History of Mike Trout in Timeline

Mike Trout is a highly decorated MLB outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels, widely considered one of baseball's greatest players. An 11-time All-Star, three-time AL MVP, and nine-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Trout's exceptional talent and consistent performance have solidified his reputation as the best player of his generation. He captained the United States national team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, earning a spot on the All-WBC Team, further demonstrating his leadership and skill on the international stage.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1909: Most expensive Sports Card

The most expensive sale price for a sports card was previously held by the 1909–1911 T206 Honus Wagner baseball card.

1911: Most expensive Sports Card

The most expensive sale price for a sports card was previously held by the 1909–1911 T206 Honus Wagner baseball card.

1934: Tying Major League Rookie Record

Mike Trout's 34 runs scored in July 2012 tied the Major League rookie record with Cleveland Indians first baseman Hal Trosky in 1934.

1936: First Rookie Since Joe DiMaggio

In 2012, Mike Trout became the first rookie to drive in at least 55 runs and score 80 runs in 81 games since Joe DiMaggio in 1936.

1952: Mickey Mantle Topps Trading Card

In November 2020, a Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps trading card was sold for $5.2 million, breaking the record previously held by a Mike Trout trading card.

January 7, 1961: Jeff Trout's Birth

On January 7, 1961, Mike Trout's father, Jeff Trout, was born.

Others born on this day/year

1964: First Rookie to Score 120 Runs Since 1964

In 2012, On September 21, Mike Trout became the first rookie to score 120 or more runs since Ichiro Suzuki and the fourth rookie to accomplish that feat since 1964.

1972: Youngest to Hit 20 Home Runs and Steal 40 Bases

In 2012, Mike Trout became the youngest player ever to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 40 bases in a season, surpassing Houston Astros center fielder César Cedeño, who had done so in 1972.

1983: Drafted by the Minnesota Twins

In 1983, Mike Trout's father, Jeff Trout, was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the fifth round as a second baseman.

August 7, 1991: Michael Nelson Trout's Birth

On August 7, 1991, Michael Nelson Trout was born. He is now known as a professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels.

Others born on this day/year

1991: Dave Winfield Reached 400 HRs

Dave Winfield reached 400 career HRs on Aug. 14, 1991 while playing for the Angels.

2001: Most Games Scoring 3 or More Runs

In 2012, Mike Trout scored three runs on August 26, marking the tenth time in the 2012 season that he scored three or more runs in one game, the most since Sammy Sosa's 11 games in 2001.

2001: Rookie of the Month Four Times

In August 2012, Trout was named AL Rookie of the Month for the fourth time, becoming the first American League rookie since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 to win Rookie of the Month four times during a single season.

2004: WAR Above 10

According to Baseball-Reference.com, Mike Trout finished with a wins above replacement (WAR) value of 10.9 in 2012, the first position player to have a WAR above 10 since Barry Bonds for the San Francisco Giants in 2004.

2005: League Leader in Stolen Bases

In 2012, Mike Trout became the first Angels player to lead the league in stolen bases since Chone Figgins did so in 2005 with 49 stolen bases.

2007: Plays in Perfect Game WWBA Championships

In 2007, Mike Trout played in the Perfect Game WWBA Championships in Jupiter, Florida, with Tri-State Arsenal.

2008: Plays in Perfect Game WWBA Championships

In 2008, Mike Trout played in the Perfect Game WWBA Championships in Jupiter, Florida, with Tri-State Arsenal.

2008: Attends Phillies' World Series Parade

In 2008, Mike Trout, a die-hard Philadelphia Phillies fan, attended their World Series parade.

July 2, 2009: Signs with the Angels

On July 2, 2009, Mike Trout signed a contract with the Angels that included a $1.215 million bonus, foregoing his commitment to play college baseball at East Carolina.

2009: Graduation from Millville Senior High School

In 2009, Mike Trout graduated from Millville Senior High School.

2009: Drafted by the Angels

In 2009, Mike Trout was selected by the Angels in the first round of the MLB draft.

2009: Committed to East Carolina University

In 2009, before the MLB draft, Mike Trout had committed to play baseball at East Carolina University.

2009: Vladimir Guerrero Reached 400 HRs

Vladimir Guerrero reached 400 career HRs on Aug. 10, 2009 while playing for the Angels.

2010: Topps Minor League Player of the Year Award

After the 2010 season, Mike Trout received the Topps Minor League Player of the Year Award, becoming the youngest player to win the award. He was also named a Baseball America All-Star and a Topps Class A All-Star.

2010: All-Star Futures Game Selection and Promotion

In 2010, Mike Trout was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game. After the Futures game, he was promoted to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the Class A-Advanced California League.

July 8, 2011: Major League Debut

On July 8, 2011, the Los Angeles Angels promoted Mike Trout to replace the injured Peter Bourjos, marking his major league debut that night. He went 0-for-3.

August 1, 2011: Sent Back to Double-A Arkansas

On August 1, 2011, Mike Trout was sent back to Double-A Arkansas after hitting .163 with one home run and six runs batted in 12 starts for the Angels.

August 19, 2011: Recalled by the Angels

On August 19, 2011, Mike Trout was recalled by the Angels. That night, he went 1-for-4 with a home run, his first at Angel Stadium.

2011: Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year

For the 2011 season, Mike Trout was named Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year after hitting .326/.414/.544 with 11 home runs, 38 RBIs, 82 runs scored, and 33 stolen bases in 91 games. He was also named an outfielder on Baseball America's 2011 Minor League All-Star team.

2011: Brief Major League Appearance

In 2011, Mike Trout made a brief major league appearance for the Angels.

2011: Ranked Number One Prospect

Prior to the 2011 season, Mike Trout was ranked number one by ESPN's Keith Law in his 2011 top 100 prospects list and by MLB's Jonathan Mayo.

October 2012: Endorsement Deals

In October 2012, Mike Trout signed a multi-year contract with J & J Snack Foods to endorse SuperPretzel, and he has been a partner and investor in Bodyarmor SuperDrink, a sports drink, since 2012.

November 12, 2012: Rookie of the Year Award

On November 12, 2012, Mike Trout unanimously won the Rookie of the Year Award, receiving all 28 first-place votes. He became the first Angels player to win the award since Tim Salmon in 1993 and the youngest player to win the AL Rookie of the Year Award, also becoming just the 18th Rookie of the Year winner to win the award unanimously.

2012: Valuable Baserunner

Between 2012 and 2016, Mike Trout stole 142 bases at a success rate of 83 percent.

2012: Start of Dominant Period

Between 2012 and 2019, Mike Trout was first in on-base plus slugging and was MLB's most productive batter per plate appearance when adjusted for park factors among batters with 1,000 or more plate appearances.

2012: AL Rookie of the Year Award

In 2012, Mike Trout became a regular player for the Angels and unanimously won the AL Rookie of the Year Award.

2012: Finishes Second in MVP Voting

In 2012, Mike Trout finished second in the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

2012: American League Leader in Runs

In 2012, Mike Trout led the American League in runs.

2012: Angels Record for Runs Scored

In 2012, Mike Trout scored his 100th run of the season on August 26, becoming the second Angels rookie to score at least 100 runs in a season after Devon White and set a new Angels record for runs scored in a rookie season, passing White.

2012: Jersey Number Awarded to Team Captain

In 2012, Millville Senior High School decided to award Mike Trout's jersey number to the team captain, rather than retiring it.

2012: Return to the Majors

Mike Trout began the 2012 season with the Salt Lake Bees. On April 28, 2012, he was brought up from the minors, this time to replace Bobby Abreu. At that time, Trout had a .403 batting average, a .467 on-base percentage, and a .623 slugging percentage in 20 games with Salt Lake.

2013: Finishes Second in MVP Voting

In 2013, Mike Trout finished second in the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

2013: American League Leader in Times on Base

In 2013, Mike Trout led the American League in times on base.

February 2014: Analogy for Farm Bill

In February 2014, President Barack Obama used Mike Trout as an analogy for that year's Farm Bill, highlighting his versatility and utility.

April 19, 2014: First Golden Sombrero

On April 19, 2014, Mike Trout had his first golden sombrero after playing in 353 games, going 0-4 with four consecutive strikeouts against Max Scherzer.

October 2014: Nike Shoe Deal and Topps Exclusive

In October 2014, Nike began selling Mike Trout-branded shoes. Also in October 2014, Trout signed a deal with Topps granting them exclusive rights to sell his autographed baseball cards and making him the face of their digital card collection app.

November 13, 2014: AL MVP Award

On November 13, 2014, Mike Trout was unanimously selected as the AL MVP, becoming the sixth player in MLB history to win both the regular-season MVP and the All-Star Game MVP in the same season. At the time, he was the fifth-youngest MVP ever, the 17th to win unanimously, and the third in Angels' franchise history, following Vladimir Guerrero in 2004.

2014: Most Strikeouts in an MVP Season

In 2014, Mike Trout recorded the most strikeouts ever during an MVP season and later expressed a wish to reduce his strikeout rate.

2014: AL MVP Award

In 2014, Mike Trout won the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

April 17, 2015: Reaches 100 Home Runs and 100 Stolen Bases

On April 17, 2015, Mike Trout became the youngest player in MLB history to reach 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases, achieving this milestone at 23 years and 253 days old. He surpassed Alex Rodriguez, who had achieved it at 23 years and 309 days in 1999.

2015: Improved Strikeout Rate

After having MLB's 14th highest strikeout rate in 2014, Mike Trout improved to 26th in 2015.

2015: Acknowledged Vulnerability to High Pitches

In 2015, Mike Trout acknowledged a vulnerability against high pitches, but later greatly improved his contact rate and slugging percentage against high fastballs.

2015: Campaign to Spay and Neuter Pit Bulls

In 2015, Mike Trout appeared in promotional materials for a campaign to spay and neuter pit bulls conducted by the local chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Cumberland County, New Jersey.

2015: Finishes Second in MVP Voting

In 2015, Mike Trout finished second in the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

2015: American League Leader in Times on Base

In 2015, Mike Trout led the American League in times on base.

June 2016: Sporting News names Mike Trout as baseball's best player

In June 2016, Sporting News named Mike Trout "baseball's best [active] player".

August 12, 2016: WAR through Age-24 Season

According to FanGraphs, through Mike Trout's age-24 season on August 12, 2016, he had accumulated more WAR than any other player since 1913, with 45, surpassing Mickey Mantle, who had 41.1.

2016: Valuable Baserunner

Between 2012 and 2016, Mike Trout stole 142 bases at a success rate of 83 percent.

2016: Continued Improvement in Strikeout Rate

Following improvements in 2015, Mike Trout further reduced his strikeout rate to 59th in MLB in 2016.

2016: American League Leader in Runs and Times on Base

In 2016, Mike Trout led the American League in runs and times on base.

2016: 2016 AL MVP Award

In 2016, Mike Trout was announced as the AL MVP, winning the award for the second time in his career. He also joined Barry Bonds as the only other player in MLB history to finish top 2 for the MVP in five straight seasons and was the 2016 Esurance MLB/This Year in Baseball Award winner for Best Major Leaguer.

2016: Topps Deal Renewed

In 2016, Mike Trout's deal with Topps giving them the exclusive right to sell his autographed baseball cards was renewed.

May 28, 2017: Thumb Sprain

On May 28, 2017, Mike Trout left the game after spraining his left thumb, when he was batting .337 and led the Angels with 16 home runs.

September 6, 2017: Franchise record of consecutive contests with a walk

On September 6, 2017, against the Oakland Athletics, Mike Trout drew a walk in his 14th consecutive contest to pass Albie Pearson for the franchise record of 13 set in 1961.

September 29, 2017: 200th Career Home Run

On September 29, 2017, Mike Trout hit his 200th career home run off of Marco Gonzales of the Seattle Mariners. He became the seventh player in history to reach 200 or more home runs before the end of his age-25 season.

December 9, 2017: Marriage to Jessica Cox

On December 9, 2017, Mike Trout married his longtime girlfriend, Jessica Cox.

August 10, 2018: Disabled List Due to Wrist Inflammation

On August 10, 2018, Mike Trout was placed on the disabled list due to right wrist inflammation.

2018: Finishes Second in MVP Voting

In 2018, Mike Trout finished second in the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting.

2018: American League Leader in Times on Base

In 2018, Mike Trout led the American League in times on base.

March 20, 2019: Signed $426 Million Contract with Angels

On March 20, 2019, Mike Trout signed a 12-year, $426 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. At the time, it was the richest contract in North American sports history.

October 24, 2019: AL Hank Aaron Award and AL MVP

On October 24, 2019, Mike Trout won the AL Hank Aaron Award and was named the AL MVP for the third time in his career. This achievement placed him alongside teammate Albert Pujols as the only active MLB players with three MVP awards.

2019: End of Dominant Period

2019: Signs a 12-Year Contract with the Angels

In 2019, Mike Trout signed a 12-year, $426 million contract with the Angels, making it one of the richest contracts in professional sports at the time.

2019: Season-ending Surgery and Career-High Home Runs

In 2019, Mike Trout underwent a cryoablation procedure and subsequent surgery to remove a neuroma in his right foot, ending his season prematurely. Despite this, he achieved a career-high 45 home runs and led the American League in on-base and slugging percentage.

2019: AL MVP Award

In 2019, Mike Trout won the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

2019: Estimated Endorsement Deals

In early 2019, Mike Trout had an estimated $2.5 million in endorsement deals.

July 6, 2020: Contract Surpassed by Mahomes

On July 6, 2020, Patrick Mahomes' 10-year, $503 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs surpassed Mike Trout's previous record contract as the richest in North American sports history.

July 30, 2020: Birth of First Son

On July 30, 2020, Mike Trout and his wife, Jessica Cox, welcomed their first son.

August 23, 2020: Trading Card Record

On August 23, 2020, a Mike Trout trading card sold for $3.93 million at auction, setting a record for the most expensive sports card sale at the time.

September 5, 2020: 300th Career Home Run

On September 5, 2020, Mike Trout hit his 300th career home run against the Houston Astros' Brandon Bielak, breaking Tim Salmon's Angels' all-time home run record.

November 2020: Trading Card Record Broken

In November 2020, a Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps trading card was sold for $5.2 million, breaking the record previously held by a Mike Trout trading card.

March 2021: Topps Contract Extension

In March 2021, Mike Trout signed the largest and longest contract Topps had ever signed with an individual athlete, renewing their existing deal.

May 17, 2021: Right Calf Strain

On May 17, 2021, during a game against the Cleveland Indians, Mike Trout strained his right calf while running. He was subsequently placed on the 10-day injured list.

2021: Brandon Marsh Patrolled Center Field During Injury

In 2021, Brandon Marsh patrolled center field as he did during Trout's injured list stint.

March 13, 2022: Potential Positional Switch

On March 13, 2022, Angels manager Joe Maddon considered moving Mike Trout out of center field to prevent injuries. Ultimately, after discussing with the team, Trout remained in center field.

July 19, 2022: Named Captain of Team USA

On July 19, 2022, Mike Trout was announced as the captain of the United States national baseball team for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

April 15, 2023: 300th Career Double

On April 15, 2023, Mike Trout hit his 300th career double in a game against the Red Sox, becoming the fourth player in major league history to reach at least 300 doubles, 300 home runs, and 200 stolen bases by his age-31 season.

2023: Captained Team USA to WBC Final

In 2023, Mike Trout captained the United States national baseball team to the World Baseball Classic (WBC) final, where they lost to Japan 3–2. Trout was struck out by teammate Shohei Ohtani to end the game. Despite the loss, Trout was named to the All-WBC team.

2023: Captain and All-WBC Team Selection

In 2023, Mike Trout captained the United States national team during the World Baseball Classic and was named to the All-WBC Team.

April 9, 2024: Fastest to Six Home Runs in Angels History

On April 9, 2024, Mike Trout hit a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays, becoming the fastest player in Angels franchise history to reach six home runs in a season, achieving this in just eleven games.