New York Yankees had planned to draft Mike Trout
By Bryan Rose
Can you imagine Mike Trout playing in pinstripes for the New York Yankees instead of manning center field for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? Well, it actually was somewhat close to happening.
More from Los Angeles Angels
- Shohei Ohtani trade rumors live tracker: Every update so far
- Shohei Ohtani Rumors: The best trade package from every NL East team
- MLB Rumors: Cardinals budging on Arenado, Orioles-Ohtani package, Yankees backup plan
- MLB Rumors: Shocking Shohei Ohtani suitor would be Dodgers, Giants nightmare
- MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani, Angels, Dodgers, Rich Hill
Set to turn 23-years-old, MLB.com decided to honor Mike Trout by compiling a list of twenty-three interesting facts that many fans may not know about the MVP talent. It’s an interesting list, though Jon Heyman of CBS Sports noticed that it was missing one crucial fact – he was almost drafted by the New York Yankees.
Some may have heard the story before but many have not, so Heyman decided to point out (and pretty much troll Yankee faithful) that had the Angels not selected Mike Trout with the 25th pick, he was set to be selected by the Yankees who owned the 29th pick.
That in itself I’m sure is rather painful considering the Yankees ended up drafting Slade Heathcott, though that might not even be the worst part.
The reason the Angels had the 25th pick was because the New York Yankees had decided to sign Mark Teixeira to a contract, the same Teixeira who had previously played for the Angels. Given that, the Yankees had to provide the Angels a compensatory pick and it just so happened to be Mike Trout who was selected in that spot.
Of course, the Yankees have had their fare share of luck in the draft previously so it’s hard to fell too bad for fans in the Bronx. Though, they’ll always have to wonder about what could have been.