Nine years ago this week, Nick Franklin and Mike Trout competed to make the United States’ national team of 18-and-under ballplayers in trials at Phoenix. Both played the infield and pitched.
“Mike was really, really scrappy,” said Franklin, the Angels’ new second baseman.
Franklin was one of 18 players who made the team. Trout was one of 14 who did not.
Eleven months later, the Angels selected Trout with the 25th pick in the 2009 MLB draft, and Seattle selected Franklin with pick No. 27.
For their first two professional years, they rose through the minor league ranks at a similar pace, rookie ball to low-A to Double-A.