Fansided

Each MLB team’s most surprising player from April

By Joshua Sadlock

Apr 3, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames (7) hits a double to drive in two runs in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Eric Thames (7) hits a double to drive in two runs in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 18, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons (2) jogs towards home plate after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 18, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Andrelton Simmons (2) jogs towards home plate after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the second inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-USA TODAY Sports /

Los Angeles Angels: Andrelton Simmons

For a team batting a collective .239/.307/.359, runs have been hard to come by. With the exception of the great Mike Trout, very few hitters in the Angels lineup are living up to the stats on the back of their baseball card at the start of the 2017 season. Los Angeles has built an aging lineup of strikeout-prone hitters around Trout.

Andrelton Simmons has stood out from the rest of the slumping lineup, and batted .284/.358/.400 in April with two doubles and three home runs. Simmons has not slugged at or above .400 since he played 49 games in his rookie year back in 2012. He also drew 11 walks in the month, which is another great sign for his maturation as a hitter. Simmons walked only 28 times in 124 games in 2016 and has a .310 career OBP.

For what the Angels had to give up to acquire Simmons from the Braves, they needed him to do more than be the best fielding shortstop in the league. His bat needed to come around to justify giving up two top starting pitching prospects. The 281/.324/.366 line Simmons posted last year was a step in the right direction, and he appears to have continued maturing and developing as a hitter over the offseason. It might be a stretch to project Simmons to push Francisco Lindor for the title of most complete shortstop in the game, but it no longer appears out of the question that he could hit 15-20 home runs a season.

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