Analysts Criticize Angels' All-Pitcher Draft Three Years Later

Maren Angus-Coombs | Jul 11, 2024

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The 2021 Major League Baseball Draft was quite the experiment for the Los Angeles Angels. The team addressed its need for pitching by selecting a pitcher with each of its 20 picks.

Three years later, that draft has mostly been a flop.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian and farm director Joey Prebynski each declined The Athletic's interview request for a follow-up story three years into the experiment. Instead, reporter Sam Blum spoke with talent evaluators in the sport and others in the organization to analyze how this historic draft stands up years later.

“When you take that many pitchers, you really hope someone pops,” said Baseball America editor-in-chief J.J. Cooper. “Where you say, ‘That guy really took a step forward.’ That Angels draft class doesn’t really seem to have a whole lot of those guys.”

First-rounder Sam Buchman and 11th-rounder Chase Silseth are the only two picks who have reached the big leagues. After early optimism, both pitcher have been optioned to the minors after major injuries.

“Everyone was talking about it obviously. I didn’t like it,” one rival team’s Angels scout said of the 2021 draft. “But I was like, ‘If they get the right guys, they might look like geniuses.

“But if that doesn’t happen, then you start looking around at who else was drafted that year. And who you passed on because you just wanted to get a pitcher.”

The list of players who were passed on includes some who have even panned out as dominant pitchers in the league — starting with Oakland's current closer, Mason Miller.

The Angels had a chance to build a solid foundation with their 2021 draft. It just didn't pan out.

“There needs to be a foundation set,” Angels pitching coach Barry Enright told Blum. “And sometimes you have to take steps back before you take steps forward. We all sure as heck want to win here. We all sure as heck want to win in the minor leagues. I don’t think it’s just going to happen overnight. There has to be some type of foundation set.”

The 2022 Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas gave the organization a glimmer of hope. They were the first Angels affiliate to reach the postseason in five years and dominated, finishing with a record of 81-57. In the middle of a playoff race last season, a handful of their key players were dealt at the deadline.

The Angels didn't make the postseason and they are back to where they were heading into that infamous draft with one of the weakest farm systems in baseball.