Angels Mock Draft: New Report Signals Huge Change in Draft Philosophy

The last time the Angels selected a high school player with their first pick in the MLB Draft was 2018, when Jordyn Adams was announced with the No. 17 pick.

Adams reached the big leagues and played 38 games, but it's a stretch to call the pick a success. Adams is now retired from baseball and playing college football at SMU.

Could this be the year the Angels finally dip back into the high school ranks?

The Angels hold the No. 12 pick Saturday. In his latest mock draft, Keith Law of The Athletic has them taking outfielder Derek Curiel of LSU. Curiel is a tantalizing prospect — more on him in a bit — but the more interesting tidbit in Law's report was this: "I believe they’re in on Gio Rojas and Liam Peterson, could be a sleeper on Justin Lebron and should be in on Ryder Helfrick."

Rojas is a left-handed pitcher from Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. Law believes he's the best high school pitcher in the 2026 class. And while he's projected to go to the Braves at No. 9 in Law's latest mock draft, Baseball America suggested Rojas could go as high as No. 6 to the Kansas City Royals.

The fact that the Angels are keeping an eye on Rojas at all is the surest sign yet that the Perry Minasian era is over. Minasian, who was fired in June. Interim GM John Mozeliak doesn't have much time to assess the scouting reports the Angels have prepared leading up to the draft.

"Now it’s in the hands of the scouting department, which is a good thing for the Angels, given their spotty drafts the last few years," Law wrote.

Drafts are causal events that depend heavily on teams' individual needs and signing bonus allotments as much as talent. The first player chosen is not always the best available — a train of logic that chugs along until the last player is chosen.

Curiel, an Orange County native, was the leading hitter on LSU's College World Series team as a freshman (.345/.470/.519). Comparing him to "Christian Yelich at the same age," MLB Pipeline described Curiel as "a lean left-handed hitter with excellent bat-to-ball skills (who) uses a fluid stroke and mature approach to spray hard line drives all over the field."

If the Angels can grab the next Yelich at No. 12, that would be an obvious win in the long run. If they can do better — even if it means waiting for a younger pitcher who might need more time in the minor leagues — that would be an even bigger win.

Add us as a preferred source on Google