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The Angels’ Mike Moustakas celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas hits a three-run home run during the sixth inning of their 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas watches the flight of his three-run home run during the sixth inning of their 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of their 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of their 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas, center, celebrates with Brandon Drury and Shohei Ohtani, second from right, hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of their 4-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas celebrates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run during the sixth inning of their game against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

Angels third baseman Mike Moustakas throws out the Detroit Tigers’ Zach McKinstry at first base during the first inning of the first game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers late last month in Detroit. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas hits a single during the fifth inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers late last month in Detroit. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the fourth inning of their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night at Angel Stadium. The Angels hit four homers in an 8-5 win. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Mike Moustakas, right, watches from the dugout in Denver during his first game in an Angels uniform on Sunday, June 25, 2023, a day after he was acquired in a trade with the Colorado Rockies. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)

The Angels’ Mike Moustakas celebrates in the dugout after scoring what proved to be the winning run on a double by Mickey Moniak in the 10th inning of their 7-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night in Detroit. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)

Angels infielder Mike Moustakas, who reached a pair of World Series with the Kansas City Royals (winning it in 2015), has wasted little time demonstrating leadership abilities in his short time with his new team. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Expand HOUSTON — This season has been something of a rebirth for Mike Moustakas.
The Southern California native is back near family and friends while playing with the Angels. He’s back at the position – third base – that he calls “home.” And he’s also been producing offensive numbers similar to what he did in his prime, including a knack for clutch hits that had made him a fan favorite.
“I think he’s found a boost of energy coming here, a fountain of youth, whatever you want to call it,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said.
Moustakas, who turns 35 in a month, is undoubtedly in the final stages of a career that began when the Kansas City Royals used the second overall pick in the draft to pluck him out of Chatsworth High in 2007. A season without a trip to the injured list has him feeling confident about what he can do.
“It feels great,” Moustakas said. “I know I can still compete at a high level. I know I can still play this game at this level and be a productive bat and third baseman as long as I’m healthy. … I feel like there’s some more left in the tank to maybe play for another couple years.”
Over the previous two seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, Moustakas was on the injured list 10 times. In between all of that, he hit .212 with a .646 OPS. The Reds released him in January, with one season and more than $21 million left on his contract.
The Colorado Rockies signed Moustakas to a low-risk minor league deal. He has been healthy the whole season.
Moustakas had a .270 average with a .795 OPS with the Rockies. The Angels acquired him in June after a run of injuries to their infielders, and he’s responded by hitting .285 with an .814 OPS in 34 games with them.
He’s been particularly effective in the small sample of at-bats with runners in scoring position. He is 11 for 37 (.297) with 19 RBIs with runners in scoring position since joining the Angels. Moustakas has also hit seven home runs with the Angels, and six of them have put the Angels in the lead or tied the score, including one on Wednesday night.
“Just pro at-bats,” Nevin said. “You can see a guy that understands what a pitcher is trying to do to him. He studies it. He’s always asking questions, but he also has a history in his head, what teams are trying to do to him. He talks about it a lot in the dugout, which is a big leadership quality he has.
“You can tell he goes up with a plan. Nobody’s perfect every time but you certainly see a different side of him when guys are out there. The concentration goes up. The focus goes up. He sticks to his game plan. That’s what the best RBI guys do.”
Moustakas said he learned about hitting in clutch situations back when he was a young player with the Royals. He said he remembers conversations with Hall of Famer George Brett.
“He would always tell me to slow my heart rate in those big situations,” Moustakas said. “The slower you can get your heart rate going, the easier it is to see the ball and hit it. So I try and do that every time a big situation comes up. Just remember that (the pitcher) is the guy that’s in trouble. All I gotta do is just stick to my approach, stick to my plan. Put a good swing on it and good things are gonna happen.”
Moustakas has not only provided value to the Angels with his bat but with the ability to play third. Moustakas came up as a third baseman, but in recent years moved to first and even second. Anthony Rendon’s injury has cleared the way for Moustakas to get back to third.
“I love third base,” Moustakas said. “When I play third base, it just feels natural again over there. All the angles and ground balls feel good. It’s fun to be back home.”
Moustakas also has emerged as a clubhouse leader. It was Moustakas who called a team meeting at a workout during the All-Star break, even though he’d only been with the team for a few weeks.
Whether Moustakas returns to the Angels next year remains to be seen. He is set to be a free agent. He admits that he enjoys playing close to home and he likes his new teammates, but he’s trying not to look beyond the job the Angels face over the final 46 games of the season.
“I’m focused solely on what’s going on today and trying to do everything we can do to get to the postseason,” Moustakas said. “After that, everything will happen the way it’s supposed to happen.”
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Reid Detmers, 2-8, 4.78 ERA) at Astros (RHP Justin Verlander, 6-6, 3.11 ERA), Friday, 5:10 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM
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ANAHEIM — A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
The well-known Chinese proverb applies to the situation the Angels faced after their seven-game losing streak dropped their playoff chances from reasonable to minuscule.
Simply winning a game – one game – was the first step the Angels needed, and they achieved it on Tuesday night, jumping to a quick four-run lead and then hanging on for a 7-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
Before the game, Manager Phil Nevin expressed confidence that his team was going to start heading in the right direction soon.
“I know we have a run in us,” Nevin said. “I think I said a week or so ago, this could be our defining moment. We’re getting close to that. I don’t know what the bottom looks like, but it feels like I’ve hit it a couple times already.”
A few hours later, the Angels jumped to a four-run lead in the first inning, which was a welcome sight for a recently struggling offense.
Luis Rengifo led off with a double – his first of two in the game – and he scored on a Shohei Ohtani single up the middle. Brandon Drury pulled a single into left.
An out later, Mike Moustakas drove in a run with a single through the right side. Hunter Renfroe then doubled off the fence in right-center, knocking in two more.
Drury homered in the fifth, his first homer since coming back from a month-long stint on the injured list. Drury also doubled in the seventh, scoring on a Moustakas sacrifice fly.
The offense provided enough cushion for starter Lucas Giolito and a short-handed bullpen.
Giolito bounced back from his disastrous outing last week, when he gave up nine runs in Atlanta. Giolito, a Santa Monica native pitching his first home game in Southern California, gave up three runs in six innings. All the runs came in the third, when two walks and an infield hit contributed.
Otherwise, he was sharp. He retired the side in order in four innings. He struck out four of the last six batters that he faced.
The Angels had a 5-3 lead when Giolito finished his night in the sixth with 101 pitches.
Closer Carlos Estévez – who had blown his last two save opportunities – and setup man Matt Moore were both likely unavailable after pitching the previous two games.
Left-hander Aaron Loup worked a perfect seventh. He gave up a leadoff single in the eighth before giving way to Dominic Leone.
Leone gave up a two-run homer to Wilmer Flores, but then he retired the next three hitters on five pitches.
The Angels added an insurance run on a Matt Thaiss sacrifice fly before Leone returned to the mound in the ninth. He got through the inning, picking up his first save since last year.
More to come on this story.
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ANAHEIM — A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
The well-known Chinese proverb applies to the situation the Angels faced after their seven-game losing streak dropped their playoff chances from reasonable to minuscule.
Simply winning a game – one game – was the first step the Angels needed, and they achieved it on Tuesday night, jumping to a quick four-run lead and then hanging on for a 7-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
Before the game, Manager Phil Nevin expressed confidence that his team was going to start heading in the right direction soon.
“I know we have a run in us,” Nevin said. “I think I said a week or so ago, this could be our defining moment. We’re getting close to that. I don’t know what the bottom looks like, but it feels like I’ve hit it a couple times already.”
A few hours later, the Angels jumped to a four-run lead in the first inning, which was a welcome sight for a recently struggling offense.
Luis Rengifo led off with a double – his first of two in the game – and he scored on a Shohei Ohtani single up the middle. Brandon Drury pulled a single into left.
An out later, Mike Moustakas drove in a run with a single through the right side. Hunter Renfroe then doubled off the fence in right-center, knocking in two more.
Drury homered in the fifth, his first homer since coming back from a month-long stint on the injured list. Drury also doubled in the seventh, scoring on a Moustakas sacrifice fly.
The offense provided enough cushion for starter Lucas Giolito and a short-handed bullpen.
Giolito bounced back from his disastrous outing last week, when he gave up nine runs in Atlanta. Giolito, a Santa Monica native pitching his first home game in Southern California, gave up three runs in six innings. All the runs came in the third, when two walks and an infield hit contributed.
Otherwise, he was sharp. He retired the side in order in four innings. He struck out four of the last six batters that he faced.
The Angels had a 5-3 lead when Giolito finished his night in the sixth with 101 pitches.
Closer Carlos Estévez – who had blown his last two save opportunities – and setup man Matt Moore were both likely unavailable after pitching the previous two games.
Left-hander Aaron Loup worked a perfect seventh. He gave up a leadoff single in the eighth before giving way to Dominic Leone.
Leone gave up a two-run homer to Wilmer Flores, but then he retired the next three hitters on five pitches.
The Angels added an insurance run on a Matt Thaiss sacrifice fly before Leone returned to the mound in the ninth. He got through the inning, picking up his first save since last year.
More to come on this story.
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ANAHEIM — Mike Trout’s recovery from a broken hamate bone in July is happening so fast now that the Angels star might not even need a rehab assignment in order to return.
Trout has not played since July 3 in San Diego, and underwent surgery to repair the small bone on the inside of his left hand near his wrist. Trout’s surgical incision is on the pad of his hand opposite his thumb.
“As soon as he feels good enough to swing and hit a ball, which I think is imminent, (a return) will be pretty quick after that,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said. “Once he can just get a feel for swinging a bat, it’s a pain tolerance thing. This is about the time, or the earliest that recovery starts to happen, and he’s right on top of that.”
Trout was set to take swings for the first time in an inside batting cage before Thursday’s game against the Seattle Mariners. The three-time American League MVP is set to hit off a tee first, then hit soft flip tosses before progressing to pitching.
“It’s one thing to take a dry swing, it’s another to hit one off the end (of the bat) where it’s kind of rattling through your hands and the vibration gets you,” Nevin said. “I think it’s going to happen pretty soon. He feels confident that it will.”
The Angels could use the offense. They scored 14 total runs over six games against the Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves to close out their recent nine-game road trip. They managed to win two of those six games even while averaging 2.3 runs per game in the stretch.
The Angels appear to be exploring the possibility of bringing back Trout without a minor-league rehab assignment, even though he has not played for a full month already.
“It’s something we’ll talk about,” Nevin said. “There are ways that we’ve done this before where he’s missed this amount of time and come back without having to go play a game. We can get his at-bats somehow.”
Trout is batting .263 with an .862 OPS in 81 games this season and has 18 home runs with 44 RBIs. Trout’s OPS, which is the sixth-best in the American League, is the lowest it has been since his 40-game rookie season in 2011 when it was .672.
The Angels are 11-11 since Trout has been out, getting eight home runs, 13 RBIs and a 1.209 OPS from Shohei Ohtani in that time, through the road trip.
ON HIS WAY
Angels utility man Brandon Drury is in the final recovery stages from a left shoulder contusion and could be back before the end of the weekend.
Drury has played three games on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Salt Lake, including Thursday, and could be one more game away from a return.
“(He) played second base the first day and actually dove for a ball, which I told him not to but it’s a natural instinct on the infield,” Nevin said. “But he felt fine with that. He took four at-bats each night. I saw each at-bat and there is a little bit of hesitation in there to where we’re going to keep him there.”
Drury is batting .277 with 14 home runs and 45 RBIs in 75 games of his first season with the Angels.
The Angels currently have 18 players on the injured list, the most in the major leagues.
MAKING AN IMPACT
Rookie shortstop Zach Neto was named the Angels’ winner of the annual Heart & Hustle Award, which goes to the player who “best embodies the values, spirit and traditions of the game.”
The award is voted on by former players, with a winner on each team.
“Any time you’re recognized by your peers, and especially being a rookie like he is, it’s just an example (of how) he plays the game and the impact he’s had on the team,” Nevin said. “… To have that big of an impact on the league, and especially on our team, in a short amount of time is very impressive.”
The slick-fielding Neto, who was the No. 13 overall selection in the 2022 MLB Draft, is batting .244 this season with eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 66 games.
UP NEXT
Mariners (RHP Luis Castillo, 7-7, 2.88 ERA) at Angels (LHP Reid Detmers, 2-8, 4.35 ERA), Friday, 6:38 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM
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ATLANTA — The Angels’ 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday will go down as one of their most impressive pitching performances of the season.
Opening a road series against the team with the best record in the majors, the Angels had to scratch their scheduled starter. They also likely wanted to give their top two relievers the night off after a heavy workload the day before.
With all of that working against them, the Angels got the job done. Spot starter Chase Silseth worked five innings, and relievers José Soriano, Aaron Loup and Reynaldo López blanked the powerful Braves over the last four.
The Angels (56-51) have won 10 of their last 13 games.
Silseth got the ball because scheduled starter Griffin Canning was dealing with what he called “general soreness,” and Silseth delivered just about the best outing the Angels could have envisioned.
Silseth gave up one run, on a Matt Olson homer. He struck out four and did not walk any.
Nevin pulled him after just 63 pitches. The Braves were about to go through the order for the third time. It was a hot night. Silseth had barely pitched in the past month. His velocity was beginning to dip. He had given up a few hard-hit balls in the fifth, including the homer.
While all of that made sense, it nonetheless put the Angels into a potentially tough spot because their top two relievers – Carlos Estévez and Matt Moore – had each worked more than one inning the day before. Estévez threw 34 pitches and Moore threw 29.
Soriano followed Silseth to the mound and picked up four outs. He got out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth by getting Travis d’Arnaud on a grounder. Loup then retired all three hitters he faced.
López, who came in to face the top of the lineup, issued a two-out walk to Ozzie Albies but then he got Austin Riley on a grounder.
López also handled the ninth, picking up the save in his second game since the Angels acquired him last week.
The pitching staff didn’t have much margin for error, with the Angels’ offense in the first eight innings coming on solo homers from Luis Rengifo, Randal Grichuk and Chad Wallach.
The Angels were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position until C.J. Cron punched an RBI single into center field in the top of the ninth.
Cron and Grichuk were each playing their first game since the Angels acquired them in a trade on Sunday night.
More to come on this story.
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By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
Taylor Blake Ward sits down with 2023 Angels first-round pick, Nolan Schanuel, to chat about his pro debut, first night in front of a large crowd, and how seeing an eye doctor before his junior season aided to not only his performance and draft stock, but also his confidence in carrying his hit tool to wood bats. 
Schanuel signed with the Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
Scouting Report
Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels.
Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects.
An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future.
Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
Check out our exclusive interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward with the Angels first round draft pick Nolan Schanuel. 
View the full article

TORONTO — A day after Shohei Ohtani pitched a shutout and started at DH twice, eventually leaving with what the Angels called cramps, the two-way star was back in the lineup.
Manager Phil Nevin said he checked with Ohtani on Friday morning and was assured that he was “100% ready to go.”
It’s no surprise.
Ohtani’s talent and production are off the charts, but he’s also proved to be exceptionally durable over the past three seasons.
Ohtani was in the starting lineup for the 101st time Friday, in the Angels’ 104th game.
He played 157 games in 2022 and 155 games in 2021. It’s quite a departure from when Ohtani first broke into the majors as a two-way player in 2018, when the Angels believed he needed to be off the entire day before and after he pitched.
Nevin says he checks with Ohtani regularly to see if he needs a break, and Ohtani continues to insist he’s good to go. Nothing in his performance would indicate otherwise.
Nevin said the fact Ohtani is not playing in the field makes it more reasonable to play so much without a day off.
“If he was playing a position, I think it’d be a different story,” Nevin said. “Pitching every six days certainly is a high volume. It takes a lot out you. But he conserves his energy better than anybody. He understands his body better than anybody …  I’m not taking anything away from what he does. It’s certainly a grind. And there’s nobody else that can do it.”
When Nevin was asked if he had any days off scheduled for Ohtani, he smiled and said: “Two Thursdays from now we have an off day.”
NETO SCRATCHED
Shortstop Zach Neto was a late scratch from the Angels’ lineup Friday because of lower back stiffness.
Neto has been dealing with the issue since last Saturday. He was scheduled to be back in the lineup Wednesday, before the game was rained out, and then he played in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader.
ROTATION PLANNING
Ohtani will get an extra day before his next start, which will be Thursday, the first game of a homestand against the Seattle Mariners.
Newly acquired Lucas Giolito will start twice in between Ohtani starts, taking the ball for the series finale in Atlanta on Wednesday. That would be just four days’ rest for Giolito, which is what he had been doing regularly with the Chicago White Sox. The Angels have their starters throw on at least five days’ rest.
“He is used to throwing on his fifth day,” Nevin said. “Because of that, we have no problem with that. As we go forward, there may be times where we’re going to be able to put him on that day and push somebody back.”
The Angels are undecided who will pitch Monday and Tuesday in Atlanta, Nevin said. Griffin Canning’s normal turn would fall on Monday, but the Angels could give him an extra day and use Chase Silseth, or another spot starter, on Monday. They also could have Canning pitch Monday and the spot start Tuesday.
IMPROVEMENT
Reynaldo López, who joined the Angels on Thursday after being acquired in a trade with Giolito on Wednesday night, had a rough start with the White Sox this season. He had an 8.27 ERA after his first 19 games of the season.
Since then, López has a 1.75 ERA in 24 games. Opponents have hit .148 against him in that span.
“I just made a little bit of an adjustment on my mechanics and on my fastball and I think that was pretty much it,” López said through an interpreter Friday. “It got me to the point I wanted to be. That’s where I’m at right now.”
NOTES
Infielder Brandon Drury (shoulder inflammation) took batting practice on the field against the pitching machine, with some more breaking balls than before. Nevin said Drury would repeat that workout Saturday, and then they will evaluate how to get him some at-bats. Nevin also said they are considering using Drury at third base when he comes back, because that could reduce the risk of diving. …
Catcher Logan O’Hoppe (shoulder surgery) is expected to begin taking regular batting practice with overhand pitching Saturday. He has also been receiving pitches from the machine. “I feel like I could play tonight,” O’Hoppe said. O’Hoppe is just past three months into a rehab that was expected to take four to six months. …
The Angels optioned right-hander Gerardo Reyes to create a spot for Giolito on the active roster.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Reid Detmers, 2-7, 4.38) vs. Blue Jays (RHP Alek Manoah, 2-8, 6.10), 12:07 p.m. Saturday, Rogers Centre, Bally Sports West, 830 AM
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By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
Taylor Blake Ward sits down with 2023 Angels first-round pick, Nolan Schanuel, to chat about his pro debut, first night in front of a large crowd, and how seeing an eye doctor before his junior season aided to not only his performance and draft stock, but also his confidence in carrying his hit tool to wood bats. 
Schanuel signed with the Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
Scouting Report
Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels.
Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects.
An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future.
Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
Check out our exclusive interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward with the Angels first round draft pick Nolan Schanuel. 
View the full article

By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
Taylor Blake Ward sits down with 2023 Angels first-round pick, Nolan Schanuel, to chat about his pro debut, first night in front of a large crowd, and how seeing an eye doctor before his junior season aided to not only his performance and draft stock, but also his confidence in carrying his hit tool to wood bats. 
Schanuel signed with the Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
Scouting Report
Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels.
Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects.
An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future.
Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
Check out our exclusive interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward with the Angels first round draft pick Nolan Schanuel. 
View the full article

By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
Taylor Blake Ward sits down with 2023 Angels first-round pick, Nolan Schanuel, to chat about his pro debut, first night in front of a large crowd, and how seeing an eye doctor before his junior season aided to not only his performance and draft stock, but also his confidence in carrying his hit tool to wood bats. 
Schanuel signed with the Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
Scouting Report
Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels.
Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects.
An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future.
Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
Check out our exclusive interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward with the Angels first round draft pick Nolan Schanuel. 
View the full article

By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
Taylor Blake Ward sits down with 2023 Angels first-round pick, Nolan Schanuel, to chat about his pro debut, first night in front of a large crowd, and how seeing an eye doctor before his junior season aided to not only his performance and draft stock, but also his confidence in carrying his hit tool to wood bats. 
Schanuel signed with the Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
Scouting Report
Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels.
Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects.
An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future.
Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
Check out our exclusive interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward with the Angels first round draft pick Nolan Schanuel. 
View the full article

By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Columnist
Taylor Blake Ward sits down with 2023 Angels first-round pick, Nolan Schanuel, to chat about his pro debut, first night in front of a large crowd, and how seeing an eye doctor before his junior season aided to not only his performance and draft stock, but also his confidence in carrying his hit tool to wood bats. 
Schanuel signed with the Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
Scouting Report
Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels.
Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects.
An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future.
Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
Check out our exclusive interview conducted by Taylor Blake Ward with the Angels first round draft pick Nolan Schanuel. 
View the full article

DETROIT — Zach Neto was all set to return to the Angels’ lineup until Manager Phil Nevin pulled the plug.
Nevin put the shortstop in his initial lineup for Tuesday’s game, but after watching him work out on the field he decided that he wanted to give him another day to prevent further issues with his lower back. Neto last played on Friday.
“I thought he would play today, but this was really after watching him try to get loose and some ground ball stuff,” Nevin said. “I still see a little bit of tentativeness. He’s telling me he’s OK to play but this is just a decision I’m making. This is too important to us. These low back things can flare up more. So I made the decision. Let’s just give this one more day.”
Nevin said he would be “shocked” if Neto did not play on Wednesday.
“I’m a little frustrated,” Neto said. “I thought I was gonna be able to play today. But you gotta listen to Skip. He thought I needed an extra day and I’m just gonna respect whatever he thinks. We’re just gonna keep getting my body right until I go back out there and play. I felt like my body was as close to 100% as it has been.”
Neto missed four weeks with a strained oblique, then came back and played seven games before the back issue surfaced.
The Angels are 36-26 when Neto is in the starting lineup.
“Obviously we’ve talked all about what he means to our team,” Nevin said. “But I just think it’s more important for the long haul to have one more day.”
FACING OLD FRIENDS
Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Lorenzen is set to pitch against his former Angels teammates on Wednesday.
Lorenzen was an All-Star this season, posting a 3.49 ERA in 17 starts. He had a 4.24 ERA with the Angels in 2022.
Lorenzen, 31, is an Orange County native and a product of Cal State Fullerton. He said he nearly re-signed with the Angels last winter.
“I really wanted to come back,” Lorenzen said. “It’s my home. So I wanted to go back. There was nights where I already committed to the Tigers and I’m in bed and I’m like rolling around like ‘What did I do? What did I do? I think the Angels are going to be good and I could have been home and playing winning baseball in my hometown.’ There were a lot of those sleepless nights. It was close. I really wanted to come back. There was a lot of conversation about bringing me back. I don’t want to get too far into the negotiations and stuff. This just seemed like a better fit obviously.”
Pressed on which side pulled away in the negotiations, Lorenzen said it was “mutual.”
He also agreed that signing with the Tigers “is a smarter move” because they have a pitchers’ park and play in a division without any powerhouse teams, which allows him to be personally successful and perhaps be traded to a contender in the second half. Lorenzen is going to be one of the most attractive starting pitchers on the trade market before next week’s deadline.
Lorenzen also said the Tigers “sold me” with their commitment to helping him reach his potential. The Tigers simplified his repertoire, eliminating two of the seven pitches he was throwing.
NOTES
Mike Trout (fractured hamate) traveled with the team to Detroit. The three-time American League MVP is set to begin swinging a bat as soon as there’s been sufficient healing of the wound from surgery. …
Infielder Brandon Drury (shoulder inflammation) said he was set to hit against the high-velocity machine on Tuesday, which would prepare him to face live pitching on Wednesday. Drury last played on June 29, so he might still play some games in the minors. “It’s been long enough now that maybe he needs a couple days of at-bats and to make sure he can let it go,” Nevin said. “I don’t want him to come into a major league game and be limited at all.” …
Outfielder Jo Adell (strained oblique) is still undergoing treatment without beginning baseball activity. Adell was hurt on July 8. Nevin said he has a “significant strain,” and he said it was something in between what Neto had and what left-hander Matt Moore had. Neto missed four weeks and Moore missed seven weeks. …
Right-hander Sam Bachman (right shoulder inflammation) is scheduled to begin throwing in the next few days, Nevin said. …
Right-hander Ben Joyce (ulnar neuritis) has thrown two bullpen sessions, but he’s not yet throwing at 100%, Nevin said.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Patrick Sandoval, 5-7, 4.16 ERA) at Tigers (RHP Michael Lorenzen, 5-6, 3.49), Wednesday, 3:40 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM
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Shohei Ohtani may arguably be one of the greatest things to happen not only to the sport of baseball, but the entire collective sports consciousness across the globe. His many accomplishments over the last half decade-plus cannot be understated; 3 All Star nods, Rookie of the Year, an MVP (should be two), Silver Slugger, and a top 5 Cy Young finish as both one of the best hitters/pitchers in the game. His short time in the league thus far has seen him quickly rewriting the limits on what a singular athlete can achieve in their sport. Yet for the Angels organization, namely owner Arte Moreno, Shohei Ohtani has enabled the worst of a perennially out of touch, self-sabotaging owner. A known headline chaser, Moreno’s sole motivation in baseball decisions lies in his desire to curtail the favor of the national media, often leaving the Angels high and dry under the shadow of his ego. Molded in the likes of George Steinbrenner yet lacking the quality of charm that allowed the late Yankee his successes, Arte Moreno stays stuck in the past in an era defined not by free agency acquisition, but by drafting and development. His inability to field a proper team around Ohtani has failed not just Angel fans, nor the entirety of baseball fandom, but the whole of baseball’s existence and its ability to push forward into a new era of true international recognition.
The untold hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars in revenue lost by failing to seize on Ohtani’s presence in the playoffs is a real problem the MLB faces in the current day. Baseball’s international presence has grown into a formidable force over the last decade ultimately culminating in this past years World Baseball Classic craze. The recent WBC saw record shattering numbers as the event cleared previous viewership totals by a large margin. Internationally, both Mexico and Taiwan saw a ratings increase of over 100% from 2017’s WBC with American viewership jumping a total 69% from the last WBC (semi-finals and onward). This immediately translated into a lucrative increase in merchandise sales with the MLB seeing a 149% increase in revenue with WBC merchandise over 2017s financial return. We now stand at a turning point where exists a very real opportunity to emulate the success of FIFA and its international stranglehold by promoting the most marketable asset in MLB history on the biggest non-WBC stage possible. To evolve from a national sports organization into an international arbiter of competition is no small feat, nor is it one you can try again should you come short the first go, making it all the more important for the MLB to get it done right with the chance they have. There exists just one element that holds the MLB back from tapping into this prime source of revenue; Angels owner Arte Moreno.
Moreno's failures to build a playoff winner for Ohtani is a failure by proxy of the MLB. An organization such as Major League Baseball has a responsibility towards ensuring the highest possible quality ownership amongst their franchises. The last decade and a half has seen the MLB free itself of multiple self-sabotaging owners in the likes of Jeffrey Loria and Frank McCourt. While you may never see a league wide benevolence amongst owners there is a duty to pay as much mind to the quality of floor as there is the quality of ceiling amongst franchises. Recent years have made it abundantly clear Moreno's presence within the sport is beginning affect its bottom line due to Ohtani’s lack of post-season presence. Perhaps in previous years it was enough for Arte Moreno to fill the seats of Angels stadium through regular season baseball, but now after experiencing the financial windfalls from the 2023 WBC it’s become clear Major League Baseball cannot fully capitalize on their international marketing campaign without Shohei Ohtani spearheading the efforts. The MLB has seen the World Series turn in historically low viewership totals over the last few seasons, making Ohtani's presence on a World Series contender all the more necessary in this day and age. The Angels recent string of bad luck is only a small part of Moreno's long running failures to capitalize on the sports biggest stars over the last decade. 
Each wound inflicted through the owners poor decision making over the last decade bears it scars still to this day. It is no coincidence the wheels began falling off the wagon once the Angels 2002 World Series talents, both in the front office and on the field, began leaving the organization bit by bit. The Bill Stoneman era of Angels baseball saw the franchise win its first World Series just four years into his tenure as GM, managing multiple playoff appearances up to 2007 before handing off the reigns to a Moreno hire. The last Angels playoff run in 2014 was led by remaining Bill Stoneman holdovers Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Jered Weaver, and Mike Scioscia. The Angels have failed to field a consistent manager post-Scioscia and even then the ex-managers later years were defined by stress and tension as the oncoming era of advanced statistics clashed with the former World Series champions old-school sensibilities. Since then the Angels have continuously failed to implement a proper coaching/GM tandem that can consistently deliver a clear, cohesive message without internal fallout. Even now the Angels have seen struggles with GM Perry Minasian and manager Phil Nevin recently coming into light earlier this season over a clash with pitcher usage. The dysfunction between coaches, front office, and players on the field is nothing more than a symptom of Arte Moreno's ownership
Moreno has done little to ensure the continuation of the Angels decade long run that saw the franchise nearly enter a state of dynasty before derailing completely come the 2010s. Nine of the last thirteen Angel seasons have seen the team finish below .500, this stretch coming immediately following a decade that saw the Angels finish under .500 just twice across ten seasons. This organization is far removed from the successes that painted the near entirety of the 2000s with the Angels now standing at the cusp of their long-term future as Ohtani plays out what may be his final season with the franchise. The Angels lone saving grace, beyond the actual stars on the field, has been the recent addition of Perry Minasian at GM, who in just three years has managed to undo a majority of the decade long damage done by Moreno. Shrewd drafting strategies have seen the Angels bring in near immediate big league help through the likes of Zach Neto, Sam Bachman, and Chase Silseth; all drafted within the last two seasons. It’s hard to imagine the Angles being anywhere near arms reach of success were Arte still in control of roster decisions. Would he have it his way the Angels would have blown their checkbook on Trea Turner this past offseason while leaving immense holes all across the board. One can only imagine the state of this team were they to once again go down the Moreno route. 
Is it possible that Angel fans, and by extension fans of baseball in general, may soon be free of Arte’s grasp on the current state of the sport? Logically speaking, he could be moved to sell the team should the Angels make a post-season run in 2023 and retain Ohtani going forward. At this point, however, we all know Arte moves not through logic, but through emotion, making it hard to truly quantify a scenario in which he gives up control. The key factor here not being profit, but control of a valuable asset. Should the Angels lose their value; i.e Ohtani leaves, Trout somehow becomes a non-factor, and the rest of the roster crumbles, then perhaps we do see a scenario in which he sells the team. Given recent behavior by Moreno it seems doubtful the Angels owner would do something logical such as selling the team at peak value considering he turned his back on a near three billion dollar profit on an initial $183.5 million dollar investment back in 2003. A stark display of the ailing business sense that has guided his decision making with the Angels. The state of this team will become much clearer in the coming weeks as the Angels teeter the line between pawnshop sellers and playoff contention, yet between all of that one thing is certain. The Angels, without Arte Moreno, are a World Series championship organization. But with Arte Moreno? The results have spoken for themselves.
View the full article

Shohei Ohtani may arguably be one of the greatest things to happen not only to the sport of baseball, but the entire collective sports consciousness across the globe. His many accomplishments over the last half decade-plus cannot be understated; 3 All Star nods, Rookie of the Year, an MVP (should be two), Silver Slugger, and a top 5 Cy Young finish as both one of the best hitters/pitchers in the game. His short time in the league thus far has seen him quickly rewriting the limits on what a singular athlete can achieve in their sport. Yet for the Angels organization, namely owner Arte Moreno, Shohei Ohtani has enabled the worst of a perennially out of touch, self-sabotaging owner. A known headline chaser, Moreno’s sole motivation in baseball decisions lies in his desire to curtail the favor of the national media, often leaving the Angels high and dry under the shadow of his ego. Molded in the likes of George Steinbrenner yet lacking the quality of charm that allowed the late Yankee his successes, Arte Moreno stays stuck in the past in an era defined not by free agency acquisition, but by drafting and development. His inability to field a proper team around Ohtani has failed not just Angel fans, nor the entirety of baseball fandom, but the whole of baseball’s existence and its ability to push forward into a new era of true international recognition.
The untold hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars in revenue lost by failing to seize on Ohtani’s presence in the playoffs is a real problem the MLB faces in the current day. Baseball’s international presence has grown into a formidable force over the last decade ultimately culminating in this past years World Baseball Classic craze. The recent WBC saw record shattering numbers as the event cleared previous viewership totals by a large margin. Internationally, both Mexico and Taiwan saw a ratings increase of over 100% from 2017’s WBC with American viewership jumping a total 69% from the last WBC (semi-finals and onward). This immediately translated into a lucrative increase in merchandise sales with the MLB seeing a 149% increase in revenue with WBC merchandise over 2017s financial return. We now stand at a turning point where exists a very real opportunity to emulate the success of FIFA and its international stranglehold by promoting the most marketable asset in MLB history on the biggest non-WBC stage possible. To evolve from a national sports organization into an international arbiter of competition is no small feat, nor is it one you can try again should you come short the first go, making it all the more important for the MLB to get it done right with the chance they have. There exists just one element that holds the MLB back from tapping into this prime source of revenue; Angels owner Arte Moreno.
Moreno's failures to build a playoff winner for Ohtani is a failure by proxy of the MLB. An organization such as Major League Baseball has a responsibility towards ensuring the highest possible quality ownership amongst their franchises. The last decade and a half has seen the MLB free itself of multiple self-sabotaging owners in the likes of Jeffrey Loria and Frank McCourt. While you may never see a league wide benevolence amongst owners there is a duty to pay as much mind to the quality of floor as there is the quality of ceiling amongst franchises. Recent years have made it abundantly clear Moreno's presence within the sport is beginning affect its bottom line due to Ohtani’s lack of post-season presence. Perhaps in previous years it was enough for Arte Moreno to fill the seats of Angels stadium through regular season baseball, but now after experiencing the financial windfalls from the 2023 WBC it’s become clear Major League Baseball cannot fully capitalize on their international marketing campaign without Shohei Ohtani spearheading the efforts. The MLB has seen the World Series turn in historically low viewership totals over the last few seasons, making Ohtani's presence on a World Series contender all the more necessary in this day and age. The Angels recent string of bad luck is only a small part of Moreno's long running failures to capitalize on the sports biggest stars over the last decade. 
Each wound inflicted through the owners poor decision making over the last decade bears it scars still to this day. It is no coincidence the wheels began falling off the wagon once the Angels 2002 World Series talents, both in the front office and on the field, began leaving the organization bit by bit. The Bill Stoneman era of Angels baseball saw the franchise win its first World Series just four years into his tenure as GM, managing multiple playoff appearances up to 2007 before handing off the reigns to a Moreno hire. The last Angels playoff run in 2014 was led by remaining Bill Stoneman holdovers Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar, Jered Weaver, and Mike Scioscia. The Angels have failed to field a consistent manager post-Scioscia and even then the ex-managers later years were defined by stress and tension as the oncoming era of advanced statistics clashed with the former World Series champions old-school sensibilities. Since then the Angels have continuously failed to implement a proper coaching/GM tandem that can consistently deliver a clear, cohesive message without internal fallout. Even now the Angels have seen struggles with GM Perry Minasian and manager Phil Nevin recently coming into light earlier this season over a clash with pitcher usage. The dysfunction between coaches, front office, and players on the field is nothing more than a symptom of Arte Moreno's ownership
Moreno has done little to ensure the continuation of the Angels decade long run that saw the franchise nearly enter a state of dynasty before derailing completely come the 2010s. Nine of the last thirteen Angel seasons have seen the team finish below .500, this stretch coming immediately following a decade that saw the Angels finish under .500 just twice across ten seasons. This organization is far removed from the successes that painted the near entirety of the 2000s with the Angels now standing at the cusp of their long-term future as Ohtani plays out what may be his final season with the franchise. The Angels lone saving grace, beyond the actual stars on the field, has been the recent addition of Perry Minasian at GM, who in just three years has managed to undo a majority of the decade long damage done by Moreno. Shrewd drafting strategies have seen the Angels bring in near immediate big league help through the likes of Zach Neto, Sam Bachman, and Chase Silseth; all drafted within the last two seasons. It’s hard to imagine the Angles being anywhere near arms reach of success were Arte still in control of roster decisions. Would he have it his way the Angels would have blown their checkbook on Trea Turner this past offseason while leaving immense holes all across the board. One can only imagine the state of this team were they to once again go down the Moreno route. 
Is it possible that Angel fans, and by extension fans of baseball in general, may soon be free of Arte’s grasp on the current state of the sport? Logically speaking, he could be moved to sell the team should the Angels make a post-season run in 2023 and retain Ohtani going forward. At this point, however, we all know Arte moves not through logic, but through emotion, making it hard to truly quantify a scenario in which he gives up control. The key factor here not being profit, but control of a valuable asset. Should the Angels lose their value; i.e Ohtani leaves, Trout somehow becomes a non-factor, and the rest of the roster crumbles, then perhaps we do see a scenario in which he sells the team. Given recent behavior by Moreno it seems doubtful the Angels owner would do something logical such as selling the team at peak value considering he turned his back on a near three billion dollar profit on an initial $183.5 million dollar investment back in 2003. A stark display of the ailing business sense that has guided his decision making with the Angels. The state of this team will become much clearer in the coming weeks as the Angels teeter the line between pawnshop sellers and playoff contention, yet between all of that one thing is certain. The Angels, without Arte Moreno, are a World Series championship organization. But with Arte Moreno? The results have spoken for themselves.
View the full article

Remember when Arte Moreno purchased the Angels in April of 2003?
It is easy to forget now, but when he arrived he was described as a man of the people, and in fact, did spend time wandering the concourses of the ballpark to get fans’ input. One of his first acts after taking over was lowering beer prices, and his first big move was signing free agent Vladimir Guerrero for five years and $70 million before the 2004 season, a big ticket signing that worked magnificently.
His entrance was two decades ago but it seems more like two forevers ago, so complete has the disconnect become between owner and fans. The Angels when Moreno took over were defending World Series champions. The team he currently oversees has one postseason appearance in the last 13 seasons and none with two of the best players in the game in the same lineup. And in our unscientific survey to determine how Angels fans would improve their team and their organization, Moreno’s ownership is generally perceived as stumbling block No. 1.
Angels fans expressed happiness when he announced last August he intended to sell the team. They were much less happy a few months later when he had a change of heart. And at least one of the 45 fans who responded to our call for comment over the past few days wondered if there wasn’t a sneaky strategy here.
“Unless he is a masochist, and knowing that he is already public enemy number one to Angel fans, why would Moreno put the team up for sale and then take it off the market? So he could officially be the owner of record to lose (Shohei) Ohtani?” wrote Scott Emmons, who signed his missive, “Scott in Barcelona.”
“Methinks he has some kind of unwritten (of course) deal in place to sign Ohtani,” Emmons added. “Sign Ohtani for whatever, the next owner is responsible for paying it, having Ohtani locked up will make the franchise more valuable, at which point Moreno will then sell and reclaim somewhat his reputation simply for selling. He’ll still take hits for what could have been but easier to take the hits sitting on an extra billion or so.”
That would be a gutsy chess move. It would also be one way to get out of town a hero. But for most of those who pay attention to the Angels, that seems a very distant possibility.
“As in the case of past business titans such as Sears Roebuck and Kodak, Angels ownership under Arte Moreno has embraced ineptness,” wrote Ken Fazekas of Banning. “Their farm system is in disarray, repeated failed free agent signings persist, and while Moreno guides his club in place of a president of baseball operations, he leaves his team in a ongoing quagmire.”
As noted here last year around this time when the fans had their say, it’s not that Moreno doesn’t want to win, or that he always takes the cheap route, though the decline of the Angels’ farm system (and the way some of those minor leaguers were treated before there were mandatory minimum standards in player housing) certainly suggests that alternative.
But the majority of his stabs at impact players didn’t have the desired effect, and many were just bad decisions. Maybe a POBO who had Moreno’s trust could have talked him down off of those ledges.
“Arte Moreno bought a team that had just won the World Series and had a strong organization,” wrote Bruce Harris, who still follows the team even after moving to Idaho. “The remains of that organization made the playoffs in six of the first seven years that Moreno owned the team. He set about destroying that organization soon after.
“His prioritization of the major league team at the expense of the minor league system devastated the pipeline that had been feeding the big club. His obsession with “shiny objects” (Vernon Wells, Gary Mathews Jr., Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, Anthony Rendon et al.) designed primarily to put fannies in seats cost hundreds of millions of dollars that should have been invested in the farm, scouting, player development, and international (especially Latin American) scouting and development.
“… In all that time, through a string of field managers, general managers, and other front office staff changes the one constant is Arte Moreno.”
Officially, Moreno and his wife Carole are listed as “ownership” in the Angels’ staff directory. Dennis Kuhl, hired as team president in November of 2003, currently is the chairman. John Carpino was originally hired as a senior vice president and promoted to president in November of 2009 and, according to the team media guide, oversees “all areas of business, sales, marketing, finance and communications.”
The Angels don’t do all of those particularly well, either. For example, their English language radio crew doesn’t travel as a money-saving measure, while Spanish language outlet KWKW only broadcasts a partial schedule and its broadcaster calls home games remotely off a TV feed.
“Why can’t they post the type of content the Dodgers post on social media?” asked email correspondent stvmr82@yahoo.com. “Where’s ‘Backstage: Halos?’ Are there some legal market conflicts between the Dodgers and Angels that the rest of us are unaware of? Oh, that’s right! Moreno doesn’t like spending on coaches. Why would he spend on people in marketing?”
As we noted in Sunday’s Part I of “Angels Fans Vent,” Moreno’s decision to rename the team the Los Angeles Angels – first adding “of Anaheim” in 2005 when the name change was implemented, and then quietly dropping it altogether in 2016 – was done for regional and national marketing purposes but fell utterly flat among those who actually make up the fan base. All these years later, it’s still a sore spot with many fans.
“As it stands with ‘Los Angeles,’ it doesn’t feel like it’s ‘our team’,” Victor Nguyen wrote.
For better or worse, it’s Arte’s team.
He said this on the day he was introduced as the Angels owner in April of 2003: “I’m a caretaker for the fans. The team belongs to the fans.”
It is, as we all realize, far more complicated than that. But maybe, after all these years, he should listen to them for a change.
“Sports management programs will be teaching the Angels in the 2010s as a case study of management/ownership incompetence for years to come,” Tim Hacsi wrote. “It would be nice if that didn’t continue for another decade.”
jalexander@scng.com
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Remember when Arte Moreno purchased the Angels in April of 2003?
It is easy to forget now, but when he arrived he was described as a man of the people, and in fact, did spend time wandering the concourses of the ballpark to get fans’ input. One of his first acts after taking over was lowering beer prices, and his first big move was signing free agent Vladimir Guerrero for five years and $70 million before the 2004 season, a big ticket signing that worked magnificently.
His entrance was two decades ago but it seems more like two forevers ago, so complete has the disconnect become between owner and fans. The Angels when Moreno took over were defending World Series champions. The team he currently oversees has one postseason appearance in the last 13 seasons and none with two of the best players in the game in the same lineup. And in our unscientific survey to determine how Angels fans would improve their team and their organization, Moreno’s ownership is generally perceived as stumbling block No. 1.
Angels fans expressed happiness when he announced last August he intended to sell the team. They were much less happy a few months later when he had a change of heart. And at least one of the 45 fans who responded to our call for comment over the past few days wondered if there wasn’t a sneaky strategy here.
“Unless he is a masochist, and knowing that he is already public enemy number one to Angel fans, why would Moreno put the team up for sale and then take it off the market? So he could officially be the owner of record to lose (Shohei) Ohtani?” wrote Scott Emmons, who signed his missive, “Scott in Barcelona.”
“Methinks he has some kind of unwritten (of course) deal in place to sign Ohtani,” Emmons added. “Sign Ohtani for whatever, the next owner is responsible for paying it, having Ohtani locked up will make the franchise more valuable, at which point Moreno will then sell and reclaim somewhat his reputation simply for selling. He’ll still take hits for what could have been but easier to take the hits sitting on an extra billion or so.”
That would be a gutsy chess move. It would also be one way to get out of town a hero. But for most of those who pay attention to the Angels, that seems a very distant possibility.
“As in the case of past business titans such as Sears Roebuck and Kodak, Angels ownership under Arte Moreno has embraced ineptness,” wrote Ken Fazekas of Banning. “Their farm system is in disarray, repeated failed free agent signings persist, and while Moreno guides his club in place of a president of baseball operations, he leaves his team in a ongoing quagmire.”
As noted here last year around this time when the fans had their say, it’s not that Moreno doesn’t want to win, or that he always takes the cheap route, though the decline of the Angels’ farm system (and the way some of those minor leaguers were treated before there were mandatory minimum standards in player housing) certainly suggests that alternative.
But the majority of his stabs at impact players didn’t have the desired effect, and many were just bad decisions. Maybe a POBO who had Moreno’s trust could have talked him down off of those ledges.
“Arte Moreno bought a team that had just won the World Series and had a strong organization,” wrote Bruce Harris, who still follows the team even after moving to Idaho. “The remains of that organization made the playoffs in six of the first seven years that Moreno owned the team. He set about destroying that organization soon after.
“His prioritization of the major league team at the expense of the minor league system devastated the pipeline that had been feeding the big club. His obsession with “shiny objects” (Vernon Wells, Gary Mathews Jr., Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, Anthony Rendon et al.) designed primarily to put fannies in seats cost hundreds of millions of dollars that should have been invested in the farm, scouting, player development, and international (especially Latin American) scouting and development.
“… In all that time, through a string of field managers, general managers, and other front office staff changes the one constant is Arte Moreno.”
Officially, Moreno and his wife Carole are listed as “ownership” in the Angels’ staff directory. Dennis Kuhl, hired as team president in November of 2003, currently is the chairman. John Carpino was originally hired as a senior vice president and promoted to president in November of 2009 and, according to the team media guide, oversees “all areas of business, sales, marketing, finance and communications.”
The Angels don’t do all of those particularly well, either. For example, their English language radio crew doesn’t travel as a money-saving measure, while Spanish language outlet KWKW only broadcasts a partial schedule and its broadcaster calls home games remotely off a TV feed.
“Why can’t they post the type of content the Dodgers post on social media?” asked email correspondent stvmr82@yahoo.com. “Where’s ‘Backstage: Halos?’ Are there some legal market conflicts between the Dodgers and Angels that the rest of us are unaware of? Oh, that’s right! Moreno doesn’t like spending on coaches. Why would he spend on people in marketing?”
As we noted in Sunday’s Part I of “Angels Fans Vent,” Moreno’s decision to rename the team the Los Angeles Angels – first adding “of Anaheim” in 2005 when the name change was implemented, and then quietly dropping it altogether in 2016 – was done for regional and national marketing purposes but fell utterly flat among those who actually make up the fan base. All these years later, it’s still a sore spot with many fans.
“As it stands with ‘Los Angeles,’ it doesn’t feel like it’s ‘our team’,” Victor Nguyen wrote.
For better or worse, it’s Arte’s team.
He said this on the day he was introduced as the Angels owner in April of 2003: “I’m a caretaker for the fans. The team belongs to the fans.”
It is, as we all realize, far more complicated than that. But maybe, after all these years, he should listen to them for a change.
“Sports management programs will be teaching the Angels in the 2010s as a case study of management/ownership incompetence for years to come,” Tim Hacsi wrote. “It would be nice if that didn’t continue for another decade.”
jalexander@scng.com
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DETROIT — Throughout the Angels’ miserable 2022 season, they could at least take solace in the fact that they finally seemed to be building the core of a good pitching staff.
But a staff that ranked in the top 10 last season has been a disappointment this year, despite many of the key pitchers returning.
It is the single biggest reason why the Angels are still facing an uphill climb to avoid a ninth consecutive season without reaching the playoffs.
“Have we pitched as well as I thought we could this year or we would? No,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “I’ll just be honest. I thought we’d pitch better. But we’re starting to show signs. We certainly showed signs earlier of getting better and showing some forward progress. I’m confident we’re gonna keep doing that.”
The Angels are 51-49, and four games out of a playoff spot, as they head into a crucial seven-game stretch before the Aug. 1 MLB trade deadline.
To boil the team’s performance down to its basics: the Angels have hit as well or better than they’d hoped, despite the injuries. They rank sixth in MLB in runs scored and fourth in OPS.
But the pitching staff has collectively failed.
Last year the Angels ranked ninth in the majors with a 3.77 ERA. This year they are 21st with a 4.47 ERA.
(Some increase is to be expected because of newly implemented shift restrictions. The major league ERA has risen from 3.97 to 4.31.)
The pitching was particularly bad during the recent 13-game stretch when the Angels went 2-11, flipping the narrative on their season. The Angels allowed 103 runs, which is the most in franchise history for any 13-game stretch since August 1996.
Assessing the situation individually, the three pitchers who have worked the most innings this season have each struggled more than last year.
Shohei Ohtani’s ERA has risen from 2.33 to 3.71. Patrick Sandoval’s is up from 2.91 to 4.16. Reid Detmers’ is up from 3.77 to 4.38.
“You certainly have some places where you’re going to step back with young pitchers, and we understand that,” Nevin said.
Ohtani is 29, Sandoval is 26 and Detmers is 24.
The other two pitchers who have been starting all season are veteran left-hander Tyler Anderson, whose 5.23 ERA is significantly worse than the 2.57 mark he had with the Dodgers in 2022, and Griffin Canning, who is back after missing a season and a half with a back injury. Canning has a 4.67 ERA.
The rotation ERA is 4.23, which ranks 18th in the majors.
The bullpen has been led by closer Carlos Estévez, who has been effective all season, but everyone else has either been inconsistent or injured. The Angels’ bullpen ERA of 4.85 ranks 24th.
Asked to identify what’s collectively gone wrong for the staff, Sandoval and Detmers both immediately came up with one issue that was confirmed by the numbers.
“We do a good job of getting ahead, 0-2, 1-2 and then we kind of give at-bats away, leaving one out over too much of the plate, giving them too much of a chance to hit it,” Sandoval said. “I think that’s been the toughest thing, executing 0-2, 1-2, putting guys away.”
The Angels are allowing opponents to hit .231 (24th in the majors) with a .539 OPS (22nd) when ahead in the count. Last year they ranked ninth with a .189 average and eighth with a .482 OPS when ahead in the count.
“We’re working our (butts) off to get it fixed, I’ll tell you that,” Sandoval said.
To that end, Sandoval said the coaching staff – pitching coach Matt Wise and assistant pitching coach Bill Hezel – should not take any of the blame for the staff’s disappointing performance.
“They’ve been awesome,” Sandoval said. “They do their job. Day in, day out, they come in ready to help us. It’s on us once the game starts to make pitches and execute. They can only do so much in between our starts. I feel they do a great job of preparing us. They’re getting us ready to face whatever lineup we’re facing or make an adjustment from our previous outing. Once the game starts, it’s on us.”
Detmers fully endorsed Wise.
“I love him,” Detmers said. “He’s awesome. Nothing but good things to say about him.”
There have been flickers of hope lately, notably during last week’s three-game sweep of the New York Yankees. The Angels had a 2.25 ERA in those games. Canning, Sandoval and Chase Silseth started against the Yankees.
“Probably our best series all year,” Detmers said. “We really looked good.”
In the subsequent three games against the Pittsburgh Pirates, though, the Angels had a 4.33 ERA, slugging their way to two victories in games when they allowed five runs each.
Performances like that have only reinforced the idea that the Angels have enough offense to win, even while missing injured players like Mike Trout, Brandon Drury and Anthony Rendon.
That puts even more of a focus on fixing the issues on the mound.
“This offense, regardless of the injuries, is going to hit,” Sandoval said. “We’re gonna put up runs. We’re gonna fight and claw our way back. (The pitchers) can’t be the ones that put us back in the hole.”
Detmers said the pitchers, specifically the starters, still collectively feel that they can do what they did last year, which could go a long way toward the Angels going on the type of winning streak they need to stay in the race.
“We’ve got the guys,” Detmers said. “We’ve got the stuff. Now it’s just going out there and doing it every day. … I have no doubt in my mind, by the end of the year, we’ll be back in the top 10. I’m not worried about the past. We got to focus on what’s now, and what’s now is getting to the playoffs.”
UP NEXT
Angels (RHP Griffin Canning, 6-4, 4.52 ERA) at Tigers (LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, 6-5, 2.69 ERA), Tuesday, 3:40 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM
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And some big-mouthed pundit from the east actually stated that nobody cares about the Angels.

Stephen A. Smith made that catty little comment earlier this month on one of ESPN’s morning gabfests: “The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. No one cares about you. No one. I’ve been in L.A. quite often. I never hear anybody talking about the Angels.”
Obviously, he’s not talking to the right people. (Note to Stephen A.: I know the name throws you off, but maybe you should seek out people who live in, say, Orange County.)
All you have to do to find Angels fans is to ask. Those “hopelessly loyal” supporters of what might have been baseball’s most underachieving team of the last decade responded quickly, passionately and in impressive numbers when I suggested a couple of days ago that they submit their ideas about how to improve the team and the organization.
Oh, and Stephen A. also might want to note that the team stopped using the “Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim” name in 2016, in favor of just “Los Angeles Angels.” It’s also worth noting that since totally scrubbing Anaheim from the name, they were a combined 66 games under .500 through Friday night.
That issue was one of many that the Angels loyalists jumped on: No on Los Angeles Angels, yes on going back to Anaheim Angels or California Angels, or even trying Orange County Angels.
“Someone needs to tell Arte that LAA isn’t working,” Scott Nelson wrote. “Sometimes the TV stations don’t even tell the score, let alone highlights!”
Or, as Bill Bedsworth of Santa Ana put it, the problem “isn’t personnel or management or injuries. It’s The Curse of Arte: they will not win until he abandons the mendacious folly of calling OUR team the LOS ANGELES Angels.”
The name isn’t the only or even the biggest reason why Anaheim’s franchise has struggled so, according to our very unscientific survey.
Of the 24 emails that arrived in the inbox before 3 p.m. on Friday, six directly pointed the finger at Arte Moreno for his stewardship of the club, even beyond those who still resent his change of a name that once actually hailed the locality where they actually play. That’s a full column in itself, so stay tuned.
Trade Shohei Ohtani? The tally was 16 against, two for (sort of), and one of those was the written equivalent of throwing up your hands because there’s nothing you can do when Ken Fazekas of Banning suggested, “(It) pains me to say that it’s time to trade Shohei. For his benefit as well as all Halo fans.”
Albert Ruvalcaba suggested using the remaining week or so “exhausting all efforts trying to extend Ohtani. Only Arte knows what his limit is, so why wait until the offseason when he’ll need to compete with 29 other clubs, including our rivals up the 5 freeway?”
But if that’s not fruitful, and it probably won’t be, he wrote, “then (General Manager) Perry (Minasian) can approach the trade deadline knowing that Ohtani won’t be re-signed this offseason. At least at this point, the decision would be based solely on our chances at reaching the postseason.”
Jim Frear took a different approach in his email response, suggesting what would have been unthinkable not that long ago, that Mike Trout “might need a change of scenery to re-energize. My solution, trade Mike and get prospects back and use that money to sign Shohei.”
Most of the emails agreed with me that the trade speculation has grown tiresome.
“If they let him go before Aug 1st it’s just like letting all of the air out of 100 balloons for a 5-year-old’s birthday party,” George Conlisk wrote. “No fun and very dull. If they let Ohtani go (I don’t like saying this) they might as well trade (Mike) Trout during (the) offseason and rebuild the team. Current formula is not working.”
Or, as Bedsworth put it: “The upside of a handful of prospects just isn’t big enough to throw in the towel on The Unicorn.”
(Bill, next time I’m on deadline and running out of ideas, I might call you.)
Three respondents, including Bedsworth, wondered if the Angels could offer Ohtani a piece of the team, but giving a player part-ownership is still against baseball’s rules. Victor Nguyen noted that the commercial ties with Japan should also play a factor in any contract offer the Angels make to Ohtani.
“What’s not mentioned enough (maybe I haven’t done enough research) is that NHK media deal,” he wrote. “If a 20-year-old Fox media deal can bring in $150M a year to the team, I can’t imagine how much a new 10-year media deal will bring that would cover the entire Japanese market. It will pay for Ohtani’s contract and much more.”
This might be an aspect that none of us have really dived into. Japanese companies have spent heavily on marketing and advertising with the Angels. Could that interest be leveraged creatively in Ohtani’s next contract?
Then again, could we trust Moreno and his lieutenant, John Carpino, to handle anything creatively?
“Here is the most important aspect for keeping Shohei Ohtani: Mr. Ohtani has brought the Asian community to their feet,” Paul Parque of Canyon Lake wrote. “He’s the pride of all of Los Angeles. The hand-made signs about Ohtani that are held up in his native language at games in the stands show the love that they have for this man.”
Some other observations:
Angel fans seem to still trust Minasian, though I suspect what happens at this year’s deadline might play a role in public opinion, especially if the Angels are in a position to add rather than sell.
Phil Nevin? He’s more of a lightning rod. As is customary, those who don’t like him tend to zero in on pitching decisions, the bane of any manager.
“I like Phil Nevin, but not as a manager,” Ruvalcaba wrote. “The recent slide and his mishandling of the bullpen are more than enough to show he is not the one to lead us to the promised land. So, I would let go of Nevin and appoint Benji Gil as the interim manager for the rest of this season to see what he could do.”
Oh, and we haven’t even gotten to Anthony Rendon yet.
“In my humble opinion, any trade for Ohtani must include Rendon, who has proven to be a total injured bust and financial albatross, diminishing chances of acquiring up-and-coming good young players,” wrote Ken Low of San Juan Capistrano.
“Instead of chasing players like Rendon with dollars that could have been used improving the scouting and minor league system, Angel management seemed content with mediocrity as long as it could fill seats. With Ohtani most likely gone next year, why go to the stadium and watch the smiling Rendon go through the motions?”
Who should their trade targets be if there’s still a postseason spot to be had?
“Go big,” wrote Edward Lamoureaux, Bradley University professor emeritus and an Angels fan since day one in Wrigley Field in 1961, suggesting that Minasian pursue a starter (he mentioned Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox), a reliever, and a big bat (specifically the St. Louis Cardinals’ Paul Goldschmidt) in the week before the deadline.
More than that, he wrote, the goal should be to “get the two big boys (Trout and Ohtani) to the dance before they’re too old to care.”
And season ticket holder Donna Quinn of Anaheim added: “All said, my gut wants Ohtani to see the value of teaming with Mike Trout for the remaining years of Trout’s contract. So many teams have a duo leading their team. Why would Ohtani go somewhere and need to recreate a partnership? I really feel Ohtani and Trout push each other to further greatness that couldn’t be achieved on their own. Give Ohtani his $700 million. Root for a parade in Anaheim.”
Do these sound like people who don’t care?
And if you do care, and you haven’t chimed in, there’s still time. We’ll publish more reactions in Tuesday’s paper.
jalexander@scng.com
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ANAHEIM — Hours before the Angels’ 7-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday afternoon, Manager Phil Nevin described one of the reasons he remains so hopeful about this season.
The Angels’ collapse was quick. They lost 11 of 13 games earlier this month to dramatically change the narrative of their season.
“Just as quick as we’ve gotten to the position we’re in, we can get back (in the race) by playing well,” Nevin said.
The Angels then came out and finished off a sweep of the Yankees, their fourth victory in five games and their first sweep of the Yankees since July 2009.
Chase Silseth – making a spot start in his return to the big leagues after six weeks in Triple-A – was at times electric, and the Angels supported him with two-run homers from Taylor Ward and Luis Rengifo in the first two innings.
The Angels (49-48) swept a series for the first time since June 6-8 against the Chicago Cubs. They went 4-2 in their first two series out of the break, against the Houston Astros and Yankees. Next, they have six consecutive games against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers.
That could provide them an opportunity to build some momentum and make up some ground before next weekend’s series in Toronto. The Blue Jays are currently tied with the Astros for the final American League wild-card spot, leading the Angels by 4½ games.
The Angels have 10 games left before the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Between now and then, every loss will increase the chatter about trading Shohei Ohtani.
Poor pitching is mostly responsible for the Angels being in his hole, so performances like the one Silseth delivered are necessary for the team to feel good about its trajectory.
Silseth gave up one run, on a Giancarlo Stanton homer, in 5⅔ innings, striking out 10 and walking two.
Although the final line was good, some of the peripherals were outstanding.
Silseth induced 14 whiffs and he got 24 called strikes. That accounted for 44.7% of his pitches, the third-highest percentage for any Angels pitcher (minimum 50 pitches) since tracking began in 2015. The only pitcher to exceed that was Shohei Ohtani, who did it twice last year.
Silseth got the Yankees to whiff on 10 of their 15 swings against his slider, perhaps because he seems to have adjusted it since he was in the majors earlier this season.
His slider on Wednesday averaged 80.6 mph, down from 84.3 previously this year, while his two fastballs remained around 94-95 mph, which gave the hitters a greater separation to handle.
Silseth also seems to have scrapped the cutter he was throwing earlier this season, relying instead on the slider and fastballs.
Silseth had a 6-0 lead after the third inning, but the game still got interesting.
He gave up a homer in the sixth and then reliever José Soriano allowed a second run. Franchy Cordero hit a homer against Matt Moore in the eighth to cut the deficit to 6-3.
The Angels had closer Carlos Estévez warming for his fourth game in five days, but he sat down after Ward’s RBI double padded the lead to 7-3. Aaron Loup worked the ninth to finish the game.
More to come on this story.
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ANAHEIM — All right, Angels fans. Let us hear it, good and loud.
(And yes, I did just channel the late Harry Caray right there. No specific reason. It just seemed appropriate.)
Seriously, your team is approaching a crossroads. They’re hot again, winning four of six since the All-Star break and shaking off what could have been a demoralizing loss to Houston on Sunday by sweeping three against the New York Yankees, punctuating it with a 7-3 victory on Wednesday. We’ll ignore for the moment that right now these aren’t the Yankees, historically the scourge of all they survey, although their fans – many of whom swamped the concourses at Angel Stadium on Wednesday – continue to act the part.
Is it fool’s gold to have swept these Bombers, who have lost nine of their last 11? Or are the Angels, now back over .500 at 49-48 and 4½ games behind the third American League wild-card spot, indeed climbing back into contention for the franchise’s first postseason berth since 2014?
And if they can somehow keep this up over at least the next 11 days, can we get the world beyond Orange County to stop with the “Trade Shohei Ohtani” business?
It is beyond tiresome. The best player in baseball is not only having an MVP-caliber season, he is on a pace to at least threaten the euphemistic “American League Home Run Record” of 62, set by New York’s Aaron Judge last year. (“ALHRR,” of course, being code for most presumably non-chemically-enhanced home runs in a major league season.)
Ohtani entered Wednesday afternoon’s game on a pace for a 59-home run season, and it’s worth noting that he walked four times (one intentional) in five plate appearances. Yankees starter Carlos Rodón got him on strikes in the fourth inning.
But no, the numbers and the history and the production aren’t part of the story the rest of the nation hears. Even pundits and fans from cities whose teams have no chance of raising the $600 million to $700 million it likely will take to sign Ohtani, minimum, are circling like vultures sizing up a carcass.
As for the teams that can put together that kind of scratch, the trade speculation and the jawboning over what kind of package it would take to pry Shohei away from Anaheim seems to be the new national pastime up until the Aug. 1 trade deadline.
This is how insane it’s become. On Sunday night’s ESPN telecast of the Angels-Astros game, field reporter Buster Olney did an in-game interview with Angels manager Phil Nevin and wasted one of his questions by asking Nevin his thoughts about the trade rumors.
I mean, what was the manager supposed to say? Unless and until he hears otherwise Ohtani is an Angel, and the rest is way above his pay grade.
The chatter potentially could be a double-barreled distraction – distracting the nation at large from appreciating a truly memorable individual season, and distracting the Angels themselves from tending to their business. The former? Definitely true. The latter? Not so much, evidently.
And maybe we’re looking at it all wrong, as Taylor Ward – who got the Angels off and winging with his two-run homer in the first Wednesday – noted afterward.
“There’s still a lot of games to be played, but yeah, I think this (sweep) moving forward just really helps where we’re at, and, you know, maybe what we do at the trade deadline,” he said.
That’s as in adding, not subtracting.
Ballplayers usually are pretty good at tuning trade rumors out, otherwise, every clubhouse in baseball would be on the razor’s edge in the weeks leading up to the deadline. Nevin noted before Wednesday’s game that his team has been fairly even-keeled.
“They’re playing with a sense of urgency, but it’s not a panic urgency,” he said. “They understand what’s in front of us. I mean, two and a half weeks ago, we were the second team in the wild card. And just as quick as we’ve gotten to the position we’re in, we can get that back too by playing well.
“We just had a little rut in the middle, but we’ve played well around that.”
Can it continue? Stay tuned.
In the meantime, this is where I want to hear Angel fans’ voices and opinions.
How would you handle the remaining days leading up to the deadline? Beyond that, how would you like this team and this franchise improved for the long haul, be it the roster, the front office, the farm system, the stadium, or whatever? The best suggestions will make it into print.
(And no, “Fire Arte” is not on the table. Like it or not, Arte Moreno is still the owner. Now, if you want to make the case that the improvements necessary to provide the product loyal Angel fans deserve can’t happen until there’s an ownership change, feel free to make your case. He might not read it, but I suspect others in the Angels’ organization will.)
I’ll confess. This survey isn’t my original idea. One of our regular Angel fan correspondents, William Stremel, floated the concept in an email, writing: “I think it would be a great dialogue to all the hopelessly loyal Angel fans out there … myself included.”
Hopelessly loyal … that pretty well sums it up.
Remember, before COVID-19 the Angels drew more than 3 million at home for 17 straight seasons, the last five of those part of the postseason drought that now has reached eight seasons. In 2022, the first season of full attendance after the pandemic, they drew 2.45 million with a team that finished 33 games out of first place and 13 games out of a wild card spot and basically was playing only for pride after July 1.
Through 49 games this season their announced attendance is 1,643,192, including 33,535 Wednesday for a 4 p.m. start. (Augmented by plenty of Yankee fans, of course, for which I’m sure the Moreno family extends its thanks.)
So, Angel fans, send me your emails with suggestions of what this team should do to shape up for the future.
Meanwhile, here’s my suggestion: Regardless of where the Angels are at the trading deadline, here’s a hard no on dealing Ohtani. No package anyone could possibly offer would be anywhere near equal value.
In other words, trading him would be a fool’s errand.
jalexander@scng.com
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ANAHEIM — Life is so much easier with good starting pitching.
After the Angels saw their season turn during a stretch in which miserable starting pitching was the primary culprit, Patrick Sandoval gave up two hits in 7⅓ innings in a 5-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.
The Angels won a series for the first time since taking two of three in Kansas City, June 16-18, and they also have won back-to-back games for the first time since June 26-27.
Not coincidentally, that was the last time the Angels had two consecutive games with a quality start. Since then, they only had one game in which a starter went at least six innings while allowing three runs or fewer, on July 2.
The Angels (48-48), who pulled back to .500 with 11 games to go before the trade deadline, have struggled in large part because of the disappointing performances from their rotation, notably Sandoval.
After posting a 2.91 ERA last season, he brought a 4.41 ERA into Tuesday’s start. He cut that number to 4.16 with one of his best efforts of the season.
Sandoval is the only Angels pitcher this season to get an out in the eighth inning, and he’s done it twice. He pitched 7⅔ innings on May 14 at Cleveland.
Sandoval struck out seven and walked three. He gave up a Gleyber Torres homer on a pitch that wasn’t even a strike in the third inning, and then no more hits until the Anthony Volpe eighth-inning single that ended his night.
Sandoval’s only rough moment came in the second inning, after he issued back-to-back walks. He then struck out Kyle Higashioka and got Volpe on a grounder.
After the homer, Sandoval retired nine in a row. Giancarlo Stanton then reached on an error by shortstop Zach Neto, but he was erased on a double play. Sandoval then retired four in a row.
The Angels gave Sandoval all the run support he needed on one swing of Mickey Moniak’s bat in the first inning.
Moniak, who has been temporarily entrusted with protecting Shohei Ohtani in the lineup, drove in three runs, with a first-inning two-run homer and a fifth-inning single.
He pulled a 413-foot drive over the right-field fence to get the Angels on the board first. He yanked a sharp grounder off the glove of first baseman DJ LeMahieu, who was playing in, to pad the Angels’ lead to 5-1 in the fifth.
Moniak, who had three hits, is now 160 plate appearances into his season, and showing no signs of slowing down. He’s hitting .336 with 11 homers and an OPS of 1.014.
Between Moniak’s RBIs, Ohtani drove in a run with a triple.
More to come on this story.
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ANAHEIM — Shohei Ohtani launched, watched and flipped.
The Angels superstar blasted a game-tying two-run home run in the seventh inning of a 4-3, 10-inning victory over the New York Yankees on Monday night.
Michael Stefanic pulled a single into left field to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the 10th, after left-hander Aaron Loup stranded the Yankees’ automatic runner with two strikeouts in the top of the inning.
The lasting image from the game, though, will be Ohtani’s homer.
It was not Ohtani’s most majestic homer – measuring a mere 403 feet – but it clearly ranked among his most enjoyable, based on his reaction.
He stood at the plate for an extra moment and then tossed his bat high in the air, toward the Yankees’ dugout.
Ohtani’s major league-leading 35th homer of the year was the iconic moment from a victory the Angels badly needed to wash away the frustration from their blown four-run lead on Sunday.
That loss drained their bullpen, setting the stage for Griffin Canning to deliver a heroic performance on Monday.
Canning threw 120 pitches, the most in the major leagues this season and the most for any Angels pitcher since 2015. It surpassed Canning’s previous career high by eight pitches.
The Angels have been desperate for quality pitching, having posted a 7.88 ERA during the 2-11 stretch that preceded Monday’s game.
Canning was sharp throughout the night, finishing with a career-high 12 strikeouts, but the Yankees still ran up his pitch count. He was at 101 pitches after the fifth.
Nevin still sent him to the mound in the sixth, the first time all season he had sent a pitcher to the mound after they had already thrown 100 pitches.
Canning struck out Gleyber Torres and Anthony Rizzo, but he could not get the third out. He gave up singles to Harrison Bader and Anthony Volpe.
Nevin went to the mound, but not to pull Canning. They talked and he allowed Canning one more shot to get out of the inning. Canning instead walked Isiah Kiner-Falefa, loading the bases.
At that point, Nevin went to Jimmy Herget to face Oswaldo Cabrera. Herget got ahead of him, 0-and-2, and then he hung a changeup over the middle and Cabrera drilled it into left-center. The ball hopped over the fence for a ground-rule double, driving in two runs.
The Angels trailed 2-0 because the offense, which has been good during most of this season-defining stretch, missed on a few opportunities in the early innings.
In the third, Zach Neto was easily thrown out at the plate after third base coach Bill Haselman waved him around on a double by Ohtani.
The Angels put the first two runners of the fifth inning on base, with a Hunter Renfroe walk and a Trey Cabbage double. They couldn’t drive them in. Eduardo Escobar struck out. Neto hit a grounder to third, and the Yankees got the out at the plate. After Ohtani was intentionally walked, Mickey Moniak hit a hard flyout to right.
Matt Thaiss put the Angels on the scoreboard with a homer in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The Yankees scored a run against Gerardo Reyes in the seventh to pad the lead to two, just before Ohtani erased it.
More to come on this story.
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ANAHEIM — The Angels snapped their losing streak in memorable fashion.
After trailing by six runs in the seventh inning and three runs in the ninth inning, the Angels rallied for a 13-12, 10-inning victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night, ending their six-game skid.
The Angels scored the winning run on a throwing error by shortstop Grae Kessinger, who was trying to turn a double play on a ground ball hit by Taylor Ward. Trey Cabbage, the Angels’ automatic runner, scrambled home with the winning run as the throw got away.
Angels closer Carlos Estévez stranded the Astros’ automatic runner in the top of the inning. He got an assist from right fielder Hunter Renfroe, who made a nice catch on a foul ball as he leaned into the stands.
The Angels were down by six runs in the seventh before tying it with homers by Zach Neto and Mike Moustakas, and they trailed again by three runs when they came to bat in the bottom of the ninth.
Shohei Ohtani led off the inning against Astros closer Ryan Pressley with his 33rd homer of the season.
Ward and Mickey Moniak then singled, the third hit of the night for each of them. Eduardo Escobar followed with his second hit of the night, loading the bases.
A run scored on a passed ball. An out later, Renfroe singled to tie the game, but Matt Thaiss struck out and pinch-hitter Cabbage hit a flyout, sending the game to extra innings.
The thrilling comeback continued a stretch in which the Angels hitters have actually done a good job of filling in for injured middle-of-the-order hitters like Mike Trout, Brandon Drury and Anthony Rendon.
During the first six games of the losing streak, the Angels had scored 4.2 runs per game, but the problem was they allowed 8.5 runs per game.
The pattern was continuing on Saturday night.
Starter Reid Detmers gave up four runs in six innings and then right-hander Chris Devenski gave up five runs in the seventh, putting the Angels in a 9-3 hole.
Just when it seemed they were heading for an ugly loss, the hitters sprang to life.
In the bottom of the seventh, though, Thaiss drew a walk and then Neto blasted a two-run homer, his first hit since coming off the injured list a day earlier. It was also his second homer against Framber Valdez, the Astros All-Star starter.
That was all for Valdez, who also gave up a three-run homer to Luis Rengifo back in the second inning.
The Astros brought in Ryne Stanek, and he walked Ward and gave up singles to Moniak and Escobar, producing another run.
Moustakas then blasted a three-run homer, tying the game 9-9.
Left-hander Matt Moore gave up a tie-breaking two-run homer to Chas McCormick in the eighth inning. It was Moore’s first game after missing more than a month with a strained oblique.
The Astros then scored an unearned run against Tucker Davidson in the top of the ninth, padding their lead to three runs.
Detmers, the Angels starter, had a 1.42 ERA over a five-game stretch through July 2.
In two starts since, he’s allowed 11 earned runs in 9-1/3 innings. The damage was limited to a couple of hiccups with two outs in the third and fourth innings.
In the third inning, he gave up a two-out single to Kyle Tucker, driving in two runs. An inning later, Detmers struck out the first two hitters of the inning before walking the next two, No. 7 hitter Yainer Diaz and No. 8 hitter McCormick.
Detmers then hung a curve ball to Martin Maldonado, who yanked it just inside the left field line for a two-run double, putting the Astros up 4-3.
Detmers retired the last seven hitters he faced to keep the Angels in the game before Devenski took them out of it, giving up five runs on five hits. Devenski had a 3.10 ERA on June 29, but he’s allowed at least one run in his last five games.
More to come on this story.
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By Taylor Blake Ward, AngelsWin.com Staff Writer
 
Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic - 1st Round, 11th Overall
Schanuel was the best performer across Division-1 baseball in 2023, barely missing out on the slash line Triple Crown, leading the nation in on-base percentage, falling just .002 short of the batting title, and .047 short of the slugging title which went to a player at the high-elevation Brigham Young. Regardless of falling short of a fun title, Schanuel put up video game numbers slashing .447/.615/.868 with 71 walks to 14 strikeouts and 19 home runs to boot, leading to plenty of first-round chatter and the eventual 11th overall selection by the Angels. Schanuel's offensive operation begins with an unorthodox setup with a high hand load and exaggerated leg kick (though not to point of Zach Neto, Josh Donaldson, Bo Bichette, etc.). It's a load you'd likely see more overseas in Asia, but Schanuel does a fine job of keeping his body and swing in sync throughout the process putting him in a good hitting position at separation. As he comes out of his load, Schanuel has a balanced uphill swing from the left side with some explosion to the ball. He has shown good barrel control with above-average bat speed, giving him an above-average or plus future hit tool and with the present physical maturation to his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame with natural strength average-or-better power projection. Schanuel is a highly disciplined hitter who has an excellent eye for the zone, who rarely chases out of the zone and can punish pitches in the zone, with an approach that helped carry him into first-round status. There were questions about Schanuel's actual hit tool -- particularly with a wood bat -- after hitting just .200 in 125 at bats in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and coming from a mid-major conference with limited velocity. However, Schanuel had a realization that something was off and had an eye doctor appointment that led to an Astigmatism diagnosis and a corrective contact placed in his right eye in January of 2023. Schanuel noted his vision went to four-dimensional status from that point and he felt like a new hitter which should give more confidence in his long-term ability to hit. He also has a short track record against some major programs, albeit coming from midweek games and lesser on-mound prospects. An average runner, Schanuel has enough speed to keep catchers honest but likely will never be a double-digit base stealer. The Angels will hold Schanuel to first base at least until instructional league where he could see time in the corner outfield. Schanuel is a good defender at the bag and has some athleticism that could lead to corner versatility, with personal comments about hoping to be a utility man at the next level with time at third and second base, though the Angels did not express those similar feelings initially. With so much promise on the bat, Schanuel is a high-floor type collegiate with outstanding performances under his belt and hopes that everything will translate to become a middle-of-the-order hitter in the future. For the comparison crowd, it's challenging to tab Schanuel down to a modern-day player but there was a sound comparison made by Joe Doyle of FSS Plus in a Nathaniel Lowe profile (see comp below).
Nate Lowe/Nolan Schanuel comparison

Munetaka Murakami/Nolan Schanuel comparison

Tim McIlvaine on Nolan Schanuel: "Nolan did a lot of things that we really liked and that we sought out to look for. He's got power. He can hit. He knows the zone. He's very patient. He doesn't get himself out. He rarely ever strikes out. Took a lot of walks this year, had a lot of extra-base hits, and can hit the ball over the wall. He's a good player. He's a really good baseball mind when you sit down and talk to him. He understands hitting. He understands his swing. He understands what he's trying to do at the plate and what makes him successful. There's a lot of pieces that go into it but first and foremost we liked his bat. We think he's going to be a pretty good hitter for us... This guy is wired right. I think he's a really good competitor. He really wants to win. He's made himself better and he's going to make us better. He really makes you like him."
Nolan Schanuel 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 289 PA, .447/.615/.868, 70 R, 19 HR, 64 RBI, 14 SB, 24.6 BB%, 4.8 K%
Note: Carlos Collazo of Baseball America has reported that Schanuel has signed with Angels for slot value, $5,253,000, which is a new record bonus for any Angels draftee by $583,000 (Reid Detmers, 2020).
 
Alberto Rios, 3B, Stanford - 3rd Round, 79th Overall
Rios spent his first two years at Stanford as a bullpen catcher who received eight total plate appearances as a pinch-hitter, reaching base once. His junior season, the Cardinal put him in their starting lineup and all he did was hit, and hit, and hit, to a point of outperforming his first-round teammate Tommy Troy and earn him Pac-12 Player of the Year honors. Rios sets up with a rhythmic hand load and great balance as he turns and extends. He has a compact cut from the right side with some quick explosion and a great ability to find the barrel letting his natural strength drive the ball to all fields. He has solid zone coverage and pitch recognition, which aids to his hitability where he rarely chases and has shown the ability to hit higher velocity and adjust to off-speed. With his solid pitch recognition, Rios is a disciplined hitter with zone awareness and should be able to keep his swing-and-miss in check consistently aiding to his hit tool which projects above-average. There is some thud in his compact six-foot, 203-pound frame and his natural strength with average-or-above bat speed has allowed him to frequently tap into his power which plays to all fields and easy projection to see 15-20 home runs annually. There is plenty of faith in Rios' ability to hit, but that same faith is not shared in the other facets of his game. Rios is a below-average runner who is more of a grinding baserunner and though he has some active feet in the outfield, his limited speed and fringy arm make him a below-average fielder in left field where he spent the majority of his time with Stanford in 2023. The Angels opted to take him away from the outfield and selected him as a third baseman -- where he played as a prep -- where his feet may play a bit better but still with a below-average projection (the Angels worked him out at second base during a private workout). Rios has spent some time catching and has some raw receiving skills that make him a fascinating development project behind the dish, though the Angels will hold out until at least Instructional League before putting him there, if they do. Rios has shown a strong arm in glimpses, but it is mostly graded as fringy or below while his throwing mechanics would need attention to stick at catcher with the modern game leaning to more base stealing. If Rios can catch, his profile could have a meteoric rise as an above-average hitting catcher, but the likelihood is that the Angels will need to focus one defensive home whether it be third base, second base, left field, or catching (likely in that order) to capitalize on a special bat that could play as an everyday regular.
Tim McIlvaine on Alberto Rios: “It’s a neat story with him. He was recruited by (Stanford). Got there and just really couldn’t get into the lineup. For him – he kept working hard, kept working at it. Something seemed to click for him in the fall and he really started swinging it well. Once they put him in there this spring, they couldn’t get him out of the lineup, and he ended up being Pac-12 Player of the Year. We followed him pretty closely. We have a guy that lives in Northern California, Scott Richardson, he’s around there a lot. He started calling me a little early on in the spring and was like, ‘Hey this guy, he didn’t really play, but he’s really good. He’s really swinging it well.' So, we kind of kept tabs on it and he didn’t stop and just got better seemingly every game this spring, so we ended up watching him a lot."
Alberto Rios 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 293 PA, .384/.485/.707, 69 R, 18 HR, 73 RBI, 5 SB, 13.0 BB%, 14.3 K%
 
Joe Redfield, OF, Sam Houston - 4th Round, 111th Overall
Redfield is a toolsy outfielder from Sam Houston who had an impressive Western Athletic Conference performance and carried that into the Cape Cod League with a brief, but moderate performance. Staying low and compact throughout his operation, Redfield has short levers that keep him inside the ball with a quick and compact left-handed swing. There's strength in his six-foot-two, 200-pound frame and present bat speed that lets him tap into some fringe-average power when he catches the ball out front. Redfield controls the strike zone well, particularly the inner half, and has shown the ability to make contact on higher velocity in the zone without expanding on off-speed. He's an above-average runner who can cover enough ground in the outfield to man all three positions with some ease and be a modest base stealer. His profile fits a fourth outfield type with some hitting upside. On a fun note, Redfield's father (Joe) played one game for the Angels on June 4, 1988 (0-for-2) and was drafted by the Mets in the ninth-round of the 1982 MLB Draft with the Mets amateur scouting director being Joe McIlvaine, the father of current Angels amateur scouting director, Tim McIlvaine.
Tim McIlvaine on Joe Redfield: “He’s a well-rounded player. Center fielder. Above-average runner. Hit over .400 this year with 15 homers, 15 stolen bases. He had 100 hits I think and was probably top ten in all of collegiate baseball in hits. He’s a guy that has tools and can touch a lot of different tools. He’s a well-rounded player that can go out and not do anything different. He goes out and just plays his game. He’s gonna get his hits, gonna hit some doubles, gonna hit a few homers, gonna steal some bases, gonna play center field. We’re excited about the athleticism and the excited about the kid too.”
Joe Redfield 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 300 PA, .402/.485/.683, 81 R, 15 HR, 56 RBI, 15 SB, 11.3 BB%, 11.3 K%
 
Chris Clark, RHP, Harvard - 5th Round, 147th Overall
Clark joined the Crimson rotation this spring after spending time in relief with spot starts and missed bats at a premium. Clark operates in the low-to-mid 90's touching 97 with some life to his glove side and firmness in the upper velo echelons. His fastball command and shape allowed it to be hit more often than his velocity and general opponent lesser talent would suggest, with refinements needed to get the most of its plus potential. He throws an average low 80's slider with some depth-and-sweep to his glove side when executed properly and could grade out higher with some added power. There was some touch-and-feel addition to the slider in the form of a harder cutter this spring that could play off or scrap his slider entirely as a power breaking fastball-breaker. Clark has a firm changeup in the bag, but it's a below-average offering in its' current state. Clark is a solid on-mound athlete with plenty of arm and physical strength in his six-foot-four, 195-pound frame, with the athletic markers to see improved command through development, though there's some whip in his delivery that will need to be refined. His general two-pitch arsenal and high-compete level would lean to a power relief outlook where his fastball and breaker could tick up and play, but the Angels will send him out as a starter in development with belief he can stick in the rotation with a backend future.
Tim McIlvaine on Chris Clark: “Our scout Drew Dominguez has been talking about (Chris) for years as a guy we need to get. We gotta get this guy in the system. He's wired right. He's a starter. He's smart. Last year it just didn't work out -- he was eligible last year. Drew stayed on him and was still jumping up and down about him today. We walked out in the hallway after calling (Chris) and Drew was jumping up and down so excited that we got him. It’s great. It’s fun to see that kind of passion. It’s way easier for us to take a guy when our scouts have that sort of conviction with players.”
Chris Clark 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 65.2 IP, 4-4, 4.93 ERA, 0 SV, 8.4 H/9, 4.4 BB/9, 12.7 K/9
 
Camden Minacci, RHP, Wake Forest - 6th Round, 174th Overall
Minacci was a two-year closer at Wake Forest, who were the top-ranked program in the nation throughout the spring up until their elimination by LSU in the College World Series. Minacci was frequent on the national stage and was one of the most renowned big-moment relief pitchers in the draft class. He comes right at hitters with a lively mid 90's fastball that has been tapped at 99, with significant ride and some run to his arm side. He pairs his fastball with a mid-to-upper 80's power slider with depth that he works away from right-handed hitters and in on the hands of lefties. There's power and tunnel to the slider making it a highly effective swing-and-miss offering with consistent plus grades attached. Everything comes from a highly active delivery with effort, and though Minacci has been able to harness the command of his fastball and slider, he is a relief only prospect. Minacci has a big-moment mentality and serious aggression on the mound, which was present in big-conference and postseason play with the aptitude and arsenal for high-leverage relief. In general, Minacci is what you see is what you get when it comes to development and projection with minimal physical development to his six-foot-three, 215-pound frame, with enough current feel to his arsenal to move him quickly through the minors and let his fiery attitude and ability dictate his future relief role. Note: Carlos Collazo of Baseball America has reported that Camden Minacci has signed with Angels for $328,500.
Tim McIlvaine on Camden Minacci: “He brings a different kind of energy and fire and excitement to him that other guys just feed off of. He comes at guys with a big fastball. He's got a good slider. He’s not afraid of anybody and he just comes right at guys. It’s a good fire that a lot of those backend relievers seem to have. I love his intensity. I love his competitiveness. I love the way he comes at guys. I don't see that changing at all with his approach once he gets into pro ball."
Camden Minacci 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 32.1 IP, 0-1, 2.78 ERA, 13 SV, 7.2 H/9, 2.8 BB/9, 12.8 K/9
 
Cole Fontenelle, 3B, TCU - 7th Round, 204th Overall
Fontenelle took a roundabout way to Fort Worth after stops at Washington and McClennan CC before turning into a big-moment bat for the Horned Frogs in 2023. A switch-hitter, Fontenelle stays simple is his load with some drift in his hands. He has strength in his hands to manipulate the barrel and cover the entire zone from the left side where the physical strength in his six-foot-three, 205-pound frame lets him produce some bat speed and near above-average power. There's a bit more slap tendency and flat plane when swinging from the right side that seems more focused on making hard contact, though it can get groundball dominant. Though it's not alarming, there are some chase concerns with Fontenelle's approach, while strength-based refinements to his hand load should cut down some in-zone swing-and-miss. He's an average runner with aggressive/instinctual baserunning making him an honest base stealing threat who could possibly snag double-digits bags. More out of necessity with Brayden Taylor (Rays first-round pick) and Tre Richardson (Cardinals 15th-round pick) manning the left side of the TCU infield, Fontenelle spent the majority of his time this spring at first base. The Angels selected him as a third baseman where he could profile with good athleticism for someone his size and a fair arm and footwork, with a chance of gaining some versatility in left field where he's spent some time in the past. There are tools to like in the package, and with some swing and decision refinements, there's offensive ceiling to tap into, with some high-energy leadership traits to carry his tools and teammates.
Cole Fontenelle 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 294 PA, .352/.473/.640, 66 R, 14 HR, 58 RBI, 20 SB, 15.3 BB%, 17.0 K%
 
Barrett Kent, RHP, Pottsboro HS (TX) - 8th Round, 234th Overall
Usually more suited for the third-round or over slot early teen picks, Kent is the prototypical prep arm with a projectable frame and current feel for pitching that teams are constantly enticed by. Tall and strong at six-foot-four, 215-pounds, Kent has shown a pro-ready four-pitch arsenal and ability to land each for strikes, with plenty of refinements to tap into his big on-mound upside. Kent will work in the low-to-mid 90's, upwards of 97, with some ease early in outings but hasn't been able to hold premier velocity beyond a few innings. At its peak, there is liveliness to the fastball with good angle to the plate coming from a high three-quarter slot and some life to his arm side. With physical maturity and development, there should be some ticks added to his fastball with more frequency in maintaining that velocity. He has a promising slider with a fastball plane and late depth away from right-handers, regularly flashing above average with command of the breaker. He also has a curveball in the bag with a more high-arching break that shows potential but doesn't have enough current feel to label above fringe-average. Like most prep pitchers, Kent hasn't had to incorporate his changeup often, but he's shown fair feel for the pitch with arm speed and some fade to his arm side. Most of Kent's arsenal plays well fading to his arm side while he'd be better equipped to find the left half of the zone to make his full arsenal more well-rounded. Kent is an easy operator with a clean arm stroke and athleticism in the delivery, which aids his ability to locate pitches and throws strikes at a high clip. There's plenty of development focused on the physical side and ability to work all quadrants of the zone which may take time but could be vital to tapping into his groundball-focused rotation upside. Kent is committed to Arkansas and will take the bulk of the Angels remaining bonus pool beyond Schanuel and Rios.
Tim McIlvaine on Barrett Kent: "He's really good. He's a guy we talked about a little bit earlier in the day and things didn't really go his way, so we were able to grab him. High school kid from Texas. Right-handed pitcher. Big kid. Six-four. Long, loose. Four pitches. We think he's a starter. We're really excited to have him. We did a lot of work on him this year. He kind of stumbled out of the gates and found his footing about halfway through and finished up really strong. He came to a workout we had in Dallas and threw for us there. We really got to spend a lot of time with him and figure out what he was like as a kid. We couldn't be more excited to have him."
Barrett Kent 2023 high school statistics via MaxPreps: N/A
 
Chase Gockel, RHP, Quincy University - 9th Round, 264th Overall
Gockel was a grad student at Quincy this spring after spending scattered time with Charleston Southern and Illinois State. Praised for his off-season strength-and-conditioning, Gockel saw a velocity spike over the fall and winter that carried into the spring. His fastball now sits in the mid 90's, up to 98, with some heaviness down in the zone and some lively cut up in the zone with more of a "let it ride" control-over-command feel for the pitch. The fastball dominated Division-2 hitters and he was near untouchable because of it. He'll incorporate a mid-70's slider that adds some shape and life when he throws it in a higher velocity range, but it has a fair amount of inconsistencies that make it a fringier offering that could be a development focus. There's some violence in Gockel's near over-the-top delivery and command will have to improve for him to be more than a power thrower.
Tim McIlvaine on Chase Gockel: “Big arm from Quincy. He came to our workout in Dallas and threw really well there. He's been up to 98 in the past and was 93-95 for us at the workout. It’s a good arm and he’s had some struggles before that but seemed to kind of figure it out a little bit. He got a little bit stronger this past year and he threw the ball really well for us.”
Chase Gockel 2023 NCAA Divison-2 statistics: 32.0 IP, 3-0, 2.25 ERA, 4 SV, 3.4 H/9, 5.6 BB/9, 16.0 K/9
 
Chris Barraza, RHP, Arizona - 10th Round, 294th Overall
Barraza is a fifth-year senior with a fastball dominant arsenal. Everything with Barraza starts and ends with his fastball which is thrown in the low-to-mid 90's with significant carry and was near unhittable this spring. It's a dominant pitch with carrying traits that he has shown the ability to command, particularly up in the zone, and get chases above the eye level. He has a power slider with a soft and short break making it hittable and predictable if not tunneled well off his fastball. Undersized at six-foot with a two-pitch (maybe one-pitch) arsenal and aggression with the fastball, Barraza has some quick-moving relief-only traits but will have to reshape his breaking ball and find better command of it as well. Arizona has seen a flourish of pitchers hit pro ball and see the shape of their pitches -- whether it be the fastball or breaking pitch -- be altered which has helped them find more success with professional development, most notably with the Angels: Chase Silseth. The same could be said of Rays 2023 sixth-round selection, T.J. Nichols.
Chris Barraza 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 29.0 IP, 5-2, 6.52 ERA, 1 SV, 11.5 H/9, 5.0 BB/9, 12.1 K/9
 
John Wimmer, SS, Rick Hill HS (SC) - 11th Round, 324th Overall
Wimmer is an athletic South Carolina prep shortstop with some offensive spark plug upside. He has a whippy swing from the right side that is more compact in batting practice and loosens up in game where he's a bit more level-plane barrel focused, giving him more all fields contact. He can get pull-happy with his quick hip turn and swing over top of pitches when getting more intentful, which is fairly typical from a prep hitter, and that steadily improved over this spring as he fared well against some more challenging prep arms. Wimmer has some present average-or-better bat speed and ability to hit the ball with authority. There's plenty of room to fill into his six-foot-one, 170-pound frame giving some power projection though it may be more hard-contact to the gaps rather than over-the-fence prowess with some fringe overall power projection which plays more to his gap-to-gap approach. Wimmer is an average-or-better runner with athleticism, standard actions, and footwork to stick at shortstop through development, and see how he adjusts to the game getting quicker with a potential move to second base where his arm would play well. There are a lot of rudimentary aspects to Wimmer's overall game that come standard with most preps, but there are some upside tools to see a big league regular at a premium position as he fills out physically. Wimmer, one of two prep selections by the Angels, is committed to The Citadel.
Tim McIlvaine on John Wimmer: "Really athletic high school shortstop. A guy we kind of targeted and knew fell a little bit because of the price tag and we had an opportunity to make this marriage work, and we did that. He's a great kid. He can really play defense. The bat is coming along well. There's good life in the body. He came to our workout in Atlanta, and we met him there and watched him against everybody else and sized up against everybody else. We're really excited to get him. We think there's a lot of ceiling left with him."
John Wimmer 2023 high school statistics via MaxPreps: N/A
 
Sam Brown, 1B, Washington State - 12th Round, 354th Overall
Brown transferred to Washington State for his junior year after two decent years at Portland. He has an active load that creates rhythm in his uphill left-handed swing. The bat plane and natural strength packed into his six-foot-two, 218-pound frame give him some moderate power projection while his ability to find the barrel allow him to tap into his power, but also take away from some intent making him more of a balanced average-and-power guy. Brown shows a balanced approach with some minimal swing-and-miss and chase. Brown is a good defender at first base with some athleticism to test him in the corner outfield, but his final destination will be first. He was named to the All-Pac-12 team in 2023 after hitting .374 with a 1.155 OPS and 11 home runs, with above-average offensive career numbers. Steady performers like Brown tend to be good bets through development, and the offensive tools could give some first base platoon upside.
Tim McIlvaine on Sam Brown: "Strong left-handed hitter from Washington State. It's a good-looking swing with some pop. That's what we're hoping he just continues doing is hitting. That's why we took him. We're hoping he just continues to hit."
Sam Brown 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 241 PA, .374/.481/.674, 38 R, 11 HR, 58 RBI, 5 SB, 11.2 BB%, 13.7 K%
 
Riley Bauman, RHP, Abilene Christian - 13th Round, 384th Overall
Bauman transferred to Abilene Christian after a lackluster freshman campaign at Navarro College and made four appearances with the Wildcats before requiring Tommy John surgery, which made him miss the entirety of the 2023 season. The Angels are banking on on-mound athleticism and a power arsenal shown post-surgery. Bauman, a six-foot right-handed pitcher, was working 94-97 with his fastball as recently as June, featuring notable run to his glove side and carry up in the zone. He was up to 98 in a private workout with the Angels. Bauman shows some feel for two off-speed pitches in a fringy short two-plane slider and a curveball he's added power and shape to from previous years, with both breakers sitting in the low 80's. The command of his off-speed will need to improve at the next level. Bauman has a loose arm and showed decent command in recent workouts though his track record indicates he'll need to seriously refine his command and control with some problematic walks and pitches in the zone being hammered, but he has the athletic markers to see this improve. There are a lot of questions about Bauman's overall package with a limited track record and a healthy return should answer some of those questions quickly, though his command may waver initially as he gets back to some body and motion memory. The Angels plan on using Bauman as a starter due to his athleticism and three (or four) pitches, but with his limited size and a power arsenal with limited track record of strikes, he looks more like a reliever in projection.
Tim McIlvaine on Riley Bauman: "Athletic right-handed pitcher. He's coming off of Tommy John but our guy, K.J. Hendricks, had known him from the past before that and kind of caught up with him while he's been in the rehabbing process. It was coming out of his hand really good. He's got three or four pitches. We think he's going to be able to start. He's athletic and been up to 98 recently in a workout for us. We think there's a lot to tap into here."
Riley Bauman 2023 NCAA Divison-1 statistics: N/A (Did not pitch due to Tommy John surgery)
 
Zach Joyce, RHP, Tennessee - 14th Round, 414th Overall
One of the best feel-good stories of the entirety of the 2023 Draft, Zach Joyce is an easy to cheer for reliever, particularly, for Angels brass. The twin-brother of Angels hurler, Ben, was a pitching prospect during his time at Walters State in 2019 and 2020 and transferred to Tennessee with his brother but not before going down with Tommy John surgery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Joyce was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety and walked away from baseball to address his mental health. Missing the entirety of the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to Tommy John recovery and his diagnosis, Joyce was open about his depression and anxiety and found assistance through therapy, leading to a return to the mound in 2023 with Tennessee. Joyce came out of the gate throwing 95 and touched as high as 98 over the spring with some life to his fastball, paired with a mid-80's slider/cutter. Subtracting the unicorn-like velocity, the younger Joyce brother has similar collegiate traits to Ben with a two-pitch arsenal based more on velocity and separation while working around the zone, with size in his six-foot-four, 225-pound frame to continue holding velocity. There's untapped upside in the college reliever with a small track record, with hopes of having a pair of power relief brothers near the middle-to-backend of the bullpen.
Tim McIlvaine on Zach Joyce: "The first time I saw both (Zach and Ben) they were both at Walters State. I want to say it was 2019, maybe. I was at a tournament at Lipscomb University and there was a junior college tournament going on there and I saw both of them that day and I thought both of them were really talented. Ben kind of took off a little quicker and then Zach had Tommy John and had to recover from that, then took the year off. I saw him this year at Tennessee and he looked great. He was throwing the ball really well. Spinning the ball really well. Then the velocity started climbing back up. He was up to 95, 96, 97, 98 even. He's back. It's great to see after taking a little bit of time but he's got the injuries behind him. He has the (depression and anxiety) behind him. It's all full throttle ahead for him now. We are really excited to have him. The story of it being with Ben and being his brother is great but that was a guy that regardless of any connections to the Angels, I was targeting him as a guy that could help us for sure. The story now with Ben could be awesome at some point as well but he's a really talented kid. We're excited to get him -- lucky to get him."
Zach Joyce 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 10.1 IP, 1-0, 4.35 ERA, 7.8 H/9, 1.7 BB/9, 14.8 K/9
 
Caleb Ketchup, SS, Lipscomb - 15th Round, 444th Overall
Ketchup is an undersized do-it-all athlete with an up-the-middle future. Ketchup has a simple stroke from the right side that stays compact through contact. Listed at five-foot-eleven and 160-pounds, there is a lot of physical development remaining though he has some wiry strength while his size may limit him to fringy or below-average power and be more of a gap-to-gap hitter limiting his offensive impact. With an approach more oriented to contact, there are no glaring issues in his walk or strikeout rates with some natural mid-major collegiate balance. Ketchup is a gifted defensive shortstop with excellent range, with feet that operate like a one-cut halfback (which he played in high school as well as defensive back). He can throw from multiple angles with some mustard... (shoutout Jeff Johnson for this awesome joke) giving confidence to his long-term ability at the premium position. He is a plus runner who has more gusto once underway and is aggressive on the base paths making him a constant stolen base threat. Pending the growth of his offensive impact there are some carrying tools here between his defense and speed with table setting traits through development and some bench and versatility upside.
Tim McIlvaine on Caleb Ketchup: "Athletic kid. Younger body still but room for some strength. Hit 17 homers this year and stole over 30 bases. Can play shortstop. It's a guy we're pretty excited about. He can do a lot of different things. Once he puts a little more strength on the body, I think we'll see a little bit more from him."
Caleb Ketchup 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 306 PA, .255/.375/.534, 68 R, 17 HR, 45 RBI, 31 SB, 14.4 BB%, 17.6 K%
 
Rio Foster, OF, Florence-Darlington Tech (SC) - 16th Round, 474th Overall
Foster is a high-ceiling junior college corner with strong athleticism and physicality. He hits from the right side with an active setup and a loose-and-whippy cut. There are some moving parts to his swing which should be a development focus to tap into his power projection aided by present strength and bat speed and should only improve as he fills his athletic six-foot-four, 205-pound frame. Foster is an above-average runner with aggression on the base paths and will steal his fair share of bags. He's an athletic fielder who should be able to cover ground in the outfield and has played on the dirt in the past. The hit tool will have to improve for Foster to reach any ceiling but power and speed profiles like this tend to balance out during development as they focus on other traits of their game. Scouts praise Foster's work ethic and the athleticism is evident giving some confidence to tapping into some upside.
Tim McIlvaine on Rio Foster: "He's kind of a power and speed type with some ceiling to him. Still gotta get to where the hit tool is going to play, and I think it will because he's a smart kid. He's a hard worker. He's got some ceiling. There's room to put some really good weight on him and get him stronger."
Rio Foster 2023 NJCAA statistics: 212 PA, .386/.481/.665, 60 R, 10 HR, 53 RBI, 39 SB, 11.8 BB%, 13.2 K%
 
Logan Britt, RHP, Abilene Christian - 17th Round, 504th Overall
Britt has been around prospect circles for some time after showing big power projection as a Texas prep. He's spent his entire collegiate career as an outfielder for three years at Texas A&M and this last spring with Abilene Christian, but the Angels are planning on sending him out as a pitcher after throwing at a private workout. It's an immensely short track record of Britt's pitching as he only faced three batters on the mound while in college, walking two and allowing a hit to the other. Britt has a strong arm with accuracy from the outfield, but little is known about him on the mound. In high school, Britt touched 90 as a pitcher and threw over 98 from the outfield (via Perfect Game, 2019).
Tim McIlvaine on Logan Britt: "He's a guy who's been a position player for most of his career and pitched a little bit in the past. For us he's going to pitch. We worked him out in a workout before the draft and really liked the way he looked. He was probably going to be drafted as a position player if we didn't take him as a pitcher but we're going to put him on the mound and turn him loose."
Logan Britt 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 0.0 IP, 3 BF, 2 BB, 1 H, 1 ER
 
Dalton Kendrick, LHP, Memphis - 18th Round, 534th Overall
Kendrick was a four-year reliever for Memphis and served as their closer his junior and senior seasons. He's a deceptive hard-throwing southpaw with a lively low-to-mid 90's fastball and snappy curveball. He has a track record of throwing strikes and could be a quick mover through development. His 12 saves ranked ninth across Division-1 baseball in 2023 and earned First Team All-ACC honors.
Tim McIlvaine on Dalton Kendrick: "He was a closer for Memphis. Struck out 55 in 45 innings this year. I think he was leading the country in saves for a little while. I don't know if he ended up with the lead, but he comes in and just gets outs which is what we like."
Dalton Kendrick 2023 NCAA Division-1 statistics: 45.1 IP, 2-3, 3.38 ERA, 12 SV, 5.6 H/9, 2.6 BB/9, 10.9 K/9
 
Raudi Rodriguez, OF, Georgia Premier Academy (GA) - 19th Round, 564th Overall
Rodriguez is a Dominican-born outfielder who performed well at prep showcases and against some premier Georgia prep arms. He swings with intent from the right side with a loose swing and level bat path and strength to manipulate the barrel. There is present strength in the six-foot, 190-pound profile and plenty of power projection with his mold and cut, though he is currently a gap hitter with loud metrics. His timing isn't always consistent, and his long swing may lead to a questionable hit tool and serious refinement to tap into his offensive upside. He has an aggressive approach. Rodriguez is a plus-plus runner who utilizes that speed in the outfield field and backs it up with a plus arm that would profile well in right field though there's a non-zero chance of him staying a center fielder due to his athleticism. There are plenty of tools to dream on, especially pending how he physically matures, with the hit tool being the focus and a speedy bench outfielder profile. Rodriguez is committed to South Carolina and would be a draft-eligible freshman in next year’s draft.
Raudi Rodriguez 2023 HS statistics via MaxPreps: 129 PA, .352/.473/.485, 25 R, 1 HR, 14 RBI, 9 SB, 16.3 BB%, 19.4 K%
 
Mac McCroskey, SS, Oral Roberts - 20th Round, 594th Overall
McCroskey is a redshirt-senior who bounced around the JUCO ranks from Crowley CC (TX) and Eastern Oklahoma State before landing at Oral Roberts for two years with his high school middle infield counterpart, Blaze Brothers, and helped lead the Golden Eagles to their second trip in program history to the College World Series. McCroskey has a flat-plane swing from the right side and is focused on making hard contact while altering his path to get uphill and drive the ball over the fence on occasion. He's a sound middle infielder with athleticism and a good internal clock giving some faith to sticking at the premium position. Late day three seniors don't always have the sexiest profiles and blend through development but there's enough to like in the general tools to see some bench upside in McCroskey. McCroskey's leadership qualities have been praised by his college coaches and teammates and was a drawing off-the-field tool for the Angels.
Tim McIlvaine on Mac McCroskey: "Shortstop from Oral Roberts who was in the College World Series. He's a really good leader with an infectious approach, personality. He can play shortstop and has some ability with the bat as well."
Mac McCroskey 2023 NCAA Divison-1 statistics: 318 PA, .314/.392/.520, 67 R, 14 H, 64 RBI, 17 SB, 10.7 BB%, 14.5 K%
 
UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
To the point of finalizing this this recap, the Angels have signed nine non-drafted free agents to minor league contracts. I wrote over 900 mini-reports on players with the majority of unselected being high school players, but three of the Angels NDFA's did appear in my pre-draft notebook. Landon Wallace, an outfielder from West Virginia, was a steady three-year performer between WVU and Nevada who is an above-average runner with a rhythmic right-handed swing and good feel for the barrel with some fringe power projection and versatile outfield defense. Will Christopherson, a right-handed pitcher for Iowa, is a physical reliever with a low 90's fastball with cut and a sweeping slider that could be a plus swing-and-miss weapon. Caleb Bartolero, a catcher from Troy, is a fifth-year senior with right-handed power upside and a strong arm behind the plate but lacks the actions for long term confidence and a 1B/LF outlook where the bat will have more focus. Andy Blake, a shortstop from Columbia, was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2023. The current Angels undrafted free agents look as such:
- RHP Will Christopherson, Iowa
- RHP Ben Thompson, Troy
- LHP Cameron Tullar, Western Kentucky
- C Caleb Bartolero, Troy
- C Peter Burns, Boston College
- C Caleb Pendleton, Florida Atlantic
- IF Will McGillis, South Carolina
- SS Andy Blake, Columbia
- OF Landon Wallace, West Virginia
Tim McIlvaine on undrafted free agents: "It's tough when (the draft) is only 20 rounds. There's plenty of talented kids that can certainly be drafted and can go out into pro ball and endless stories of Major Leaguers that have made it after the 20th round. In preparing for the second half of (the third day), rounds 16-20, we had it all kind of lined up. All the names of guys we maybe would have drafted, we still consider signing them after the draft. We've already made contact with a lot of guys trying to get that process going and I think we'll sign a handful of guys after the draft as well. You have to have it ready to go because there's 29 other teams that have seen these guys too. We have targets that we've liked. We have a few guys that I think we've already reached out to and talked pretty far down the road with already. As soon as that 20th round is over you have to be on your toes and ready for it because a lot of these kids are going to get calls from everybody. With it being 20 rounds there are certainly guys that are deserving of being drafted and for us it's just figuring who is the best fit for us."