Report: Angels agree with 5th-round Draft pick

June 17th, 2020

ANAHEIM -- The Angels agreed to terms with fifth-rounder Adam Seminaris on an under-slot deal worth $140,000, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo. Seminaris is the first of the club’s four selections in the 2020 Draft to agree to terms on a deal.

The pick value for Seminaris, a left-hander from Long Beach State, was $390,400 as the No. 141 overall selection but the Angels saved roughly $250,000 to use on other selections. The Angels could use those savings on No. 10 overall selection Reid Detmers, or third-rounder David Calabrese and fourth-rounder Werner Blakely, who are both athletic high schoolers. Calabrese is committed to Arkansas while Blakely is committed to Auburn. The Angels, though, are expected to sign all four picks, according to director of amateur scouting Matt Swanson.

Seminaris, 21, is considered a classic lefty with some funk in his delivery and a four-pitch mix. Seminaris doesn't light up the radar gun but projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter because of his ability to throw strikes. He's also a local product from nearby Chino Hills and attended Ayala High School before playing at Long Beach State.

In his three years as a Dirtbag, Seminaris posted a 3.58 ERA with 154 strikeouts and 43 walks in 173 2/3 innings, including a 1.23 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 22 innings as a junior before the coronavirus pandemic forced the season to end early.

“His coach, Eric Valenzuela, and I have had a relationship for a number of years, and he gave a very strong vote of confidence on Adam,” Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Friday. “We’re excited to get him in the fold. He was off to a really strong season before it got cut short. It’s exciting to get a guy with that kind of feel into the organization. And it’s also good to draft a local kid and so a lot of people feel good about that as well.”