Not all Cactus League campaigns are created equal. For a player trying to make the roster each outing is critical. For a player trying to rebound off a brutal end to the previous year good news is welcomed no matter the month.
In the Angels case, there have been standout performances by players fitting all of those descriptions. Let’s take a look at the standouts so far.
Logan O’Hoppe is on fire.
The Angels have seen flashes of O’Hoppe’s potential. Last season he started the year scorching hot before stumbling down the stretch on both sides of the ball. As his strikeouts mounted his framing metrics faltered and he ended the year with a negative WAR
So far this Spring O’Hoppe is again on a tear. He’s hitting .333 with a .467 OBP and is slugging an insane 1.000. He cracked his second homer of the Cactus League on Sunday against the Dodgers.
Plus, O’Hoppe is working with a wide variety of young pitchers who are having solid success with him behind the plate. Working with renowned game caller Max Stassi could be providing a benefit that will reflect in the pitching staff’s numbers more than O’Hoppe’s but is absolutely critical.