Is this Rangers second year outfielder considered 'dark horse' for 2025 AL MVP?

Wyatt Langford is a freak of nature. Perhaps the greatest well-rounded young talent we've seen since Mike Trout entered Major League Baseball in 2011 with the Los Angeles Angels.

Langford, the 4th overall pick by the Rangers in 2023, is about the begin his second season in MLB. He had a scorching spring training, slashing .481/.548/.815 an OPS of 1.363, two home runs and seven runs batted in 10 games.

He did the same last spring but struggled to start his rookie season, later going on the IL and missing a couple of weeks. When he came back he was every bit as advertised when texas drafted him. His first career home run was an inside-the-parker, he hit for the cycle, accounted for the Rangers two grand slams, made sparkling defensive plays in the outfield and a handful of walk-offs.

He joined an exclusive club, becoming the first rookie since Jackie Robinson to hit an inside-the-parker, hit for the cycle and a walk-off grand slam in the same season. Then he finished the season hitting eight of his 16 home runs in the final month of the year, winning the American League Rookie of the Month.

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Wyatt Langford is considered a 'dark horse' to win American League MVP in 2025

Langford often draws comparisons to Trout's arrival in the league because he is a five-tool player with great plate discipline, contact, power, fielding value, above-average arm strength and lightning quick running speed.

MLB.com listed Langford as a "dark horse" candidate noting his .996 OPS in September 2024 as a key stat that makes them consider the 24-year-old as an option to be a sneaky pick for the award.

Outside of the tough competition in the American League: Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson and fellow teammate Corey Seager, Langford still would have a tough hill to climb to get that award. If we look at it by putting aside our bias it would take an incredible 40/40 esque season to convince voters that he would be the AL MVP.

Langford's Rookie of the Year campaign last season was damaged due to the slow start and early trip to the IL with the hamstring issue. But from the moment he returned to the big leagues he made his presence known, ending the year with a 3.9 WAR in 499 at-bats. Not even named a top 3 finalists for the award had to be a bit of an unfortunate feeling and I'm sure an MVP-caliber season would make it sting less.