Angels Star Mike Trout Using Disrespectful MLB Network Ranking as Motivation in 2025

Mike Trout doesn't spend a lot of time on social media, but he does pay attention to MLB Network and took notice of a recent ranking that had him lower than he expected.

Trout enters the season as the game’s 39th-best player, per MLB Network, but he believes he's the best player in Major League Baseball when he is on the field.

“I saw that,” Trout said with a smile. “They’re going off the last couple years. I haven’t been out there. That’s their ranking. I know where I stand.”

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Because he hasn't been on the field much the last couple of seasons, he understands why he is ranked so low and is using it as motivation.

“Stuff like that fires you up a little bit," Trout added.

Trout endured another injury-plagued season in 2024, appearing in just 29 games after undergoing two surgeries to repair the meniscus in his left knee. His recent seasons have been similarly impacted by injuries, including a calf strain that limited him to 36 games in 2021, back issues that held him to 119 games in 2022, and a hamate fracture that restricted him to 82 games in 2023.

"I just want to be on the field... I'm with it."

Mike Trout announces he will be moving from center field to right field this season. https://t.co/CxfgKJ8rG2 pic.twitter.com/1rr8W15LAT
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 17, 2025

As a result, the Angels started discussing a potential position change for Trout last year. The move became official on Sunday when he met in person with manager Ron Washington and general manager Perry Minasian after reporting to camp.

“It went great,” Trout said of the meeting. “Kind of just threw everything on the table, as in what’s best for me, body-wise, to keep me on the field. Came to the conclusion that I’m going to go to right field. I like it. Try it out. See where it goes.”

This wasn't the first time a position change was presented to Trout.

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Three years ago, former manager Joe Maddon suggested during spring training that he might shift to a corner outfield spot. Trout swiftly dismissed the idea, firmly stating that he was a center fielder.

Perhaps Maddon was on to something.

“Look at my last couple years,” Trout said before the Angels’ first full-squad workout of the spring on Monday. “Trying to preserve my legs and go run some balls down in right. That’s what we came to and I’m with it.”

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Trout is going to lean on former teammate Torii Hunter for advice on the change. He has already spoken to players around the league who have gone through something similar.

“I talked to talk to a few guys, and I’ll talk to Torii when he gets here because he did it,” Trout said. “There's a lot of guys that move to right field that I'm gonna talk to. Just see the difference and just go out there and get comfortable in spring.”

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.