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Los Angeles Angels
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Los Angeles Angels Midseason Awards 2026: First-Half MVP, Ace & More
Zach Neto
The young shortstop carrying the load
Mike Trout is still the name on the marquee, but the daily weight of the Angels' offense has shifted to Zach Neto — and at 25, the shortstop has carried it. He's the centerpiece of a rebuilding roster and, increasingly, the reason to believe in what comes next.
Neto leads the Angels in home runs with a team-high 19, driving the ball into the gaps and giving the lineup its most dangerous bat. The average sits at .235, but the power and the energy at a premium defensive position have made him the club's most important everyday player.
The crowded American League shortstop field left him off the All-Star roster in Philadelphia — a snub more than an omission, given the power numbers. He remains under team control for years, which makes him exactly the kind of player a rebuilding team builds around rather than trades. For the Angels, the first half was about finding a foundation. They found it at shortstop.