Angels’ Leadoff Hitter for 2025 Season Revealed by Manager Ron Washington

Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington has been thinking about the lineup long before spring training began.

Before the team's first full-squad workout, Washington determined his best three hitters were Taylor Ward, Mike Trout, and Jorge Soler. He wants those three at the top — and as of Wednesday, he determined Ward would hit leadoff.

Ward told reporters the day before that he prefers that spot in the lineup, as it guarantees he'll see a fastball to start the game. He also wasn’t concerned about sharing his strategy.

After slugging a career-high 25 homers last season for the Angels, Taylor Ward earns the #9 spot on the #Top10RightNow list of left fielders. pic.twitter.com/IokWxkrjF8
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 30, 2025

“That’s fine,” he said. “Let them know. I will be swinging at your first pitch."

Ward moved into the top spot of the batting order on Aug. 16 last year and performed well after having an up-and-down start to the season. He struggled between June and July, posting a .175/.280/.313 line with a high strikeout rate.

However, after the trade deadline, Ward improved significantly, hitting .282/.348/.471 over the final months of the season with nine home runs. He ended the year with 25 home runs and a .246/.323/.426 line, consistent with his career numbers.

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While not a star, Ward is a solid, slightly above-average hitter with league-average defense in left field and strong performance against left-handed pitching.

Trout will follow at either second or third with Soler possibly hitting as low as fourth. Washington doesn't want any of the younger players in the third or clean-up spots just yet.

“I do not want to push those young kids in a position that’s too powerful for them,” Washington said. “They will say it’s not, but they will say anything that doesn’t make them feel like they are lacking in any way.”

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Shortstop Zach Neto, recovering from shoulder surgery and potentially missing the start of the season, excelled when Washington placed him in the No. 2 spot late last year. However, Washington mentioned that, for now, he envisions Neto hitting fifth or sixth.

Washington would love for someone to show him during camp that they are capable of hitting fourth which would allow him to keep Soler in the three-hole.

“The reality is, I’m looking for a fourth-hole hitter,” he said. “We’ll see where it goes.”

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