So much for that sophomore slump baseball fans fear with young phenoms. The L.A. Angels' Mark Trumbo is slowly proving his strong rookie season was no fluke.
As the Yankees discovered Monday, this dynamic 6’4” 225 lb. ballplayer is slowly blooming into one of the league’s most prolific hitters.
Trumbo went 3-for-4 with two RBIs in the Angels' thrilling 9-8 victory over New York. He also delivered a walk-off home run on Cory Wade in grand fashion, in a game that watched him fall just one single short of the cycle.
Currently, Trumbo is batting .333 with eight home runs and 22 RBIs. His slugging percent is .592 OPS is .979. In 198 games in his big league career, Trumbo has 37 home runs and 111 RBIs.
Not bad for an 18th-round draft pick.
Trumbo’s success is a byproduct of diligence and selflessness. He has made a committed effort to cut down on strikeouts this season, while improving his approach at the plate.
Defensively, Trumbo has also proven himself to be a selfless, multi-purpose ballplayer for the Angels. A first baseman by trade, he moved to third base when the team signed Albert Pujols to a multi-year deal. Trumbo has also shown his ability to play right field for the Halos alongside speedsters Peter Bourjos and Mike Trout.
It is Trumbo’s selflessness combined with his clutch hitting that has helped make this young man become one of the most popular and increasingly feared hitters in baseball.
And it is why Angels nation must be smiling, for Trumbo has become quite the steal for the Halos.