TEMPE, Ariz. \u2014 Logan O\u2019Hoppe drove himself crazy at times during a forgettable 2025 season.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hoppe, who has been considered among the Angels\u2019 promising young core of players, was often a mess at the plate and behind it.<\/p>\n
The catcher finished the season with a .213 batting average, .629 OPS and 19 home runs, only two of which came in the second half.<\/p>\n
Now, the 26-year-old is starting fresh, at the end of what he described as a winter of education about himself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI learned a lot about my swing,\u201d O\u2019Hoppe said Thursday. \u201cI really got back to doing what I did in high school, really when I felt most comfortable in the box. It\u2019s exciting. I feel like I\u2019m not only moving better, but understanding what I need to do every day to get everything in the right place instead of just going to the cage with a certain cue that day and hoping it works when 6:30 comes.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hoppe said one of the other lessons of the winter was that his workouts needed to be restructured, to build toward a game.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking sure I wasn\u2019t cooking myself too early in the day,\u201d O\u2019Hoppe said. \u201cNot having too heavy a workload early and then sitting around and doing nothing, and then going back for another heavy workload. That took a lot out of me.\u201d<\/p>\n
All of that might sound like the typical spring training talk from a player looking to rebound from a disappointing season.<\/p>\n
Everyone is optimistic in February. It remains to be seen what will happen when the season begins.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s going to have a great year,\u201d Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. \u201cI\u2019m bullish on Logan. I think obviously he struggled last year. We all know that. It\u2019s tough, young player, especially at that position. You see a lot of catchers hit their stride in their mid-20s. It takes a little time. There\u2019s a lot of responsibility at that position. Game calling, preparation, all those types of things. Knowing the man, he\u2019s somebody that puts a lot on himself. He has high expectations, and he\u2019s had an outstanding offseason mentally and physically. I\u2019m very, very excited to see how he helps us win games this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Angels still view O\u2019Hoppe as a key piece to their long-term plan. A young catcher who can hit in the middle of the order is a valuable asset for any team.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hoppe certainly seemed to be on his way to filling that role when he hit 14 homers with a .796 OPS in just 51 major-league games in 2023. That season was interrupted in the middle by shoulder surgery.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s since played two full seasons, and his performance has gone the wrong way. In 2024, he produced a .712 OPS that included a significant slump in the final two months.<\/p>\n
Last season, the slump started in June.<\/p>\n
As the Angels try to get more out of O\u2019Hoppe, they\u2019ve surrounded him with players who can guide him toward being an effective catcher and leader. Former catcher Kurt Suzuki is the new manager, and former catcher Max Stassi is the catching coach. The Angels also still have veteran Travis d\u2019Arnaud as O\u2019Hoppe\u2019s backup.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hoppe said having Suzuki as the manager is \u201cawesome.\u201d Suzuki had been a special assistant to the GM for the past three years, so he still had some contact with O\u2019Hoppe.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just nice to walk around and have him here, to be with him day in and day out,\u201d O\u2019Hoppe said. \u201cHe was here the past couple years, but not to the extent that he is now. I\u2019m happy that we got him every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suzuki said O\u2019Hoppe is \u201cdoing a great job\u201d of building trust with the pitchers and becoming the leader the Angels expect.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not always about your stats defensively,\u201d Suzuki said. \u201cIt\u2019s about how you communicate with pitchers, how you make them feel on the mound, when they\u2019re not feeling the greatest can you get them through those games, right? That\u2019s where I always felt like the money came from: getting the pitchers through a game when they didn\u2019t have their best stuff, which is a lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople aren\u2019t going to feel great all the time. Getting the pitchers through a game when they\u2019re having a tough time, working together, that\u2019s what brings a lot of joy to catchers.\u201d<\/p>\n
TAYLOR RETURNS<\/p>\n