Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto continues to make strides despite recovering from shoulder surgery and remains a key figure in the Angels’ future plans. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
TEMPE – In 1994, Disney released “Angels in the Outfield,” a feel-good movie where baseball takes center stage. In 2025, Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian is ready to shine the spotlight on his Angels in the infield.
Zach Neto, Nolan Schanuel and Christian Moore are the three most recent first-round draft picks selected by the Angels. As the 2025 MLB season approaches, the Angels hope the trio helps bring box office success to a team that’s often considered Southern California’s afterthought behind the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
Neto, a shortstop, is the oldest of the trio, drafted 13th overall by the Angels in 2022 out of Campbell University. Neto fast-tracked his way through the minor leagues, playing in just 44 games, seven in High-A with the Tri-City Dust Devils in Pasco, Washington, and 37 with the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas in Madison, Alabama, before the Angels summoned him in April 2023.
It did not take Neto long to become an every day starter for the Angels. In June 2023, just his second full month in the bigs, Neto hit .355 with three home runs in 12 games while playing stellar defense. Though oblique and lower back injuries slowed his progression – he finished the year batting .225 with nine home runs – Neto’s potential was evident throughout his rookie season.
Neto followed up with a strong sophomore year campaign, playing in 155 games and batting .249 with 23 home runs and 77 RBI. Neto’s season came to an end in late September after he injured his shoulder sliding into second base. He required surgery and is expected to miss the first 2-4 weeks of the 2025 season.
Throughout spring training at the Angels’ Diablo Stadium complex, Neto has maintained a positive attitude and is making strong progress in his recovery.
“Today was my first day throwing at 60 feet,” Neto said after Wednesday’s practice. “I think I threw about 30 throws and it was my first day hitting BP on the field.”
Neto has become a fan favorite in Anaheim due to his high motor.
“I came from nothing,” Neto said. “I had to work for everything to get to where I am today and the fans make it easy to go out there every day and give it everything I’ve got. They’re very supportive and always want the best for us and it makes it easier.”
Neto has high aspirations for himself and the Angels this season.
“Personally, when I come back, my goal is to stay healthy throughout the whole year and play even better than I did last year. But as a team, the goal is to make it to October and play in the postseason,” Neto said.
The year following Neto’s selection, the Angels looked to secure the future of the first base position by taking Schanuel out of Florida Atlantic University with the 11th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Schanuel dominated at the college level, batting .447 with 19 home runs in the final season of his college career. Just when Angels fans were getting over how quickly Neto made the jump from Double-A to the majors, Schanuel one-upped him, playing in just 17 games with Rocket City before getting the call-up in August 2023.
“I loved it. It was a great opportunity,” Schanuel said. “I learned pretty quickly being in the bigs, being able to experience it firsthand instead of being in the minors and watching. I got to learn by being there, so I think that helped a lot.”
Schanuel proved immediately that he belonged at the major league level, showcasing his ability to get on base at a high rate. Schanuel reached base safely in each of his first 30 MLB games – the third-longest streak to start a career in MLB history.
Schanuel had a stellar full rookie season in 2024, posting an on-base percentage of .343 while hitting 13 home runs, driving in 54 runs and stealing 10 bases.
Christian Moore, the Los Angeles Angels’ latest first-round draft pick, makes his mark in spring training as he vies for an Opening Day roster spot. (Photo by Luc Carter/Cronkite News)
At just 23 years old, Schanuel has played in 176 MLB games and knows what he needs to do to take his game to the next level.
“I’ve been working on a little bit of everything, but one thing I worked on the most is my bat speed and my speed on the base paths,” Schanuel said. “Those are the two biggest things I worked on in the offseason.”
Moore, a reigning College World Series champion, is the most recent addition to the Angels’ youthful infield. The power-hitting second baseman out of the University of Tennessee was selected eighth overall in the 2024 MLB draft.
Moore is the Angels’ highest draft selection since 1997, when the team selected 2002 World Series MVP Troy Glaus third overall.
Moore immediately put the baseball world on notice when he exploded for a pair of two-homer games in his first home series with the Rocket City Trash Pandas last summer.
In just 25 games in Double-A last season, Moore recorded 35 hits, nine home runs and a .347 batting average.
Moore adjusted seamlessly from college-level pitching to Double-A pitching, but now he once again has to adjust as he faces major league competition this spring in the Cactus League.
“Obviously it’s an adjustment,” Moore said. “These guys up here are really good and I was in college a year ago, so I am still trying to adjust and get my game up to that level, but it’s been fun. I am learning a lot.”
There may be no better hitter for Moore to learn from this spring than Mike Trout, a three-time American League MVP.
“I talk to Mike Trout and (outfielder) Taylor Ward,” Moore said. “I am two lockers down from them so we talk about hitting and approach, staying to that right-center field gap, so they keep telling me to stick to that approach and work from there. It’s been super fun to talk to them and pick their brains.”
Both Neto and Schanuel are thrilled at the prospect of sharing the infield with Moore for years to come and have been offering him advice during his first spring training.
“Great dude,” Neto said. “He has a good head on his shoulders, he has some really good guys around him, he has Ward, Trout, Schanuel and all these other guys and he’s not afraid to talk to anyone.”
Neto shared advice to Moore on his first day of spring training.
“That was the first thing I told him on the first day of camp,” Neto said. “New guy in the clubhouse, make sure you get along with your teammates very well – pitchers, hitters, everybody, because at the end of the day you’re going to be up here at some point soon.”
Schanuel played with Moore in 2022 in the Cape Cod Baseball League, a prestigious summer collegiate competition.
“I’ve known him for a while,” Schanuel said. “He’s been nothing but great around the clubhouse. I am definitely rooting for him and he was great when we played together in the Cape, so it’s cool to see what’s to come for him.”
Moore is off to a great start this spring, batting .375 with three hits, two walks and three runs scored in nine plate appearances so far. He is making a case to make the Angels’ Opening Day roster.
When Moore was asked what it would mean to him to make the Opening Day roster, he shared his excitement at the prospect of playing at the Big-A this season.
“It would mean everything,” Moore said. “That’s what you strive for as a professional athlete and if I can do that it would be great, and if not, I know I’ll keep playing ball and keep learning.”