However, he has found other ways to deliver positive value, carving out an everyday role with strong defense, gap power and solid on-base skills.His offensive numbers may not jump off the page, but that is at least partially a result of playing his home games in a pitcher-friendly environment.
He never advanced beyond Double-A and was out of professional baseball after the 2015 season.Meanwhile, Patrick Corbin has developed into one of baseball's best left-handed starters.The 30-year-old endured some bumps along the way, including a 2014 season lost to Tommy John surgery, before he parlayed a stellar 2018 season into a six-year, $140 million contract in free agency.In his first season with the Washington Nationals, he went 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 238 strikeouts in 202 innings.The San Francisco Giants have lacked a true power threat since Barry Bonds played his final season in 2007.J.D. 22 overall and put together a solid run with the Minnesota Twins before signing a three-year, $28 million deal with the Texas Rangers this past winter.The 32-year-old does not have overpowering stuff with a 7.0 K/9, so he pitches to contact and relies on his defense. He posted an .866 OPS with 20 home runs on the road last year.The 29-year-old has averaged 40 home runs and 124 RBI over the past five seasons with a 129 OPS+, and he has won seven straight Gold Glove Awards at third base.Longtime Mariners third baseman Kyle Seager is also a member of the 2009 class, so he's not an obstacle to drafting Arenado.This is the best-case scenario for the San Diego Padres.A franchise that has been searching for a controllable ace since Jake Peavy left town lands one of the most hyped collegiate pitching prospects of all time in its own backyard.He missed time the following year recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he's dealt with various injuries throughout his career.Imagine Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew McCutchen as teammates in 2013.McCutchen won NL MVP honors that season, posting a 157 OPS+ with 64 extra-base hits and 27 steals. Thanks to names like Mike Trout, Stephen Strasburg, Nolan Arenado and Dallas Keuchel, it’s impossible to declare the 2009 MLB Draft a bust. 33 overall) and Josh Phegley (No. Still, no one anticipated what he was going to develop into. It's fun to remember that Mike Trout - who reportedly secured the largest contract in professional sports history on Tuesday - was selected 25th overall in the 2009 draft. Mike Trout and the 2009 MLB Draft – First Round. To commemorate the occasion, this edition of the "MLB Quiz of the Day" is giving you a list of 10 players taken in that 2009 Draft and asking a simple question: Was that player drafted before or after Trout?
I saw him hit two home runs, and then he came into pitch, and I saw him throw 95 mph to close the game out."
More than a decade later, that draft class is best remembered for the fact that superstar Mike Trout slipped to No. The Nationals might even consider drafting him again after his performance last October.In the end, though, Trout is the only answer at No.
His career 120 OPS+ tells a better story of his offensive contributions.He's not Paul Goldschmidt, but he's a solid replacement at No. You’d think that a player of Mike Trout’s stature would not only have been an early pick in the draft, but you’d also think that he was his team’s first selection of the draft.