Los Angeles Angels fans would love nothing more than to see their team crack the playoffs in 2022.
The organization hasn’t made the postseason since 2014, which is tied for the third-longest drought in the majors.
Interestingly, L.A. has no shortage of superstar talent.
Despite being in the midst of a playoff drought, the Angels actually have a handful of great players.
Today, we’re going to rank the team’s three most exciting players going into 2022.
These guys are must-see television.
3. Jared Walsh
Jared Walsh is a rising star for the Angels, and it’s going to be a lot of fun to watch him develop going forward.
After a strong rookie showing in 2020, Walsh was an All-Star in 2021, which was an honor that he absolutely deserved.
He finished the 2021 season with an OPS of .850 and OPS+ of 128.
Across 144 games, he smacked 29 home runs, 34 doubles, and one triple.
If you were to combine his 2020 and 2021 seasons, you’d arrive at a slash line of .280/.338/.531 (133 OPS+).
🚨 JARED WALSH WALK-OFF BLAST 🚨 pic.twitter.com/y16MqnkfUZ
— ESPN (@espn) April 5, 2021
He’s already 28 years old, but he’s just getting started at the MLB level.
He could end up being one of the team’s most important players in 2022.
He’d surely love to get a taste of the postseason.
2. Mike Trout
Make no mistake: Mike Trout is still the best player in baseball.
If it weren’t for a certain two-way superstar, Trout would be at the top of this list.
But instead, he comes in at No. 2, as this list is about the excitement factor more than anything else.
Still, we all know how ridiculous Trout is.
For starters, he has a career OPS of 1.002.
Mike Trout's first bomb of the season was 110 mph off the bat
(via @Angels) pic.twitter.com/GdxLqisGGt
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) April 5, 2019
He’s also a three-time MVP, and that number could easily be larger, as he has nine top-five MVP finishes under his belt.
For his career, he averages an insane bWAR of 8.7 per 650 plate appearances.
He’s a nine-time All-Star and eight-time Silver Slugger.
The only concern with Trout going into 2022 is his health.
The 30-year-old was limited to just 36 games in the 2021 season.
If the Angels are going to compete for a playoff bid in 2022, they’re going to need Trout to be available for virtually the entire season.
When he’s on the field, he’s a privilege to watch.
1. Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is the epitome of must-see television.
Whether this guy is on the mound or at the plate, you have to stop what you’re doing and watch.
He’s coming off of one of the greatest seasons in the history of the sport, and it’ll be fascinating to see where he goes next.
We've never witnessed a player or a season like Shohei Ohtani in 2021. pic.twitter.com/RDyijmOAGX
— MLB (@MLB) October 26, 2021
In 2021, Ohtani made 23 starts as a pitcher.
He posted a 3.18 ERA, 3.52 FIP, 1.09 WHIP, and 10.8 K/9.
He also registered an ERA+ of 141, which is an outstanding mark.
A 141 ERA+ is 41 percent better than league average.
But he didn’t stop there — he also did an absurd amount of damage at the plate.
As a hitter, he posted an OPS of .965 and OPS+ of 158.
He racked up 46 home runs, 26 doubles, and eight triples along the way.
The 27-year-old also swiped 26 bases.
When all was said and done, he earned a massive bWAR of 9.1 and cruised to the AL MVP award.
If his 2022 season looks anything like his 2021 campaign did, then Angels fans are in for a treat.
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