SEC Tested, Contact Approved: Inside the Angels’ New Draft Blueprint

Scouting Director Tim Mcllvaine was empowered by new head of baseball operations John Mozeliak to run the room the way Mcllvaine envisioned. Not only is the dynamic of how the room operates changed, it is also clear Mcllvaine has a very different philosophy when scouting players and evalutating talent.

On a Zoom chat after the Angels broke a seven year stretch of drafting low ceiling college players, Mcllvaine was asked about tools he prefers in prospects and he immediately named contact.

"None of that other stuff matters if you can't hit the ball," said Mcllvaine as the room discussed power, speed, and other projections for first rounder Jared Gindlinger.

At the time he made that comment the Angels had only made one selection in the draft. The following five picks proved just how committed Mcllvaine is to bringing in players who put the ball in play. Each player come from a power conference, usually the SEC, and each player is known for having a solid approach at the plate and making contact.

Jarren Advincula, Rylan Lujo, and Jaxon Willits are contact machines.

In reading through the scouting reports for these three players there are a lot of familiar refrains. All three of them are known for having advanced approaches at the plate, rarely expanding the strike zone, and carrying high batting averages and on base percentages.

The proof is in their stats. These are players who look to put the ball in play rather than swing for the fences three times then walk back to the dugout when they don't make contact.

Advincula played in a very tough ACC for Georgia Tech and hit an incredible .434 and got on base safely 50.2% of the time. That batting average led all of Divsion I baseball players.

Rylan Lujo played in the toughest conference in the country, the SEC, and hit .357 with a .427 on base percentage. Lujo (above) was the center fielder for Georgia.

Willits, the son of former Angel Reggie Willits, his .313 with a .407 on base percentage. He also played in the SEC and played a respectable shortstop. Another SEC player, Willits suited up for the National Champion Oklahoma Sooners.

Gavin Grahovic improved his contact rate and carries thump.

On the surface, Grahovic might look like the outlier in the group. Over three seasons at Texas A&M the Orange County product struck out 23.3% of the time. Power was his calling card and he flashed plenty of that early, setting a freshman record at the school with 23 long balls.

But over time, Grahovic's plate discipline improved. His freshman year he K'd 29% of the time. As a sophomore that dropped to 23.1%. He only played six games that season, but that figure slides in nicely with his overall trend.

Last season as a junior he cracked 22 home runs, only one off his freshman peak. However, he only struck out 16.5% of the time. That is a clear sign of a player enhancing his approach at the plate without sacrificing power.

The SEC is well represented and for good reason.

May 29, 2026; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs outfielder Rylan Lujo (8) bats against the Liberty Flames at Foley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

SEC baseball is incredible to watch. The talent level and fan engagement are head and shoulders above the rest of the nation. Putting up quality numbers in the SEC means a little more than doing so in other conferences.

Raiding the SEC is not new for the Angels. Christian Moore, Chase Shores, Chris Cortez, and a host of others have joined the Angels in recent years. The conference is simply so rich with talent that is should be prioritized.

It is also notable that every player came from a winning program that had serious College World Series expectations, and in Willts case won it. Jarren Advincula played at ACC powerhouse Georgia Tech who entered the postseason as the second seed.

Is a new era in Angels baseball in store?

It is no secret the Angels lead Major League Baseball in strikeouts. The boom or bust philosphy of three true outcomes baseball is outdated and the contact approach is coming back into play. The Angels have been behind the curve in adapting and it is killing them.

However, a new draft that emphasizes the best players available and contact rate could be the first step in a brighter future for the Angels. Countless raw athletes and guys who can hit the ball a mile on the rare chance they actually make contact have been drafted.

But as Mcllvaine says, none of that power or athleticism comes into play unless you make contact. It is really worth noting that the Angels franchise leader in both runs scored and RBI is Garret Anderson who was not a home run machine. He hit doubles, cashed in whoever was on base, then stood in scoring position for the next guy to drive in.

It would be foolish to predict any of these players becoming the next Garret Anderson. But it is proof that there are many ways to score in baseball. But they all involve getting on base safely and almost alwasy require putting the ball in play.

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