Mike Trout's tremendous start already puts him among the greats

Five years ago on Friday, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout turned into the superstar we all know today. Though it’s true Trout’s major-league debut came in 2011, he didn’t actually turn into the best player in baseball until his call-up in 2012.

Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register chronicled Trout’s journey, from his disappointing debut to the day he finally arrived. It’s a good read, and a nice look into some of the aspects that drove Trout’s success.

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It’s fitting, then, that Trout and the Angels are featured as Friday’s MLB Free Game of the Day on Yahoo Sports. Come watch as the best player in baseball tries to lead the Angels to victory over Nick Martinez and the division-rival Texas Rangers. The contest, which can be streamed on the Yahoo Sports MLB page, on our Free Game of the Day tab or in this very post, begins at 8:05 p.m. ET.

Though Trout gets a fair amount of recognition, it’s tough to oversell how great he’s been since his debut. No player has gotten off to a better start to their career. According to FanGraphs, Trout’s 47.7 fWAR from age 19 to age 24, is the best all-time. He narrowly edges out Ty Cobb. Mickey Mantle, the player Trout often gets compared to, sits third with 41.1 fWAR.

In order to keep up the pace, Trout will have to put up otherworldly numbers again in 2017. Mantle exploded for an 11.4 fWAR at age 25, the second-best performance of his career. Cobb posted an excellent 9.1 fWAR as a 25-year-old. For comparison, only one position player exceeded nine fWAR in 2016. As you may have guessed, that player was Trout.

To match Cobb through age 25, Trout needs to put up an 8.5 fWAR in 2017. That’s a tall ask of most players. For Trout, that would be his second-worst performance since he became a regular in 2012.

For what it’s worth, Trout has already put himself in a good spot through 24 games in 2017. Trout is hitting an excellent .337/.406/.674, with six home runs, over 101 plate appearances. He leads the league in hits, slugging percentage, OPS and total bases. His 1.6 fWAR ranks fourth this year.

All of this is to say: Mike Trout is really excellent. You knew that, of course, but it’s always fun to get a reminder of just how great he’s been during his young career. We may all be witnessing the best baseball player of all-time. That’s not hyperbole. There are actual stats that back it up.

History may be unfolding every time Trout takes the field. Baseball fans should be eager to watch him play every opportunity they get.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik