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In addition to being one of the best in the league and a centerpiece for the Angels to build around, Mike Trout is a business man and the face of spaying and neutering pit bulls in Cumberland County, New Jersey.
Here’s what you need to know about the 23-year-old reigning AL MVP:
1. Trout Helped Change the Angels’ Official Sports Drink
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Trout owns a small portion of the energy drink BodyArmor as part of his endorsement deal. In 2015, he got the Angels to agree to terms with the company to make it the official drink of the Angels, according to Wall Street Journal.
We got it into the clubhouse last year and all the guys loved it. I brought it to the Angels’ attention and said, ‘Let’s try to get this thing in the dugout,’ and they came through with it. … Athletes think a lot differently today than they did 10 years ago. I don’t think that athletes want to be told what to do and forced what to do drink.
According to the article, Gatorade is the official drink of the MLB, but during the regular season, teams are free to make other deals on their own.
2. Trout is the Face of a Pit Bull Spay and Neuter Campaign in New Jersey
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Before spring training in 2015, Trout, a New Jersey native, posed for a photoshoot with a pit bull named Gemma. The photos were part of a campaign in Cumberland County, New Jersey, that offers free spaying and neutering of pit bulls, according to NJ.com.
BevGreco, the executive director of the Cumberland County SPCA, said it’s an effort to reduce the number of animals being euthanized.
Because of the fact that there are so many pit bulls and they can be so hard to place, many of them end up being put down. It’s really important in order to curtail the need for euthanasia that these animals be spayed and neutered. … Everybody hates the fact that animals have to be put to sleep but they wouldn’t have to be put to sleep if people spayed and neutered them so we don’t have this population.
3. Trout Lobbied for DeMarco Murray to Sign With the Eagles
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Trout, a south New Jersey resident and proud Philadelphia Eagles fan, used Twitter to lobby for DeMarco Murray to sign with the Eagles.
Come to Philly @DeMarcoMurray !!! #EaglesNation
Trout also spent time with Eagles head coach Chip Kelly.
https://twitter.com/Trouty20/status/580559215552540672/photo/1
4. Trout and the Angels Agreed to a Six-Year Extension Before Last Season
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Trout and the Angels agreed to a six-year, $144.5 million contract extension last March, keeping him with the team until 2020.
Trout was named Rookie of the Year in 2012, and finished second in AL MVP votes for two years — both behind Miguel Cabrera — before winning the award last seaon.
Over his career, he has a .309 batting average with 572 hits, 98 home runs and 307 RBIs.
5. Trout is Still Dating His High School Sweetheart
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Trout is still with his high school sweetheart, Jessica Cox, according to Larry Brown Sports.
I met her in high school, and we trust each other, and she is one of my best friends. She is somebody I can talk to and is always here for me.
Throwback!! He’s gonna kill me for this one 😉 haha. Junior Prom 2007 @Trouty20 http://t.co/0Gzi9x2N
Together, the two have a horse.
https://twitter.com/Trouty20/status/451904578590474240/photo/1
Both of them grew up in Millville, New Jersey, which is about an hour outside of Philadelphia. Cox’s Twitter bio still has her listed as living in New Jersey.
