Logan O'Hoppe Brimming With Confidence Entering Angels' 2024 Season
The Los Angeles Angels have 99 problems. Catcher ain't one.
Logan O'Hoppe is ready to show what he can do through a full season after a strong showing to end 2023. At 23 years old in his first season as an everyday major league catcher, O'Hoppe slugged 14 home runs in a mere 51 games for the Angels in 2023.
O'Hoppe missed a good chunk of the season due to a torn labrum in his shoulder. Now he is ready to prove he belongs in the big leagues and can say healthy from start to finish. His readiness will go a long way toward determining how close the Angels are to contending for a postseason berth.
"I feel like I'm in a really good spot now and I feel confident in what I'm doing," O'Hoppe said. "Like I said, just really excited to keep going forward. I've never felt more prepared or ready for a year than this one."
The Angels acquired O'Hoppe from the Philadelphia Phillies in Aug. 2022 in a 1-for-1 swap for outfielder Brandon Marsh. He made his major league debut later that season, appearing in five games.
Despite losing time to the injury, 2023 was an extremely productive year for O'Hoppe. He was able to travel and train with the big league club during his absence. Upon his return, O'Hoppe showed some of the raw power many had predicted he would develop.
"I've never tried once to hit a home run in my career," O'Hoppe said. "I'm just trying to hit something hard through the middle of the field. I've got to be on time first, so that's something I always try to emphasize."
O'Hoppe is under team control through 2028 and has three option years remaining, giving the Halos some flexibility with O'Hoppe's development. For now he is their catcher of the future, and already has some positive big league experience to build upon.
