Why Did Angels’ Wade Meckler Get So Many All-Star Votes?

Before the 2026 season began, who would have thought that Wade Meckler would be getting consistent playing time while accumulating plenty of All-Star votes?

Probably not very many.

Since debuting with the club on May 22, Meckler has become an instant fan favorite and fun story to follow amidst another poor Los Angeles Angels season.

According to an All-Star voting standings update put out by MLB on June 22, Meckler had received 306,875 votes putting him in 13th place among American League outfielders — ranking higher than current and former Angels, Jo Adell (14) and Taylor Ward (17).

The voting is no longer open and the full rosters have been announced, but how the heck did Meckler get this much love in the fan voting?

His play and performance has made an impact, as the Angels have gone 19-21 (a number hugely bogged down by the club’s current six-game losing streak) since he debuted at home against the Texas Rangers.

Speaking of his debut, it wasn’t a performance to forget. He started his night in the top of the first inning by making a nice sliding catch down the left field line retiring Brandon Nimmo. In the bottom of the frame, Meckler took Jacob deGrom deep for a three-run home run. That game instantly caught the attention of fans and he got to show the Angels community the pop and electric style of play he brings to the diamond.

Since his Angels debut, Meckler has hit for an excellent .283 batting average and a .755 OPS. He’s also getting on-base at an a .357 clip as result of his plus average and 10.3% walk rate. He is doing a really good job slapping singles and doubles in which the Angels offense really needed. His offensive profile saved the Angels at a perfect time when they could barely score runs and was highly dependent on home runs to score.

Meckler has been showing the Angels and fans a little bit of everything as far as speed, defense, arm, and fielding goes. He’s lacking power but that’s totally fine. His sprint speed of 28.6 feet per second puts him in the 84th percentile giving the Angels another speedy outfielder. He’s been good on defense earning an above-average two run value with solid arm strength that averages 87.8 mph on throws (74th percentile).

All stats updated prior to games on Monday, July 6

Wade Meckler did not reach Major League Baseball in ‘24 or ‘25. He hit just 1 Triple-A HR last year.

Born in Anaheim…the 26 y/o is finding his stride with LAA. His 2nd HR in his first 8 games.

This one for a grand slam! pic.twitter.com/lqWXDMJz3P

— Sam Fosberg (@discussbaseball) May 30, 2026

Wade Meckler’s Amazing and Resilient Journey to The Show

As previously stated, Meckler attended Esperanza High School located in Anaheim, California. He was super undersized entering high school only standing 4-foot-10 and weighing 75 lbs. He played infield in high school and already had to focus on the little things to stay on the field.

Meckler recently appeared on the Under the Halo podcast and stated, “The coach at the time there really liked guys that could bunt, and they could run, and they could play defense”. He realized early that he would have to contribute in any way he could, and for him that was dependent on his speed and defense while also being able to lay down a bunt when needed. Meckler’s high school coach at the time said to him “there’s something there.”

He relied on his elite baseball instinct and to help him play even though he was undersized. Meckler wasn’t a high school starter until his senior year showing how much adversity he went through — his hard work paid off but it took time. 

Out of high school he had two goals set for himself: “I really, really wanted to play college baseball — that was the main thing.” Even with college as the number one goal at the moment, Meckler had his sights set on reaching the majors, “I wanted to give myself a shot to get drafted.”

Goal number one was achieved quickly as Meckler played three seasons at Oregon State. Mecker stated, “It was actually my only division one offer was Oregon State.” He had to make sure to do all the little as best as possible in order to give him the best shot to succeed at the college level.

After playing in the 2019 season as a 19-year old, Meckler did not make the team for the following 2020 season. Even though he said he was worried after not making the team that year, he kept his head up. “I had that chip on my shoulder at the time where you know that thought crossed my mind, but I was more like I’m gonna show them.”

With the goal still to make the majors, he thought about transferring to get more playing time. He then had a thought which made him question his future, “If I’m not good enough to play at Oregon State, I’m not good enough to play at the big leagues.” At the time, Meckler thought Oregon State would be the best place for him to keep developing.

He ended up staying with Oregon state and batted over .300 for his age-21 and 22 seasons. Across three seasons with Oregon State, Meckler posted a .326/.435/.467 slash line to go along with 33 doubles and 54 RBI. He earned First-Team All-Pac-12 during his final collegiate season in 2022.

Meckler’s hard work and perseverance would ultimately be paid off in the summer of 2022, when the San Francisco Giants drafted him in the eighth round. It didn’t take long for him to reach the majors, as he made his major league debut the following summer on August 14, 2023 when the San Francisco Giants took on the Tampa Bay Rays at home. Meckler wound up reaching base once on a walk. 

In his debut season, Meckler only played 20 games before being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on September 6. Over 64 plate appearances, he managed a .232 batting average and a .578 OPS. 

He spent the 2024 and 2025 entirely in the minors within the Giants organization, before being designated for assignment on December 19, 2025. The Angels claimed him earlier this year on January 7 starting a new chapter for him. 2023 was the last major league time for Meckler before getting reps with the Angels this season.

Meckler’s Outlook and Message to the Fans

Angels fans haven’t had much to cheer about since appearing in the 2014 postseason, Meckler has been a fun jolt of energy that fans have really seemed to connect with through his first two months with the club. His style of play is hard not to appreciate and has set the tone for what was a struggling offense before he got called up. 

There are a couple of reasons why the Angels fanbase latched onto Meckler as a player and person so quickly: he’s a local kid being born in Anaheim, California and attended Esperanza High School. Number two is that he brings an energetic and contact-filled approach that has really been lacking with this ball club.

From all Meckler has contributed to the Angels within his first couple of months, it caught the eye of Angels fans and the baseball community which is why he received the amount of votes he did. It’s refreshing when a new player joins a struggling team and immediately makes his presence known — fans appreciate that and so does the front office and coaching staff.

Meckler had a clear message for Angels fans and what he’s going to bring to the table: “I want to win — I love the game — the game has given me almost everything I have in my life.”

It’s hard to predict Meckler’s future role with the team, but he is under control through the 2031 season. Between his speed, defense, and his ability to put the ball in play, he’ll be an important player down the road if he can keep up his current production.