The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim used all 20 of their draft picks to select pitchers, a move that has been met with mixed reviews.
The 2024 mlb draft signings is a focus that the Los Angeles Angels have stuck to. They used all 20 of their draft picks on pitchers.
This week, the Los Angeles Angels created baseball history by selecting 20 pitchers in the 20th round of the draft.
The only other club to pick all pitchers in a selection was the Miami Marlins a year earlier, but because to the COVID-19 epidemic, MLB reduced that round to only five rounds.
The Angels picked right-hander Sam Bachman of Miami University in the first round, one of 19 collegiate pitchers chosen. Mason Albright, a 12th-round choice from the IMG Academy in Florida, was the lone high school selection.
Angels scouting director Matt Swanson said the club didn’t rule out choosing a position player, particularly early in the draft, but opted to “let it ride” over the last 10 rounds on Tuesday.
“Today’s emphasis was on pitching. It is self-evident “he said “We ordered 20 pitchers. Today, we put a lot of emphasis on it. Because there were so many quality pitchers to bring in, go all out and play the hot hand.”
Under Swanson’s leadership, the Angels have placed a strong emphasis on pitching in past selections. Pitchers accounted for 13 of their first 20 selections in 2017. Although their first two picks were position players, 16 of their 20 picks in 2018 were pitchers. Pitchers made up 17 of their first 20 picks in 2019, but the top two were once again position players. The Angels went all-in this year.
“It’s not to say that other groups of players aren’t excluded,” Swanson said. “But I was a pitcher myself, so I understand the wear and tear and how tough it is to find pitching.” “Again, it’s a limited resource, so take as many as you can and choose the ones you believe in.”
Pitching has been a problem for the Angels for a long time, and it’s the main reason they haven’t reached the playoffs since 2014. Shohei Ohtani, who will start the All-Star Game in Denver on Tuesday, will be the first Angels pitcher to do so since Jered Weaver in 2012. (In 2015, Hector Santiago was chosen, but he did not pitch.)
With a 4.90 ERA, the Angels are presently 12th in the American League, while the starting rotation has a 5.06 ERA.
One of the reasons the team went all-in on pitching, according to Swanson, is the depth of talent available as a result of the draft being cut to five rounds last year and more college juniors staying for their senior seasons rather than going pro.
“A lot of people who were crammed into two courses last year,” he said.
The Angels weren’t the only team to put a lot of money on pitching in this draft. Out of Cleveland’s 21 picks, 19 were pitchers, all of whom were college players. The Dodgers didn’t choose a position player until the 16th round, and 17 of their 19 selections were pitchers. The first two were high school pitchers, while the others were chosen from colleges or junior colleges. With their first nine picks, the Giants went with pitchers, with eight of them coming from college.
Swanson believes the team’s minor league system’s young position players are a strength, making the decision to focus on pitching simpler.
“It’s not entirely deliberate, but having a little more advanced pitching group [in the draft] balances our position player depth. It most likely restores some equilibrium to the system.”
The mlb relocation is a topic that has been in the news for a while. The Los Angeles Angels have used all 20 of their draft picks to select pitchers. Get yourself to an Astros game today and experience the thrill of seeing the “beautiful game” live, a memory you will cherish forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pitchers did the Angels draft?
The Angels drafted one pitcher, and that was in the first round.
Which mlb team drafted all pitchers?
The Houston Astros drafted all pitchers in the 2018 MLB Draft.
Who did the Angels draft?
The Angels drafted pitcher, Garrett Whitley.
