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L.A. promoted the 19-year-old following Thursday's win, a move that became necessary when center fielder Peter Bourjos suffered a hamstring strain.
Just so we're clear: Trout's call-up is an actionable fantasy event. Go add him somewhere. Maybe everywhere. Trout ranked as either the No. 1 or No. 2 overall prospect in baseball entering the season (depending on your preferred source for such ranks and their spin on Bryce Harper), and his first-half performance at Double-A supports the hype. Trout is the youngest player in the Texas League, yet he's hitting .324/.415/.534 with nine homers, 11 triples, 12 doubles and 28 stolen bases. Last season at Single-A, he posted a .918 OPS with 47 extra-base hits and 56 steals.
Yes, Trout is absurdly young for a major leaguer, but he's also ridiculously talented. He's worth picking up in fantasy, just in case he sticks. This is no mere five-tool player. Each of Trout's five tools also has at least five tools. His speed is his greatest asset, but he's really an all-category threat. It's entirely possible that Trout will be returned to Arkansas when Bourjos returns, of course, but it's also possible that he'll force his way into the Angels' rest-of-season plans. There's a great range of potential outcomes here, and the ceiling is incredibly high. Add and enjoy. Simple as that.
One additional note: On behalf of fantasy writers everywhere, I'd like to thank the Angels for making this roster move with Trout. None of us wanted to open our nightly recap with another re-telling of the Frank Francisco story. (Details coming soon, but I'd like to get this Trout thing live...)
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