Angels Legend Already Making Major Impact on Rookie Christian Moore

Former Los Angeles Angels center fielder Torii Hunter spoke to Halos rookie second baseman Christian Moore earlier this week, and he held high praises for the young infielder.

The Halos drafted Moore with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft and put him on the fast track to MLB, similar to most of their first-rounders this decade. He played just 83 games in the minors leagues before being called up to MLB, and he is beginning to settle in at the highest level.

Moore has pulled up his battting average to .202 after sitting below the Mendoza line for just about the entire season so far, and even hit a homer in the Angels' last game against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.

“We had a great conversation,” Hunter said. “I don’t want to throw out there what he said, but we did have a great conversation about this game, about the major leagues. It’s totally different. But he’s open for a lot. This dude, I had him when he came in and transitioned last year for a week, and the bulldog he has inside of him is something different. Now it’s about maturity, understanding the league and making adjustments. Give him a couple months, maybe a couple years – hopefully not too many – and this guy’s gonna be a superstar. You’re gonna see the bulldog in him. He’s a dog. In a good way.”

Hunter played five seasons for the Angels and accrued 20.7 WAR during his time at the Big A. He made two All-Star games as an Angel and was part of the last Angels team to win a playoff series in 2009.

The Angels will hope Hunter is right, as Moore is a talent they'd love to see in the middle of the infield for years to come as they try to bring an end to their postseason drought, which is set to hit 11 seasons after 2025. The Angels are in last place in the AL West after their last loss, with an extremely slim chance of making the playoffs.

Regardless, they'll hope to string some games together and continue to jell as they prepare for next season.

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