, 2012.

Trout started the 2012 season in Triple-A. But on April 28, he was called back up to the Angels. He had been hitting .403 in the minors!

Trout quickly showed how good he was. On June 4, he had his first game with four hits. He also stole four bases that week. On June 27, he made an amazing catch. He leaped up at the center-field wall to steal a home run from an Orioles player.

Trout broke an Angels record by scoring runs in 14 games in a row. He was chosen for his first All-Star Game. In June, he was named AL Player of the Month and AL Rookie of the Month. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Trout was an "extraordinary talent."

Trout continued to shine in July. He scored 34 runs, tying a rookie record. He also hit 10 home runs and stole 9 bases. On August 4, he made another incredible home run-robbing catch.

Trout became the youngest player ever to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 40 bases in a season. He scored his 100th run on August 26. On September 30, he became the youngest player in MLB history to join the 30–30 club. This means he hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases in the same season.

Trout finished 2012 with a .326 batting average, 30 home runs, and 49 stolen bases. He led the American League in stolen bases. He also led the Angels in many stats, even though he only played in 139 games.

On November 12, 2012, Trout won the AL Rookie of the Year Award. He got every single first-place vote! He also won the Heart and Hustle Award. This award goes to a player who loves the game and plays with spirit. Trout also won a Silver Slugger Award for his hitting and a Fielding Bible Award for his defense.

Many people thought Trout should win the AL MVP award. But Miguel Cabrera won it instead. Cabrera had won the "triple crown" by leading the league in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in.

Continued Excellence (2013)

Trout in 2013

Trout started the 2013 season playing left field. On April 20, he hit his first career grand slam. This helped the Angels score 10 runs in one inning!

In May, Trout started playing like his rookie year again. He hit .327 with 8 home runs. On May 21, 2013, Trout became the youngest player in American League history to hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game.

Trout was chosen to start in the 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He was the top vote-getter among all AL outfielders. In July, he had a .475 on-base percentage, which was the best in baseball. He also reached base in every game that month.

Trout finished the 2013 season with 9.2 WAR, again the highest in baseball. He also led the American League with 110 walks. For the second year in a row, he finished second in the AL MVP voting to Miguel Cabrera.

First MVP Award (2014)

Trout in 2014

In March 2014, the Angels signed Trout to a six-year, $144.5 million contract. This was a big deal for a young player!

On July 15, Trout played in his third All-Star Game. He had two hits, including a double and a triple, and drove in two runs. He was named the MVP of the game. He was the second-youngest All-Star Game MVP ever.

In 2014, Trout played in 157 games. He hit .287 with 36 home runs, 39 doubles, and 111 RBIs. He also led MLB with 115 runs scored.

Trout played in his first postseason games in 2014. He hit his first postseason home run in Game 3 of the AL Division Series. However, the Angels lost the series. As of 2024, this was his only time playing in the postseason.

On November 13, 2014, Mike Trout was chosen as the AL MVP. He won the award unanimously, meaning every voter picked him! He was the sixth player in MLB history to win both the regular-season MVP and the All-Star Game MVP in the same year.

More Awards and Milestones (2015)

On April 17, 2015, Trout became the youngest player in MLB history to reach 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases. He was only 23 years old!

Trout started the 2015 MLB All-Star Game with a home run. He was the first player ever to win the All-Star Game MVP Award two years in a row. On September 22, Trout hit his 40th home run. He was only the second Angels player to hit 40 home runs in a season.

Trout finished 2015 with 41 home runs and 90 RBIs. He also led the American League in slugging percentage and OPS. He won his fourth Silver Slugger Award. This made him only the second player ever to win four straight Silver Sluggers to start his career. He also won the Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award.

Trout finished second in the AL MVP voting for the third time.

Second AL MVP (2016)

Trout hitting a home run off the Mets' Tommy Milone in an interleague game in 2017

In 2016, Sporting News called Trout "baseball's best player." He had more WAR (wins above replacement) than almost any other player at his age. In 159 games, Trout led MLB in walks (116), runs scored (123), and on-base percentage (.441). He also hit .315 with 29 home runs and 30 stolen bases.

On November 17, Trout won his second AL MVP award. He became only the second player in MLB history to finish in the top 2 for MVP in five straight seasons.

Injuries and Milestones (2017)

Trout in 2017

On May 28, 2017, Trout hurt his left thumb. He had to go on the disabled list for the first time in his career. The injury needed surgery, and he missed about six to eight weeks. He was voted to start in the All-Star Game but couldn't play because of his injury.

Trout returned on July 14. On his 26th birthday, August 7, he got his 1,000th career hit. In his next turn at bat, he hit a home run for his 1,001st hit! This was the fourth time he had hit a home run on his birthday.

On September 29, 2017, Trout hit his 200th career home run. He was only 26 years old. He was one of only seven players in history to reach 200 home runs before turning 26. Even with the injury, he led the team in runs, home runs, stolen bases, and batting average.

Another Strong Season (2018)

Trout at Nationals Park before the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Before the 2018 season, Sports Illustrated called Trout the #1 player in baseball. On May 26, he had his first career game with five hits. He hit three doubles and a home run!

Trout was named a starting outfielder for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. He hit a home run in the game. On August 10, 2018, Trout went on the disabled list again due to wrist pain.

For the season, he hit .312 with 39 home runs and 24 stolen bases. He also led the league in on-base percentage. He walked more than any other player in MLB. On defense, he had a perfect fielding percentage in the outfield.

Third AL MVP (2019)

Trout during a game against the Orioles in May 2019

On March 20, 2019, Trout signed a huge 12-year, $426 million contract with the Angels. At the time, it was the richest contract in North American sports history.

Trout was named AL Player of the Week in April. He also made his eighth straight All-Star Game. During the game, he wore his late teammate Tyler Skaggs' number 45 to honor him. On August 31, Trout stole his 200th career base. This made him the youngest player ever to have 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases.

On September 15, Trout had surgery on his right foot, which ended his 2019 season. He finished the year with a career-high 45 home runs. He also led the American League in on-base percentage and slugging percentage.

On October 24, 2019, he won the AL Hank Aaron Award. Trout also won his third AL MVP award. He joined his teammate Albert Pujols as the only active MLB players with three MVP awards.

Shortened Season (2020)

On September 5, 2020, Trout hit his 300th career home run. This broke the Angels' all-time home run record, which was held by Tim Salmon. The 2020 season was shorter because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trout finished the season hitting .281 with 17 home runs and 46 RBIs in 53 games.

Calf Injury (2021)

Trout was hitting very well in 2021, with a .333 batting average and 8 home runs. But on May 17, he strained his right calf while running the bases. He was placed on the injured list and was expected to miss six to eight weeks. Later, it was found that he had torn his calf muscle. He missed the rest of the 2021 season.

Back Injury (2022)

In March 2022, there was talk about moving Trout from center field to a corner outfield spot to help prevent injuries. But Trout said he preferred to play center field, and the team agreed.

Trout returned to play on Opening Day, his first game since May 2021. On May 21, he scored his 1,000th career run. He was only the second player in Angels history to score 1,000 runs for the team. In June, he hit four game-winning home runs in one series. This was a first in MLB history!

On July 12, Trout left a game because of back spasms. He was diagnosed with a rare back issue. He returned from the injured list on August 19. He finished the 2022 season hitting .283 with 40 home runs and 80 RBIs in 119 games.

Hamate Bone Fracture (2023)

Trout batting in 2023

On April 15, 2023, Trout hit his 300th career double. He became one of only four players in MLB history to have at least 300 doubles, 300 home runs, and 200 stolen bases by age 31. The others were Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Willie Mays.

On July 4, Trout fractured a bone in his left hand while hitting a pitch. He was placed on the injured list. He returned on August 22 but was placed back on the injured list the next day due to continued pain. On September 24, it was announced that he would miss the rest of the 2023 season.

Meniscus Tear (2024)

On April 9, 2024, Trout hit a home run. This made him the fastest player in Angels history to reach six home runs in a season, doing it in just eleven games. On April 30, Trout was diagnosed with a torn meniscus in his left knee. This meant he would be out of action for a while. He had surgery on May 3.

On July 23, Trout left a minor league rehab game because of knee soreness. The next week, he announced that he had torn the meniscus in his left knee again. This meant he would miss the rest of the 2024 season.

New Position (2025)

During spring training before the 2025 season, Trout announced a change. He said he would play as a right fielder to try and stay healthier.

Trout left a game on April 30 with a bone bruise in his left knee. He went on the injured list the next day. His injury took longer to heal than expected. He returned to play on May 30. On July 27, he hit a two-run home run at home. This was his 1,000th career RBI!

Playing for Team USA

On July 19, 2022, Mike Trout announced he would be the captain for the United States national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He led the team all the way to the final game. They lost 3–2 to Japan. In the final moment, Trout was struck out by his Angels teammate, Shohei Ohtani, who won the title for Japan.

Awards and Achievements

Awards and Team Selections

• All-Star Futures Game selection (2010)
• 3× American League Most Valuable Player (2014, 2016, 2019)
• 5× American League Player of the Month (July 2012, June 2014, July 2015, April 2017, September 2018)
• 5× American League Player of the Week (June 11, 2012; July 13, 2014; July 12, 2015; April 7, 2019)
• 4× American League Rookie of the Month (May-August 2012)
• American League Rookie of the Year (2012)
• 9× Los Angeles Angels Player of the Year (2012-2020)
• 2× Baseball America Major League Player of the Year (2012, 2013)
• Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year (2011)
• Baseball America Rookie of the Year Award (2012)
• 2× Baseball Digest Player of the Year (2014, 2019)
• ESPY Award for Best Major League Baseball Player (2015)
• Fielding Bible Award at center field (2012)
• 2× Hank Aaron Award (2014, 2019)
• Heart & Hustle Award (2012)
• Topps All-Star Rookie Team (2012)
• Topps Minor League Player of the Year Award (2010)
• 11× Major League Baseball All-Star Game selection (2012−2023)
• 2× Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2014, 2015)
• Players Choice Award for Player of the Year (2019)
• 2x Players Choice Award for American League Outstanding Player (2014, 2019)
• Players Choice Award for American League Outstanding Rookie (2012)
• 9× Silver Slugger Award at outfield (2012–16, 2018–20, 2022)
• Sporting News Player of the Year Award (2019)
• Sporting News Rookie of the Year (2012)
• This Year in Baseball Award for Best Major Leaguer (2016)
• This Year in Baseball Hitter of the Year (2014)
• This Year in Baseball Award for Rookie of the Year (2012)
• Topps Minor League Baseball All-Star (2010)
• USA Today Minor League Player of the Year (2011)
• Wilson American League Defensive Player of the Year (2012)

Statistical Achievements

Mike Trout's Playing Style

Mike Trout's amazing skills at a young age have led to comparisons with baseball legends. People compare his power and speed to Hall of Famer Mickey Mantle.

From 2012 to 2019, Trout was one of the best hitters in MLB. He had a high batting average, hit a lot of extra-base hits, and walked often. He is very good at hitting pitches that are low in the strike zone. He also improved his hitting against high pitches.

Trout has worked to reduce his strikeouts. He was able to lower his strikeout rate over the years. He is also a great baserunner. He stole many bases with a high success rate. He is considered an average defender in the outfield.

Mike Trout's Life Off the Field

Trout married his longtime girlfriend, Jessica Cox, on December 9, 2017. They have two sons, born in 2020 and 2024. During the baseball season, his family lives in Newport Beach, California.

Trout has a few nicknames, like "Prince Fish" and "Millville Miracle." He also adopted the nickname "Millville Meteor."

In 2014, President Barack Obama even used Mike Trout as an example. He said a new law was "like Mike Trout...somebody who's got a lot of tools."

Trout is a big fan of Philadelphia sports teams. He has season tickets for the Philadelphia Eagles football team. He also supports the Philadelphia Flyers (hockey) and the Philadelphia 76ers (basketball).

In 2020, one of Trout's trading cards sold for $3.93 million at an auction. This broke the record for the most expensive sports card ever sold at the time. However, that record was later broken by a Mickey Mantle card.

Outside of baseball, Trout likes to keep his life private. He enjoys fishing, hunting, and learning about meteorology (the study of weather).

Endorsement Deals

Trout has many endorsement deals with different companies. Since 2012, he has been a partner and investor in Bodyarmor SuperDrink. He also signed a deal with J & J Snack Foods to promote SuperPretzel.

In 2014, Nike started selling Mike Trout-branded shoes. He also has a special deal with Topps. They have the exclusive right to sell his autographed baseball cards. He is also the face of their digital card collection app. He has also had sponsorship agreements with Subway, Rawlings, and Land Rover.

As of March 2019, he earned an estimated $2.5 million from these endorsement deals.

Images for kids

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  Mike Trout's signature

See also

In Spanish: Mike Trout para niños