Account
Los Angeles Angels Select Pitchers with All 20 Picks in 2021 MLB Draft
July 13, 2021
Having struggled to develop pitching for years, the Los Angeles Angels scouting department apparently made finding arms a priority during the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.
As noted by JJ Cooper of Baseball America, the Angels drafted 20 pitchers with each of their 20 picks:
Of the 20 pitchers the Angels selected, 19 of them were college arms. Mason Albright from IMG Academy was their only prep pitcher taken, in the 12th round.
Since college pitchers are more advanced in their development than high schoolers, the Angels could theoretically fill out their staff with several of these pitchers within the next two years.
First-round pick Sam Bachman is the crown jewel of the group. The Miami (Ohio) product was selected No. 9 overall. He improved his command in 2021, walking just 2.6 hitters per nine innings after averaging 4.1 per nine innings in the previous two seasons combined.
The Angels currently rank 26th in MLB with a 4.90 ERA. They haven't ranked higher than 19th in that category since 2017.
Starting pitching is definitely going to be an area of need for the Angels this offseason. Shohei Ohtani and Patrick Sandoval are their only two starters under team control beyond the 2021 campaign.
