Adding arms: Angels take 6 pitchers on Draft Day 2
Rhett Bollinger
@RhettBollingerANAHEIM ¨C After taking infielder Christian Moore with the No. 8 overall pick on Sunday, a clear trend began to emerge for the Angels after going with college right-handers Chris Cortez and Ryan Johnson with their next two selections on Day 1.
That pattern of stockpiling college pitching continued with Day 2 of the Draft on Monday, as the Angels took six pitchers out of their eight selections from Rounds 3-10. Of those six pitchers, five of them came from the college ranks, which is in line with their recent philosophy of taking players considered close to reaching the Majors.
Their first pick of the day was a college teammate of Cortez: lefty Ryan Prager, who served as the ace for Texas A&M last year. Their fourth-round pick, Austin Gordon also pitched in a competitive conference for Clemson. Their streak was finally snapped when they took prep right-hander Dylan Jordan from Viera High School (Fla.) in the fifth round.
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They didn't take a position player until the eighth round, going with Alabama State University shortstop Randy Flores, and then capped the day by taking Kentucky first baseman Ryan Nicholson. But they both figure to be signed for underslot, as Flores was a fifth-year grad student, while Nicholson was a fifth-year senior. Flores' pick has a slot value of $227,700, while Nicholson's is $184,700.
Day 3 continues on Tuesday with Rounds 11-20, beginning at 11 a.m. PT on MLB.com. Here¡¯s a deeper look at three takeaways from the second day of the 2024 MLB Draft:
Angels go heavy on polished arms
Prager, ranked as the No. 61 Draft prospect, is considered the gem of Day 2 because of his success as a starter at Texas A&M, though his fastball sits in the low 90s. But the 6-foot-3, 200-pounder has a high release point that allows his fastball to have some deception, and he has a plus-slider he can locate. It's hard to argue with his results as a starter, as he went 9-1 with a 2.95 ERA and 124 strikeouts and 20 walks in 97 2/3 innings.
Gordon mostly pitched in relief as a closer with Clemson this year, racking up 11 saves and registering a 4.35 ERA with 53 strikeouts and 18 walks in 39 1/3 innings. He's 6-foot-5 with a mid-90s fastball and a high-spin curveball that could help him get to the big leagues quickly.
Their seventh-round pick -- Bridger Holmes out of Oregon State -- was also a closer in college. Holmes, ranked as the No. 192 Draft prospect, is 6-foot-4 and has a funky arm slot that creates some deception with his fastball and wicked slider. Holmes had 13 saves with a 1.93 ERA and 47 strikeouts and 15 walks in 32 2/3 innings.
But the Angels went with another starter with West Virginia lefty Derek Clark in the ninth round. He¡¯s undersized at 5-foot-9 and his fastball is in the high 80s, but he¡¯s coming off a solid senior season that saw him punch out 91 and walk 23 in 97 1/3 innings.
Sixth-rounder Olejnik could reach new heights
The Angels made an intriguing pick in the sixth-round, going with Miami (Ohio) right-hander Peyton Olejnik, who stands at 6-foot-11. If he reaches the Majors, he¡¯d be tied with Jon Rauch and Sean Hjelle as the tallest pitchers in MLB history.
The 21-year-old went 9-1 with a 4.76 ERA and 84 strikeouts and 27 walks in 64 1/3 innings last year as a sophomore. He was 5-foot-11 at age 16, but has since grown a foot. His velocity is still a work in progress, as his fastball sits in the low 90s. But with his frame he could be able to add a few ticks, especially if he ends up in the bullpen.
Fifth-rounder Jordan stands out as only high schooler selected
The Angels mixed things up a bit by going with Jordan with the No. 143 overall pick, taking him despite his commitment to Florida State University. Jordan, ranked as the No. 243 Draft prospect, is well-known on the amateur circuit, seeing action at Perfect Game National, Major League Baseball¡¯s PDP League and the Area Code Games.
At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he has a fastball that can reach 95 mph and has the chance to have an effective three-pitch mix as a starter. He also impressed at the MLB Draft Combine this June but scouts have some concern about his long arm action. But he¡¯s certainly projectable and differs from the collegiate pitchers in that way.