Zachary Adam Neto (pronounced NET-oh)...On Twitter: @ZachNeto25...Off the field hobbies include bowling, salsa dancing and video gaming...Played collegiately at Campbell University, where he amassed a .403 (152/377) career average in three years along with 40 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs and 108 RBI...Big South Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022...During 2021 Collegiate Summer season, played for Brewster Whitecaps in Cape Cod League and North Adams SteepleCats in New England Collegiate Baseball League...In 2020, played for Delray Beach Lightning in South Florida Collegiate Baseball League and led league in home runs (six) and batting average (.439)...Prepped at Miami Coral Park Senior HS, where he was a three-time all-district team honoree after posting a career .407 average with 19 doubles, six triples, two home runs and 37 RBI...Originally signed by Angels scout Nick Gorneault.
2024
Winner of 2024 Angels Team MVP Award, as voted by Angels teammates...Fifth Angels player to be named Team MVP at age-23 or younger, along with Jim Fregosi, Jerry Remy, Jim Abbott and Mike Trout..Ranked third among A.L. shortstops with 5.1 bWAR in 2024...Batted .249 (135/542) with 70 runs scored, 34 doubles, 23 HR, 77 RBI, and 30 stolen bases...Hit 23 home runs in 2024; surpassed Jim Fregosi (20; 1970) for most HR as a Halos shortstop in a single season...Led Angels in RBI (77), OPS (.761), doubles (34), extra-base hits (58) and stolen bases (30)...Led Halos in batting average vs. left-handed pitchers batting .374 (40/107) with seven doubles, one triple, five home runs and 17 RBI...Recorded second career multi-HR game Sept. 22 at HOU (also; June 11, 2023 vs. SEA)...Collected six RBI (tied career high from Aug. 7 at NYY - Game 2); was second game by an Angel this season with two HR and six RBI (also; Kevin Pillar, May 7 at PIT)...Second game in franchise history by an Angels shortstop with at least two HR and six RBI (also; Freddie Patek, June 20, 1980 at BOS; 3 HR and 7 RBI)...Stole 30 bases in 2024, becoming the third Angel ever (sixth occurrence; first since Mike Trout in 2016) and first infielder in Angels history to log a 20 HR/30 SB season...Neto also joined Trout as only Angels to have a 20 HR/20 SB season by age 23...Homered in consecutive games three times in 2024; last, Aug. 19-20...Recorded first career grand-slam in Game 2 on Aug. 7 vs. NYY and drove in career-high six RBI, becoming the third Angels shortstop with 6+ RBI in a single game (Freddie Patek; 1980 and Jim Fregosi; 1964)...Recorded 14 stolen bases and 12 home runs in first half of 2024; first Angels infielder to reach 10 SB and 10 HR in the first half since Troy Glaus in 2000 (25 HR/10 SB)...In June, led all shortstops with seven Defensive Runs Saved (Sports Info Solutions)...Named the Angels 2024 nominee for the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award...Selected by Major League Baseball as a finalist for All-MLB Team at shortstop.
2023
Completed first Major League season with Angels in 2023...Missed 54 games across two IL stints... Contract selected by Angels April 15; Made MLB debut that day against Boston...First player from 2022 MLB Draft to make Major League debut... Received the Angels’ 2023 Heart and Hustle Award presented by the MLBPAA... Was first player in MLB history to be hit by seven pitches within first 15 career games...Was hit by a pitch in an franchise record four straight games (April 18-21)... Was hit by pitches 16 times in 2023...His 11 HBP tied with Tim Locastro for the most through a player’s first 45 career games since at least 1901... Finished season with 17 multi-hit games...Had multiple extra base hits in back-to-back games on June 11-12; first Angels shortstop to do so since Gary Disarcina in 1995... Collected first MLB hit on April 17 against Brayan Bello (BOS)...First career HR came on May 9 against Framber Valdez (HOU)... Scored walk-off run May 5 vs. Texas on a wild pitch in the 10th inning... Finished a triple away from first career cycle May 24 vs. Red Sox, and recorded first career game with three hits... Had career-long seven-game hit streak from July 15-27...Batted .250 (8/32) with seven runs, one double, two home runs and five RBI during streak... Logged first career multi-homer game June 11 vs. Mariners... Recipient of Angels’ 2023 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award.
2022
Began season at Campbell University (Buies Creek, NC), where he hit .407 (81/199) with 23 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 50 RBI for the Fighting Camels...Paced Big South Conference in average, hits, doubles, runs scored (65) and OPS (1.283)…Also went 19-for-20 in stolen base attempts...Earned Big South Player of the Year honors for a second consecutive season...Selected by Angels in first round (13th overall) in First-Year Player Draft and was assigned to High-A Tri-City...Made professional debut with Dust Devils, July 30 vs. Spokane...Played in seven games for Tri-City and was promoted to Double-A Rocket City, Aug. 9...Batted .370 (17/46) across first 11 games for Trash Pandas and finished regular season with hits in 24 of 30 games, totaling a .320 (39/122) average with nine doubles, four home runs and 23 RBI...Played in all three Trash Pandas postseason games, including a homer in Game 2 of Southern League Division Series vs. Tennessee.
