Angels draft Jordyn Adams in the first round

[Chuck]

I think this kid needs his own thread, outside of the official 2018 amateur draft thread stickied at the top.

So, here's what we do know and why they passed on all of those collegiate arms that were ranked so high.

 

Matt Swanson said Jordyn Adams was the guy they’d been targeting with the 17th pick for months.

“We were hoping this was our guy.” #Angels

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 5, 2018

[Chuck]

ANGELS SELECT OF JORDYN ADAMS WITH FIRST PICK (17^TH OVERALL) IN 2018 MLB FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT

ANAHEIM, CA – The Angels selected OF Jordyn Adams out of Green Hope HS (Cary, NC), as their first pick (1st round, 17th overall) in the 2018 First-Year Player Draft.  The announcement was made by Angels’ Director, Scouting Matt Swanson.

Adams, 18, hit .453 (34/75) with five doubles, three triples, a home run and 15 RBI during his senior season at Green Hope. During his junior season at Blythewood HS in South Carolina, he batted .494 with 18 RBIs and one home run. He also stole 26 bases, including five in one game for a school record. He also participated in the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field where he hit a walk-off single in the 11^th inning. The 6-2, 175 pound outfielder is committed to play both baseball and football at the University of North Carolina.

The Cary, NC native becomes the second consecutive high school outfielder to be selected with the Angels first overall pick. Last season, the Halos chose Jo Adell (Ballard HS in Louisville, KY) with the 10th overall pick. The Angels have selected a high school player with their first selection of the first round in consecutive seasons for the first time since OF Randal Grichuk was selected 24^th overall in 2009, (followed by OF Mike Trout at 25^th overall) and INF Kaleb Cowart was the 18^th overall selection in 2010.

The Angels have held the 17^th overall selection in the draft on three previous occasions, with all three players reaching the Major Leagues within three years of their selection: LHP Dennis Rasmussen(1980 Draft), INF Eduardo Perez (1991 Draft) and INF C.J. Cron (2011 Draft).

The Angels active roster currently features seven players who were first round selections, including five who were first round picks by the Halos: Cam Bedrosian (29^th overall by Angels – 2010),Kaleb Cowart (18^th overall by Angels – 2010), Andrew Heaney (9^th overall by Marlins – 2012), Garrett Richards (42^nd overall by Angels – 2009), Tyler Skaggs (40^th overall by Angels – 2009),  Mike Trout (25^th overall by Angels – 2009) and Justin Upton (1^st overall by Diamondbacks – 2005).

Adams is the first of two selections the Angels will make on the first day of the draft. The Halos also hold the 57^th overall selection, which will come in the second round of the draft.

[Chuck]

A look at #Angels first-rounder Jordyn Adams’ #elite athleticism. pic.twitter.com/JuKj6dzZSH

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 5, 2018

[nando714]

North Carolina message boards think he will sign with the angels 

[Chuck]

Angels take Jordyn Adams, OF. Was one of the fastest-rising HS hitters in the class this spring. 2-sport start (football). Angels love athletic OFs. If he signs (he will) he joins Jo Adell, Brandon Marsh in Angels farm system.

— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) June 5, 2018

[Chuck]

Jo Adell, Trent Deveaux and now Jordyn Adams. Angels have some crazy athletic outfielders in the farm system.

— Ben Badler (@BenBadler) June 5, 2018

[Chuck]

Matt Swanson, on comps between 2017 first-rounder Jo Adell and 2018 first-rounder Jordyn Adams:

“Similar, but different.” #Angels

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 5, 2018

[Chuck]

Swanson on Adams: "The first thing that jumps out is his athleticism. If you’ve looked at our last couple drafts, that’s kind of the common thread in what we’re trying to do. Jordyn is somebody who is big and fast and strong. Somebody we can just continue to mold."

— Maria I. Guardado (@mi_guardado) June 5, 2018

[Chuck]

Matt Swanson on the Jordyn Adams dunking video: “I can’t tell you how many times #Angels employees have rewatched that video.”

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 5, 2018

[Chuck]

15 minutes ago, nando714 said:

North Carolina message boards think he will sign with the angels 

 

No expected signability issues with Jordyn Adams, per Matt Swanson. #Angels

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) June 5, 2018

[tdawg87]

Black guy.

[kevinb]

33 minutes ago, Chuckster70 said:

I think this kid needs his own thread, outside of the official 2018 amateur draft thread stickied at the top.

So, here's what we do know and why they passed on all of those collegiate arms that were ranked so high.

 

Most smart teams. Except the NY Jets will say the guy that dropped to them was their guy all along. That’s par for the course. 

[eligrba4ever]

If this high-school player forgoes his commitment to U-North Carolina, I wish him all the best on his climb up the Angels ladder,. Remind me in two years if he is knocking on the door or if he has shuffled off down the road.

First rounders have a good but not perfect record of panning out for somebody.

[Chuck]

4 minutes ago, eligrba4ever said:

If this high-school player forgoes his commitment to U-North Carolina, I wish him all the best on his climb up the Angels ladder,. Remind me in two years if he is knocking on the door or if he has shuffled off down the road.

First rounders have a good but not perfect record of panning out for somebody.

[rafibomb]

What makes this pick so exciting is he showed enough promise on the diamond to be a first round talent despite splitting his focus between football and baseball. Sky-high ceiling and I fully trust our organization to help him fulfill that potential as our minor league instructors have done an amazing job to bring out the best of our prospects this year.

[BackUpTheTruck]

I would have drafted pitching. But I am really pulling for Adams to reach his full potential. He could end up being a great leadoff hitter.

[Docwaukee]

It's not like we drafted some two sport athlete that no one knew about.  he was a fast riser up most draft boards.  He's boom or bust it seems, but certainly enough there to make him a first round pick.  I personally would have liked us to pick Gorman, but Adams has so much upside that he's definitely a welcome addition to the system.  

[Dave Saltzer]

I'm going to post this in both this thread and the official draft thread. I checked with some people in a variety of organizations and was told that there was no way Adams was going to go much lower, and definitely zero chance he'd make it out of the 1st round. A couple of clubs were really hoping he'd drop to them and were ready to pounce if we didn't take him.

In his interview with Alex Curry, Matt Swanson used the word "athleticism" a whole bunch. The people I talked to said that our picks were by design to get younger and more toolsy. That's the plan under Eppler, and that's what they were looking for at the top of the draft. 

Another thing that Swanson and a few others mentioned was maturity/mental makeup. That is definitely a big factor. Having interviewed our top prospects for a decade or so, I can definitely say that the more recent ones in particular, Jones, Canning, Adell, Marsh all carry themselves a lot better and come across as more mature and articulate than those that we have drafted in the past. Again, I've been told that having a higher mental approach to the game and other aspects is very highly sought after by our organization. 

Hearing how desired Adams was by other organizations makes me feel a lot better about the pick. 

[Inside Pitch]

3 hours ago, Kevinb said:

Most smart teams. Except the NY Jets will say the guy that dropped to them was their guy all along. That’s par for the course. 

Except there was talk from other organizations this dude was the Angels' guy BEFORE the draft...  

Edited June 5, 2018 by Inside Pitch

[Lou]

4 hours ago, eligrba4ever said:

If this high-school player forgoes his commitment to U-North Carolina, I wish him all the best on his climb up the Angels ladder,. Remind me in two years if he is knocking on the door or if he has shuffled off down the road.

First rounders have a good but not perfect record of panning out for somebody.

what's the record of UNC wide receivers making it in the NFL? 

[ScruffytheJanitor]

3 hours ago, Dave Saltzer said:

I'm going to post this in both this thread and the official draft thread. I checked with some people in a variety of organizations and was told that there was no way Adams was going to go much lower, and definitely zero chance he'd make it out of the 1st round. A couple of clubs were really hoping he'd drop to them and were ready to pounce if we didn't take him.

In his interview with Alex Curry, Matt Swanson used the word "athleticism" a whole bunch. The people I talked to said that our picks were by design to get younger and more toolsy. That's the plan under Eppler, and that's what they were looking for at the top of the draft. 

Another thing that Swanson and a few others mentioned was maturity/mental makeup. That is definitely a big factor. Having interviewed our top prospects for a decade or so, I can definitely say that the more recent ones in particular, Jones, Canning, Adell, Marsh all carry themselves a lot better and come across as more mature and articulate than those that we have drafted in the past. Again, I've been told that having a higher mental approach to the game and other aspects is very highly sought after by our organization. 

Hearing how desired Adams was by other organizations makes me feel a lot better about the pick. 

RE: Maturity-- I have noticed that too. Each of these kids sounds more like a future Senator than a future outfielder. Of course, they all also have buckets of talent-- which is nice.

[totdprods]

Much like Adell, the more I read and see about this kid the happier I am. 

If the Halos, specifically Swanson and LaCassa, are genuinely establishing a program that can identify, cultivate, and develop these high-upside athletic prospects, we're in great shape. 

Look at what they've done with Hunter Jr. and Jones too - it isn't just Adell and Marsh.

[m0nkey]

Nice, another brother

[krAbs]

This seems to fit into a pattern. Eppler really likes to draft raw athleticism over kids who sure early results. I think he has a lot of faith in our staff to develop prospects into their raw tools, so he doesn't worry so much about how they look cooming in.

 

Also, isn't this out second outfielder in the minors who has a background in football?

[Cdaniel]

7 minutes ago, krAbs said:

This seems to fit into a pattern. Eppler really likes to draft raw athleticism over kids who sure early results. I think he has a lot of faith in our staff to develop prospects into their raw tools, so he doesn't worry so much about how they look cooming in.

 

Also, isn't this out second outfielder in the minors who has a background in football?

Marsh and Hunter Jr come to mind.