Age 19 season (2011) he was just dipping his toes in the water. So 2012, at age 20, he had his first season in the majors. Since then, here's what he's done.
2012 (20): .963 ops, 168 ops+, 10.5 bWAR, AS, ROY, 2nd in MVP
2013 (21): .988 ops, 179 ops+, 9.0 bWAR, AS, 2nd in MVP
2014 (22): .939 ops, 168 ops+, 7.6 bWAR, AS, 1st in MVP
2015 (23): .991 ops, 176 ops+, 9.4 bWAR, AS, 2nd in MVP
2016 (24): .991 ops, 173 ops+, 10.5 bWAR, AS, 1st in MVP
2017 (25): 1.071 ops, 187 ops+, 6.7 bWAR, AS, 4th in MVP
2018 (26): 1.121 ops, 206 ops+, 5.3 bWAR, obviously will be an AS and top 3 in MVP voting barring injury
His b-ref similar batters through 25 list:
Frank Robinson
Ken Griffey Jr
Mickey Mantle
Hank Aaron
Miguel Cabrera
Orlando Cepeda
Mel Ott
Eddie Mathews
Andruw Jones
Albert Pujols
All hall of famers but Cabera and Pujols (still active) and Jones (who might still get in and seemed a shoo-in by age 30).
Trout hasn't even hit his age 27 season yet, the year at which many players hit their prime. His power numbers aren't what we've seen from prime sluggers like Ruth and Bonds, etc., but he has plenty of power and is on pace right now for more than 50, a number he could threaten for the next 6 years. Off the charts defense, superior base-running, terrific athleticism. There's nothing he can't do at an extremely high level as a position player.
For comparison's sake, here are some other great players, age 20-26 seasons:
- Trout (age 20-26): .995 ops, 177 ops+, 59.0 bWAR (obviously has 2/3 of this season still to go)
- Bonds (age 21-26): .862 ops, 138 ops+, 41.3 bWAR
- Ruth (age 20-26): 1.170 ops, 220 ops+, 44.0 bWAR - But ALSO: 90-45, 2.22 era, 20.5 bWAR (so 64.5 bWAR total)
- Mays (age 20-26): .980 ops, 157 ops+, 40.8 bWAR (missed age 22 in the military)
- Williams (age 20-23): 1.123 ops, 190 ops+, 34.2 bWAR (missed age 24-26 in the military)
- DiMaggio (age 21-26): 1.034 ops, 160 ops+, 42.6 bWAR
- Mantle (age 20-26): 1.026 ops, 181 ops+, 60.0 bWAR
- ARodriguez (age 20-26): .974 ops, 148 ops+, 55.8 bWAR
- Pujols (age 21-26): 1.047 ops, 169 ops+, 46.1 bWAR
Trout is right there in the mix with the greatest players of all time. Other than Ruth, there's a good chance that Trout ends up with more bWAR by the end of his age 26 season than anyone else in the history of the game. Ruth, by virtue of his pitching, is basically in a class all by himself. But I'd say that Trout is on a trajectory to be better than anyone else in the history of the game. Williams got hit hard by the military service, and Mantle got hit hard by his failing body. Bonds' insane years came later thanks to Balco, and I don't think anyone will ever compare to his late 30's/early 40's numbers.
But right now, I'd put Trout right up there among the best baseball players in the history of the sport.
2012 (20): .963 ops, 168 ops+, 10.5 bWAR, AS, ROY, 2nd in MVP
2013 (21): .988 ops, 179 ops+, 9.0 bWAR, AS, 2nd in MVP
2014 (22): .939 ops, 168 ops+, 7.6 bWAR, AS, 1st in MVP
2015 (23): .991 ops, 176 ops+, 9.4 bWAR, AS, 2nd in MVP
2016 (24): .991 ops, 173 ops+, 10.5 bWAR, AS, 1st in MVP
2017 (25): 1.071 ops, 187 ops+, 6.7 bWAR, AS, 4th in MVP
2018 (26): 1.121 ops, 206 ops+, 5.3 bWAR, obviously will be an AS and top 3 in MVP voting barring injury
His b-ref similar batters through 25 list:
Frank Robinson
Ken Griffey Jr
Mickey Mantle
Hank Aaron
Miguel Cabrera
Orlando Cepeda
Mel Ott
Eddie Mathews
Andruw Jones
Albert Pujols
All hall of famers but Cabera and Pujols (still active) and Jones (who might still get in and seemed a shoo-in by age 30).
Trout hasn't even hit his age 27 season yet, the year at which many players hit their prime. His power numbers aren't what we've seen from prime sluggers like Ruth and Bonds, etc., but he has plenty of power and is on pace right now for more than 50, a number he could threaten for the next 6 years. Off the charts defense, superior base-running, terrific athleticism. There's nothing he can't do at an extremely high level as a position player.
For comparison's sake, here are some other great players, age 20-26 seasons:
- Trout (age 20-26): .995 ops, 177 ops+, 59.0 bWAR (obviously has 2/3 of this season still to go)
- Bonds (age 21-26): .862 ops, 138 ops+, 41.3 bWAR
- Ruth (age 20-26): 1.170 ops, 220 ops+, 44.0 bWAR - But ALSO: 90-45, 2.22 era, 20.5 bWAR (so 64.5 bWAR total)
- Mays (age 20-26): .980 ops, 157 ops+, 40.8 bWAR (missed age 22 in the military)
- Williams (age 20-23): 1.123 ops, 190 ops+, 34.2 bWAR (missed age 24-26 in the military)
- DiMaggio (age 21-26): 1.034 ops, 160 ops+, 42.6 bWAR
- Mantle (age 20-26): 1.026 ops, 181 ops+, 60.0 bWAR
- ARodriguez (age 20-26): .974 ops, 148 ops+, 55.8 bWAR
- Pujols (age 21-26): 1.047 ops, 169 ops+, 46.1 bWAR
Trout is right there in the mix with the greatest players of all time. Other than Ruth, there's a good chance that Trout ends up with more bWAR by the end of his age 26 season than anyone else in the history of the game. Ruth, by virtue of his pitching, is basically in a class all by himself. But I'd say that Trout is on a trajectory to be better than anyone else in the history of the game. Williams got hit hard by the military service, and Mantle got hit hard by his failing body. Bonds' insane years came later thanks to Balco, and I don't think anyone will ever compare to his late 30's/early 40's numbers.
But right now, I'd put Trout right up there among the best baseball players in the history of the sport.