Baseball is a challenging sport to master. Players adjusting to the flow of the game is a hard thing to grasp. Even the most talented players have some growth as they climb the minor league ranks. What happens when that player is fast-tracked to the Majors after playing 44 minor league games? If you assumed they’d struggle, you’d probably be right. However, Zach Neto has broken the mold on that. He has played in 53 games this year and made his penance known. That presence deserves an All-Star nod.
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Zach Neto Is an All-Star
The All-Star Comparison
Saying a rookie is already an All-Star after just getting to the league is a bold claim, but here is something to ponder. Two different players: Player-A: 283 PA, .254/.346/.395, six home runs, 23.7 K%, 107 wRC+. Player-B: 195 PA, .257/.338/.415, five home runs, 19 K%, 110 wRC+. Player-A is Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, and Player-B is Neto. Dansby is having an excellent season for the Cubs, especially in the field. This shows just how good Neto has been in his limited action. He is already playing at the level of an All-Star.
Zach Neto is making an instant impact in his first campaign with the @Angels!@markdero7 dives in on the 22-year-old SS following his third consecutive multi-hit game in last night's thrilling win.#MLBCentral | #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/i1ACV741SL
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 13, 2023
Comparing Neto to Swanson is an interesting one. Swanson was the number one overall pick in 2015 by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was traded to Atlanta in one of the worst trades in baseball history. He was called up at the end of the 2016 season and struggled in his first entire season. Granted, the Braves in 2017 were ending their rebuild, so the team as a whole wasn’t the best. Neto got the call to fill a need the team had, someone to cover the shortstop position for years to come.
Swanson didn’t get an All-Star nod until last year. Now that doesn’t mean a whole lot in hindsight. Players get blocked by other players, injuries, and players backing out. It does seem odd that with all of that, Swanson only has one appearance. In the case of Neto, however, doesn’t deserve to be a starter, but at least a chance to be on the stage. Regardless, Zach Neto should be an all-star.
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The Talent At Shortstop
Looking at the position as a whole, Neto is already in the top tier of American League shortstops. As of writing this, he is already 6th in the All-Star vote with 117,483 votes. The league has a lot of young talented guys playing the position. The leading vote-getter at the position, Bo Bichette, is only 25 years old. Then you got Wander Franco, who is only 22, Jeremy Pena, 24, and Anthony Volpe, 22. The position is ripe with young talent.
Neto’s impact has already been felt in a big way by the Los Angeles Angels. Adding great defense and a bat to a spot, the Angels haven’t had a lot of production over the last few seasons. Looking around the rest of the American League, other teams have already made a move to their younger players at the position. Just the names listed above were all in their early 20s when they got the call to join the major league roster. The position may not be as deep as it once was, but it is worth watching again if your team has an athletic shortstop.
Shortstop as a position is moving back to a premium spot again. Around the league, this is becoming apparent, letting guys who are younger and more athletic take the reins and run with it. Just that alone adds more talent to the position. Teams want to win and become more competitive, which leads to this happening. If there wasn’t a 3rd Wild Card spot, Neto might not be playing for the Angels. He alone becomes a fit and adds value to the position, the team, and the shortstop position.
Zach NetO… My Goodness! 🤯
(MLB x @Woodbridge_Wine) pic.twitter.com/n05qRavkcQ
— MLB (@MLB) June 13, 2023
The Bright Future
Neto will be an All-Star in the Major Leagues one day. It might not be this year, but it should be. Neto has the comparison to someone who is at the All-Star level already in Swanson. Neto has the talent to be in the All-Star game as a rookie. More than likely, he won’t be the starter for the next few seasons. The position has become a tough spot to gain All-Star votes and even start in the game.
The All-Star game starts and appearances might be as huge in baseball as a whole. Players can get blocked by other players with just as much talent as fan-favorite players who stick around in the starting role after their prime. The outlook for the young Neto is incredibly bright. He should be an All-Star in his rookie year, the biggest issue is the talent is so deep he needs to be noticed.
Getting more games in the national spotlight and the Angels competing for playoff spots gives him more eyes to see his play. It may take some time for the young Angels’ shortstops to get his time in the spotlight. The talent is there for Neto, he can make the big plays on defense, and his bat has started to come alive in the last handful of games, including a two-home run game on Sunday against the Mariners. Zach Neto is an All-Star shortstop at the major league level. It should be in 2023, but that time will come sooner rather than later if he isn’t selected this season.
Photo Credit- Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned- Zach Neto, Dansby Swanson, Bo Bichette, Wander Franco, Jeremy Pena, Anthony Volpe
