Angels 'close to balanced foundation' after Draft
Position players take organization's focus in 2015
ANAHEIM -- The Angels entered the 2015 Draft in search of bats, then selected a position player with 25 of their 40 picks over the last three days, a drastic, necessary change in philosophy after back-to-back pitcher-heavy Drafts.
The Angels drafted a pitcher with 10 of their first 11 picks in 2013 and each of their first five in 2014. In 2015, eight of their first nine picks and 12 of their first 14 were position players. They finished Day 3 by selecting a college senior with 13 of their final 28 selections.
Now, Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said, "We're getting very close to a balanced foundation."
The farm system was in need of a major replenishment around the time Jerry Dipoto took over as general manager after the 2011 season, and the Angels wanted to stabilize it first with pitching, because it's the more valuable commodity and it generally takes a little longer to develop.
This was the year they could finally address the other half.
"We laid down a strong foundation of pitching over the last couple years, and these last three days we hit it hard on the positions," Dipoto said. "I really feel strongly about the group we put together."
• Angels draft GM Dipoto's son
The Angels mostly played it safe, as usual, drafting eight teenagers and 22 college seniors.
But they like some of the high-upside potential they acquired from the high-school ranks, too. Like second-round pick Jahmai Jones, a center fielder with a football background and great athleticism. Or 11th-round pick Jimmy Barnes, a power hitter whom Dipoto called "a cross between Jermaine Dye and Chris Carter." Or 12th-round pick Dalton Blumenfield, a catcher who's 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds. Or 17th-round pick Samuel Pastrone, a right-hander who's up to 97 mph with his fastball.
• Angels draft brother of Trout's girlfriend
The Angels turned heads by drafting the son of Jamie Moyer (Pepperdine University second baseman Hutton Moyer), the brother of Mike Trout's longtime girlfriend (Gannon University right-hander Aaron Cox) and the son of Dipoto himself (Newport High right-hander Jonah Dipoto).
Video: Draft 2015: Angels draft 2B Hutton Moyer No. 225
They were also criticized for using their first-round pick on Taylor Ward, the Fresno State catcher they had ranked a lot higher than most others.
"Doing some of the stuff we did early opened us up to do some of the things we did from [rounds] 11 to 15," Wilson said. "There was a strategy to it. People sort of look at us cross-eyed when we do things, but there was definitely a plan to it. In time, it'll all show itself."