Zach Neto

Neto began the season with Double-A Rocket City but was soon promoted to the majors. After a slow start, he raised his OPS to .769 but was placed on the IL in mid-June with a left oblique strain. Neto returned after the All-Star break, posting a .566 OPS over the next three weeks. Neto revisited the IL, this time with back stiffness. He came back in early September but continued to struggle with a .547 OPS over the last 17 games of the season. Neto possesses below average power with enough speed to generate double-digit stolen bases; his primary asset is getting on base. In part because he hit more fly balls than he did in the minors, Neto's .272 BABIP was low. The expectation is for it to increase as Neto gets more acclimated to major league pitching. Even so, Neto has limited mixed league appeal, though he could be more useful if his on-base skills warrant one of the top-two spots in the Angels lineup.

As is typically their custom, the Angels selected a college player they thought could move quickly to the big leagues, landing Neto with the 13th overall pick in 2022. He didn't face the best competition at Campbell in the Big South Conference, but Neto had a 1.026 OPS with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2021 and hit .407/.514/.769 his junior year. His advanced hit tool transferred quickly against Double-A pitching, as he slashed .320/.382/.492 with four home runs, four steals and a 21.3 K% in 136 plate appearances. While Neto was age-appropriate for Double-A, it's still impressive when a hitter has success at that level the year they were drafted. There's a lot going on with Neto's setup at the plate, including a big leg kick, but it works for him. He is probably always going to be hit-over-power, projecting as a No. 1 or No. 2 hitter if he maxes out, and he could chip in 8-to-12 steals. The organizational depth chart basically ensures Neto will be the Angels' shortstop of the future, and he could be up this summer, although it would be surprising if he were better than league average if the Angels push him to the majors in his first full season as a pro.