After finally winning the MVP Award in 2014, Mike Trout kept his Hall of Fame-bound output coming. In 2015 he became the youngest player to reach 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases, making him a finalist for that year’s MVP Award, the fourth consecutive season of being so honored. Trout didn’t win the MVP that year, but in 2016 he did, hitting .315 with 29 homers, 30 stolen bases and 100 RBI, leading the league in runs scored, walks and on-base-percentage. If you’re keeping score, that’s three MVP Awards and a finalist in all his five seasons he’s been in the Majors - and he’s only 29!

One of his 29 home runs came during the September 21st, 2016 game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. While using this Old Hickory MT27* model bat, Trout blasted home run 28 of the 2016 season off of Rangers’ pitcher Derek Holland in the top of the fifth inning to deep left-center field. It was the 167th of his young career and this bat has a conclusive photo match by Sports Investors Authentication to that at-bat and an apparent photo match by PSA/DNA. Trout’s 3-run homer gave the Angles a 5-1 lead, which proved to be the deciding runs in the game as the Angels held on to a 5-4 victory. As typical with a Trout gamer, this bat displays outstanding use and is un-cracked. There are ball marks, blue ink transfers, white leather scuffs and cleat imprints present throughout the barrel. The upper handle/lower barrel area has a moderate coating of pine tar and the handle has been wrapped with a red Lizard Skins to enhance the grip. There is a mark visible on the handle that identifies the grain which has been mandatory per Major League Baseball for all maple bats since January 2009. The 3-time AL MVP has signed his name in silver marker on the barrel and inscribed “MVP 16 G/U”. Please note that the inscription “HR#28 vs Tex” that is on this bat has been penned in an unknown hand. This tremendous bat comes with a LOA from Sports Investors Authentication (200807F1), who have photo matched this bat to Trout’s home run, plus a LOA from PSA/DNA (1B19411) for the game use and has been graded its highest grade of GU 10. PSA/DNA has also provided a photo of the at-bat where Trout hit his 167th career home run and states “The image does not provide enough detail to confirm a direct photo match, however the pine tar application and red Lizard Skins tape, in our opinion, conveys the use of the subject bat by Trout to hit the home run.” Additionally, there is a LOA from Anderson Authentics (2703) for the game use and signature.

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