This story was excerpted from Rhett Bollinger’s Angels Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ANAHEIM -- After hitting toward the bottom of the batting order for most of the season, shortstop Zach Neto met with manager Ron Washington before Thursday’s game against the Rockies and told him he believed he was ready to move up to the No. 2 spot in the lineup.

Washington finally gave Neto a chance on Saturday and Neto delivered by going 2-for-3 with four RBIs, including a go-ahead three-run homer in the seventh inning of a 5-4 win over the Mets. Neto, 23, was excited to come through in his new spot in the order, as the Angels are going with youth up top with Nolan Schanuel, 22, serving as leadoff hitter and Logan O’Hoppe, 24, hitting third. Neto also went 1-for-3 with a triple and a walk in Sunday’s 3-2 victory.

“I told him a couple of days ago, I said, ‘Hey man, I think I've earned batting up there,’” Neto said. “Not that I don’t like hitting down in the lineup. But I think I earned it to go up there and be productive for us and maybe have a couple extra more at-bats.”

Neto is having a strong first full season in the Majors, hitting .256/.320/.439 with 14 homers, 23 doubles, 20 stolen bases and 51 RBIs in 109 games. He had a tough first month of the season, hitting .228 through his first 29 games. But since the calendar hit May, Neto has batted .267/.336/.470 with 12 homers, 16 stolen bases and 40 RBIs in 80 games, while also providing strong defense.

He’s forged a close bond with Washington along the way, as the two are inseparable in the dugout when the Angels are at the plate. They grew close during Spring Training when working on Neto’s defense, and Neto relies on Washington for advice throughout the game. But Washington has been impressed by Neto’s maturity and the way he’s handled himself this season.

“He doesn’t have to prove anything to me,” Washington said. “I’m just happy with the way he impacted [Saturday] on both sides of the ball. And he showed he can come up clutch. So it was an outstanding night, but he doesn’t have to prove anything. Just play baseball.”

Washington added that Neto will have to build on his strong performance going forward to remain in the two-hole. Neto got the chance to lead off on April 20 but went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, then he hit second from April 27-28, only to go a combined 0-for-9 with four strikeouts. He’s mostly hit seventh and eighth this year, as Washington didn’t want him to deal with the pressure of hitting in a key spot in the order. But with veterans Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon and Luis Rengifo out with injuries, Neto was moved up because the Angels don’t have many other options and Neto has been swinging a hot bat.

“It's very rewarding, but it takes more than one game,” Washington said. “Now, he's going to be a tremendous baseball player. But I don’t want him to get too high and I don't want him to get too low. I want him to learn how to stay right there. ‘This is what I do. So when I do well, it's expected.’ So that's where I want him to be. But he’s going to be a tremendous player.”

Neto said he’s simply enjoying being part of the club’s young core along with Schanuel and O’Hoppe. On Saturday, right-hander José Soriano, 25, threw six scoreless innings, while 23-year-old rookie flamethrower Ben Joyce picked up his first career save and finished it off with a 104.7 mph fastball.

“I think the future is bright,” Neto said. “I think as the lights get brighter, the more we shine. We have a lot of guys who bring a lot to the table. We know what we’re looking for in the future.”