He's in the big leagues now

Angels summon Trout, No. 2 prospect in baseball, from Class AA

Mike Trout, seen here with the Arkansas Travelers in 2011, was the No. 1 prospect in the Los Angeles Angels’ system and No. 2 overall by Baseball America entering that season. Trout played 91 games with the Travs, batting .326 with 11 home runs, 38 RBI and 82 runs scored to help them win the Texas League North Division first-half championship.
(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette file photo)
Mike Trout, seen here with the Arkansas Travelers in 2011, was the No. 1 prospect in the Los Angeles Angels’ system and No. 2 overall by Baseball America entering that season. Trout played 91 games with the Travs, batting .326 with 11 home runs, 38 RBI and 82 runs scored to help them win the Texas League North Division first-half championship. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette file photo)

At 19 years old, Mike Trout was already on the fast track to the major leagues.

The Los Angeles Angels didn't expect him to be in an Angels uniform this soon, but an injury to starting center fielder Peter Bourjos forced the Angels to change their plans late Thursday night.

This article appeared in the July 9, 2011, edition of the Democrat-Gazette.

The Angels promoted Trout, previously the Arkansas Travelers' center fielder, after Bourjos injured his hamstring Thursday night in the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners. Bourjos, another former Traveler, hit an RBI double off Mariners reliever Chris Ray but pulled up after rounding second base. Manager Mike Scioscia met with General Manager Tony Reagins after the Angels' 5-1 victory to discuss their options, which led to bringing up Trout.

Trout started in center field and batted ninth, finishing 0 for 3 in his major league debut. But he robbed Mariners center fielder Franklin Gutierrez of an extra-base hit in the top of the ninth inning and former Traveler first baseman Mark Trumbo hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Angels a 4-3 victory over the Mariners.

Bourjos isn't expected to go on the disabled list and will likely miss the rest of the weekend before the All-Star break. The Angels sent down former Travelers pitcher Tyler Chatwood to Class AAA Salt Lake to make room for Trout on the 40-man roster, but the organization did not make a move Friday to replace Trout on the Travelers' roster.

Originally Trout was supposed to fly to Phoenix today to play Sunday in the MLB Futures Game at Chase Field and return to the Travelers on Monday.

Arkansas interim manager Todd Takayoshi, who also serves as the Angels' minor league field coordinator and hitting instructor, had said Trout was expected to stay with the Travelers the rest of the season. Bourjos' injury put an end to that plan.

The question now is whether Trout, the No. 2 overall prospect according to Baseball America, is ready for the major leagues?

"History says probably not, but he's as ready as anybody else would be," Takayoshi said. "It's a big level up there. Not a lot of people succeed up there right away. That being said, he's a talented kid and has a good head on his shoulders. He's going to deal with any adversity he faces very well.

"We got our fingers crossed, but it's a tough level to jump to."

Trout is the youngest major leaguer at 19 years, 335 days, ahead of Houston Astros pitcher Jordan Lyles, 20, and Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro, 21. Trout is 19 months younger than the Angels' No. 1 draft pick this year, Utah first baseman C.J. Cron, who is 21.

Trout, who turns 20 on Aug. 7, is the youngest position player to make his major league debut since Wilson Betemit played for the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 18, 2001. Betemit was 15 days younger than Trout when he played in his first game.

Trout hit .324 with 9 home runs, 27 RBI and 69 runs scored in 75 games with the Travs. He stole 28 bases and hit 12 doubles and 11 triples and started for the North Division in the Texas League All-Star Game. Trout helped lead the Travelers to a North Division first-half title, the team's first since 2008, and he enjoyed a 28-game on-base streak from May 16 to June 18. His 12-game hitting streak ended Thursday night against Midland when he went 0 for 5 in a 5-4 victory.

Trout was drafted 25th overall by the Angels in the MLB first-year player draft out of Millville (N.J.) High School in 2009. He signed for $1.215 million and played for the Angels' rookie league team in Arizona during the summer of 2009 before he split the 2010 season at the Angels' Class A teams, Cedar Rapids and Rancho Cucamonga. Trout was invited to the Angels' major league camp before this season.

Several media outlets and publications have Trout ranked as the No. 1 or No. 2 prospect in minor league baseball alongside Washington Nationals outfield prospect Bryce Harper. MLB Network, MLB.com and ESPN.com have Trout ranked No. 1 overall, while Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus rank Harper first.

Harper was promoted to Class AA Harrisburg on Monday after dominating at Class A Hagerstown, where he hit .318 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI in 72 games.

Trout is the sixth player from the 2009 draft to play in the major leagues, joining Washington pitchers Stephen Strasburg (No. 1 overall), Drew Storen (No. 10), Seattle second baseman Dustin Ackley (No. 2), Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mike Leake (No. 8) and Kansas City Royals pitcher Aaron Crow (No. 12), who previously played for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

Since the Angels began their affiliation with the Travelers in 2001, only first baseman Casey Kotchman in 2004 and starting pitcher Ervin Santana in 2005 made the jump from Class AA to the major leagues before Friday.

News of Trout's promotion spread fast Friday. Trout was a trending tropic on Twitter, and right fielder Torii Hunter (Pine Bluff) had his own opinion on the newest Angel.

"Our #1 prospect Mike Trout is getting called up to the MLB today," Hunter tweeted. "Wait till u see him run from home to first."

From The Files

As the coronavirus pandemic keeps sports sidelined, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette takes a look at some of the memorable events of the past.

TODAY: Mike Trout being called up to the major leagues in 2011

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Mike Trout, seen here with the Arkansas Travelers in 2011, was the No. 1 prospect in the Los Angeles Angels’ system and No. 2 overall by Baseball America entering that season. Trout played 91 games with the Travs, batting .326 with 11 home runs, 38 RBI and 82 runs scored to help them win the Texas League North Division first-half championship. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette file photo)

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