Angels shortstop Zach Neto will not be ready for Opening Day, manager Ron Washington announced to the Halos beat this morning (link via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register). Neto underwent shoulder surgery back in November, and the team said at the time that his Opening Day would be in jeopardy. However, Washington suggested that the 24-year-old shouldn’t need to miss too much time beyond Opening Day. An April activation from the injured list is possible, it seems.
Neto, 24, was the 13th overall pick in the 2022 draft and has quickly (and quietly) cemented himself as the Angels’ everyday shortstop. While other top picks and prospects have garnered more fanfare, Neto (like so many Angels draftees) sprinted through the minors. He made his MLB debut less than a year after being selected, and while he didn’t hit much as a rookie in 2023, he played sharp defense at shortstop and did enough to land the Opening Day shortstop job in 2024.
Last year brought a true breakout on both sides of the ball. Neto hit .249/.318/.443 — about 14% better than average, by measure of wRC+ — adding 23 homers, 34 doubles, a triple and 30 stolen bases (in 40 tries). Defensive Runs Saved pegged him as a plus defender, though Statcast was more bearish after agreeing on his quality glovework in 2023. Neto’s 18 errors could certainly use some cleaning up, but it’s clear that even with the uneven performance in ’24 he still has strong defensive tools; he ranked 13th among 60 qualified shortstops in terms of arm strength last year, per Statcast.
It’s long looked possible, if not likely, that Neto would require some time on the shelf to begin the season. Now that that’s cemented, the Angels have a few options they can take. Most straightforward would be simply installing utilityman Kevin Newman as the shortstop to begin the season. The Halos inked Newman on a one-year, $2.75MM deal early in the offseason. He’s a glove-first utility option who can provide sound defense while waiting for Neto’s rehab to complete.
Elsewhere in camp, the Angels have former All-Star Tim Anderson looking to reignite his career after a pair of calamitous seasons in 2023 (White Sox) and 2024 (Marlins). He’s on a minor league deal. Infielders Scott Kingery and Kyren Paris are both on the 40-man roster as well and could factor into the mix — whether as an option at shortstop or stepping into a bench role if Newman is pressed into everyday action.