MLB draft: Angels take a chance with late picks of 2 heralded high school pitchers

The Angels will try to offer enough money to convince right-hander Trey Gregory-Alford to forgo a scholarship to Virginia and right-hander Connor Gatwood to pass on playing at Auburn.

The Angels took some gambles on the third and final day of the MLB draft on Tuesday.

The Angels selected two high school pitchers who were considered top prospects but slipped in the draft because of commitments to major college programs.

“We’re not going to have a ton of money left, but we’re gonna make a good run to at least get one,” scouting director Tim McIlvaine said.

Each team has a predetermined bonus pool to use for all of its picks, and teams will use all of it, plus a slight overage that incurs a tax. Teams often try to save some money on picks in the first 10 rounds to splurge on high-ceiling high school picks in rounds 11-20.

With their 11th-round pick, the Angels took right-hander Trey Gregory-Alford from Colorado Springs. Gregory-Alford, who is signed to play at Virginia, has touched 100 mph with his fastball. At the Draft Combine last month, he threw the seven hardest pitches, topping out at 99.7 mph.

He struck out 94 in 45⅓ innings during his senior year. He also hit .492 and was named Colorado’s Player of the Year.

In the 19th round, the Angels took right-hander Connor Gatwood from Mobile, Alabama. Gatwood, who is committed to Auburn, was considered a second- or third-round talent, with a 98 mph fastball. Gatwood only pitched 15⅔ innings this summer, after breaking his hand while hitting in April.

McIlvaine seemed to indicate that Gregory-Alford was a safer bet to sign.

“We think everything should come together with that one,” McIlvaine said, “which is exciting because he’s a big arm, a big kid. He’s a good kid on top of it.”

The Angels used a similar strategy to get right-hander Caden Dana, who is now their top pitching prospect, in the 11th round of the 2022 draft.

The amount of money the Angels will have to sign Gregory-Alford and Gatwood will become clear as they complete deals with their picks from the first 10 rounds.

First-round pick Christian Moore is expected to sign for less than the $6.5 million slot value of the No. 8 overall pick. The Angels haven’t signed him yet, but McIlvaine said “everything’s moving well, so I don’t see any hiccups with it.”

The Angels also took two college seniors and a graduate student with their eighth- to 10th-round picks. Those players have very little leverage, so they typically sign for minimal bonuses. That frees up money for players on Day 3.

Only the amount of the bonus above $150,000 counts against the pool for players drafted on Day 3.

The other notable selection from the final day of the draft was high school outfielder Lucas Ramirez, the son of former major league star Manny Ramirez. The Angels picked the younger Ramirez in the 17th round. He has signed to play at Tennessee.

“I saw him hit a long home run,” McIlvaine said. “I don’t know if he’s got his dad’s genes or not. I hope he does. We’ll see.”

McIlvaine, who had not addressed any of the Angels’ picks after Moore until Tuesday afternoon, also said they will use second-round pick Chris Cortez and fourth-round pick Austin Gordon as starters in the minors. Both were relievers in college this season, at Texas A&M and Clemson, respectively.

All told, the Angels took 15 pitchers and six position players. They picked five high school players and 16 college players.