Angels break recent Draft streak, take SoCal high schooler Grindlinger at No. 12

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Angels broke a seven-year streak of selecting a college player with their first pick in the Draft, as they went with local product Jared Grindlinger from nearby Huntington Beach High School with the No. 12 overall selection on Saturday.

Grindlinger, MLB Pipeline’s No. 16 prospect, was a two-way star in high school as a left fielder and left-handed pitcher. His profile is the type that scouts dream of -- a legitimate candidate to try both pitching and hitting at the next level -- and he’s one of the youngest players in this year’s Draft (he turned 17 in April). But the Angels are going to have him start out as an outfielder to begin his pro career because they want to see his bat develop before they potentially give him a chance to pitch.

“We are going to run him out as a hitter to start with, and then we will see where that takes us,” scouting director Tim McIlvaine said. “And I've had some conversations with player development about him as a pitcher as well at some point, but for right now, we're going to run him out as a hitter, let him play the outfield, and run from there.”

It marked a change in philosophy after dismissing general manager Perry Minasian and hiring John Mozeliak as interim GM in late June.

The last time the Angels selected a high school player with their first pick was in 2018, when they took outfielder Jordyn Adams with the No. 17 overall selection. Otherwise, they took a string of college players in the first round for seven straight years -- Will Wilson (2019), Reid Detmers ('20), Sam Bachman ('21), Zach Neto ('22), Nolan Schanuel ('23), Christian Moore ('24) and Tyler Bremner ('25).

“Since Mo has come in, you know, he really empowered me to run the room the way I want to run the room,” McIlvaine said. “Perry did it his way, which was a good way, and everything he did was fine as well. Mo came in, and he basically said, ‘It's yours.’”

According to Pipeline and the evaluators they spoke to, Grindlinger seems a likelier bet to stick on the mound, and there’s still a chance he could end up there or even serve as a two-way player. As with any high school pitcher, there’s tons of projection baked into Grindlinger’s development but that shouldn’t be a slight on his current profile.

On the 20-80 scouting scale, Pipeline gives the lefty a 55 grade, with a bevy of pitches grading out well above average. It starts with a 60-grade fastball, one that sits in the low-90s but has touched 96 mph. Given his 6-foot-3 frame, it’s easy to think he could add significant velocity in the coming years. McIlvaine said he believes Grindlinger had first-round ability as a pitcher as a result.

“He might have been able to be a first-rounder as a pitcher, it's really good,” McIlvaine said. “Anywhere from 90 to 95 [mph velocity]. He's got a changeup. He's got a slider that he really commands well.”

While he has skills on the mound, Grindlinger has also blossomed as a real hitting prospect. With a strong feel to hit (50 grade), Grindlinger’s profile has a strong base and some room for his power (40 grade) to improve as he grows into his frame. If he were to solely stick with hitting, Grindlinger has a traditional first-base/corner outfield profile. But they also plan to give him some reps in center to see how he handles it.

Grindlinger has a collegiate commitment to play both ways at Tennessee, where his brother Trent is playing. But the Angels aren’t expected to have any issues signing him. The pick carries a slot value of $5.89 million.

“It's exciting,” McIlvaine said. “He was so pumped when I called him. He's a hometown kid and couldn't be more excited for all this.”