The Los Angeles Angels will be banking on some of their younger players to carry a larger role next season. The team wants to be competitive, and they do have a few guys on the roster who they are looking forward to watching develop.
One player that the Angels are particularly excited about for next season is young catcher Logan O'Hoppe. He was acquired at the trade deadline in 2022 from the Philadelphia Phillies for outfielder Brandon Marsh.
Since then, he has established himself as the catcher of the future for the team. O'Hoppe was selected among the top players in the league who are primed to have an increased home run surge in 2024.
Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter put together the list and is fond of the catcher's raw power.
After shaking off some initial rust upon returning in mid-August, he posted an .897 OPS with nine home runs in 101 plate appearances in September. The 23-year-old had a 26-homer season at Double-A in 2022, so the track record is there to suggest he is capable of maintaining the power he showed in spurts during his rookie season over a full 162-game slat."
Reuter is predicting that O'Hoppe will hit 24 home runs next season, which could be a nice jump for him. Any additional production he can provide the team will be greatly valued, especially with them losing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani this offseason.
Health will be a factor for O'Hoppe, but he showed flashes of what he could do at the end of last season. The Angels are very high on his upside, and he will be looking to prove that he belongs with the team.
He played in 51 games last season, hitting .236 with 14 home runs and 29 runs batted in. It was an extremely solid season for him, and he will be looking to build off it.
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