Zach Neto's consistent excellence and rapid improvement position him for an All-Star debut in 2026, solidifying his status as an elite shortstop.
In a recent Bleacher Report article from Joel Reuter, the Los Angeles Angels are expected to have a first-time All-Star in the 2026 campaign. Shortstop Zach Neto made the list of 10 MLB players primed to get their first taste of All-Star action next season after his great 2025 campaign.
Heading into his fourth year in the MLB, Neto has recorded a 5.1 WAR for two consecutive seasons, quickly establishing himself as the Halos’ most valuable player. There’s no reason why his ascension into one of the league’s best shortstops would change, as the 24-year-old has shown improvement in each of his first three seasons.
In 128 games in 2025, Neto recorded a slash line of .257/.319/.474 with a .793 OPS. Each of those statistics is an improvement on the year before, which was also an improvement on the year before that one. If he continues this trend, Neto is surely entering All-Star territory.
“With Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson and Corey Seager headlining the AL shortstop contingent, he has his work cut out for him earning a spot, but he is more than capable of forcing his way onto the AL roster,” Reuter wrote of Neto’s chances at being an All-Star next season.
If Neto didn’t miss time at the start and end of 2025, he could’ve been a member of the 30/30 club, as he finished with 26 home runs and stolen bases. Neto trailed only Witt Jr., Henderson, Jeremy Pena, and Seager in WAR among American League shortstops last season, despite missing 34 games of action. Assuming 2026 brings Neto a full, healthy season, he could move higher up in the list of the greatest shortstops in the league.
Neto still has some work to do on the defensive side of things, where he’s in just the 22nd percentile for fielding run value. If he can get closer to a league-average defender at baseball’s premier defensive position, the sky is the limit for Neto. Not only could he become an All-Star in 2026, but perhaps a mainstay in the All-Star roster for years to come.