Zach Neto

Zach Neto Bio

Zachary Adam Neto (born January 31, 2001) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played college baseball for the Campbell Fighting Camels. Neto was selected by the Angels in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft and made his MLB debut in 2023.

Early Life and Background

Zachary Adam Neto was born on January 31, 2001, in Miami, Florida, as one of three children in a working-class Cuban American family. His father, Joaquin Neto, is a mailman, while his mother, Magali Neto, is an AT&T employee. Growing up, Neto was a fan of the Miami Marlins and learned the game of baseball from his father. He began high school at Doral Academy Preparatory School but left after two weeks, later enrolling at Miami Coral Park Senior High School. During his time at Coral Park, Neto posted a career .407 batting average and was selected to three All-District teams. However, he did not receive significant college scouting due to a high leg kick in his swing mechanics. After going unselected in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft and not receiving an athletic scholarship offer from any Power Five university, Neto participated in college bus tours organized by local scout Lazaro Llanes, where he was introduced to Campbell University. Prior to his senior year in high school, Neto committed to play college baseball for the Campbell Fighting Camels.

Path to Baseball

Neto honored his commitment to attend Campbell University and enrolled in the fall of 2019. He arrived on campus at 5 feet 10 inches tall and 160 pounds, beginning a rigorous weight training regimen that included eating six meals a day at the school’s cafeteria. In the 2020 season, Neto was recovering from cyst removal surgery on his right hand. Campbell intended to use him as a two-way player, but he appeared in only four games before the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That summer, he played in the South Florida Collegiate Baseball League with the Delray Beach Lightning, where he batted .439 with six home runs and 32 RBIs in 40 games. In 2021, Neto batted .405 with 12 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 12 stolen bases over 44 starts at shortstop. He also pitched out of the bullpen, going 4–0 with a 3.43 ERA. Following the season, he was named the Big South Conference Player of the Year and received All-American selections from several organizations. After the season, he played in the Cape Cod Baseball League with the Brewster Whitecaps, finishing the summer season batting .304 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 16 games.

Zach Neto Career

Early Career (2020-2022)

In 2022, Neto was named to the watchlist for the Golden Spikes Award and finished the regular season batting .407 with 15 home runs and 50 RBIs over 53 games. He led Campbell to Big South regular season and tournament championships and was named Big South Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Neto entered the 2022 Major League Baseball draft as one of the top prospects and was selected by the Los Angeles Angels with the 13th overall pick, making him the highest draft pick in Campbell baseball history. He signed with the Angels for $3.5 million and began his professional career with the Tri-City Dust Devils, where he batted .200 with one home run and four RBIs in seven games before being promoted to the Rocket City Trash Pandas. Over 30 games with Rocket City, he batted .320 with four home runs and 23 RBIs, finishing the 2022 season with a combined batting average of .299.

Breakthrough (2023-Present)

Neto returned to Rocket City to open the 2023 season, hitting .444 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in seven games. On April 15, 2023, he was promoted to the major leagues, making his debut and becoming the first member of the 2022 MLB draft class to do so. He recorded his first hit the day after his debut and set a modern MLB record by being hit by a pitch seven times in his first 15 games. On May 9, he hit his first major league home run, and on June 12, he had his first multi-home run game. Neto faced injuries during the season but was recognized with the MLBPAA Angels Heart and Hustle Award. In 2024, he achieved a milestone by hitting his first career grand slam and tying the Angels’ single-season home run record for a shortstop. He also became the first infielder in franchise history to record a 20-20 season. In 2025, Neto returned from shoulder surgery and continued to make significant contributions to the Angels.

Notable Works and Milestones

Zach Neto’s signature work includes his impressive performance during his debut season and his record-setting achievements, including multiple 20-20 seasons and being named the Angels’ Heart and Hustle Award recipient.

Zach Neto Award Nominations

Throughout his career, Zach Neto has received several nominations, including recognition as the Big South Conference Player of the Year and All-American selections.