ANGELS MAKE 16 SELECTIONS ON SECOND DAY OF 2026 MLB FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT
ANAHEIM – The Angels made 16 selections today during the second day of the 2026 First-Year Player Draft. Overall, the Angels picks consisted of 17 college players and three high school players, with eight pitchers, two catchers, five infielders, and five outfielders selected. Additionally, the Angels selected eight players originally from California throughout the Draft.
In the fifth round (141st overall), the Angels selected SS Jaxon Willits from the University of Oklahoma. Willits led Oklahoma to their third national championship in school history after hitting .313 (73/233) with 38 runs scored, 20 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 55 RBI, six stolen bases, and a .922 OPS in 64 games. Willits also set a program record with 13 hits in the College World Series, and was named the CWS Most Outstanding Player for his efforts. Willits is the son of MLB veteran Reggie Willits, who spent six seasons with the Angels from 2006 to 2011, and is the brother of Nationals prospect Eli Willits.
The Angels sixth round selection (170th overall) was RHP Justin Byrd from the University of Georgia. Byrd, 22, pitched to a 6-2 record and 3.73 ERA (62.2 IP – 26 ER) with 77 strikeouts in 27 appearances for the Bulldogs last season. During Georgia’s postseason run, Byrd went 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA (11.1 IP – 1 ER) and two saves with 12 strikeouts in five appearances.
In the seventh round (199th overall), the Angels selected RHP Ryan Hetzler from Auburn University. A Corona, CA native, Hetzler went 4-2 with a 2.43 ERA (37.0 IP – 10 ER) with 38 strikeouts and three saves across 20 appearances (one start) during his junior season in 2026.
The Angels selected C Garrett Wright out of the University of Tennessee in the eighth round (229th overall). Through 49 games in 2026, Wright batted .348 (65/187) with 17 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 30 RBI, and 41 runs scored. Recent notable Angels selections out of the University of Tennessee include Ben Joyce (2022), Christian Moore (2024), and Angels prospect Nate Snead (2025).
In the ninth round (259th overall), the Angels selected RHP Trevor Hansen out of UC Irvine. Across his three seasons with the Anteaters, he led the team with 265 strikeouts across 248 innings pitched and earned 22 wins in his 46 starts. In 2025, he earned All-Big West First Team honors after going 9-3 with a 3.30 ERA (95.1 IP – 35 ER) and 95 strikeouts in 16 starts.
RHP Luc Rising was selected with the Angels 10th round pick (289th overall) out of Northeastern University (Boston, MA). In 16 games (13 starts) for Northeastern, he went 5-5 with a 3.54 ERA (81.1 IP – 32 ER) and 84 strikeouts. He was named to the 2026 All-CAA Second Team and All-CAA Tournament Team.
C Adam Agresti was selected with the Angels 11th round pick (319th overall) out of St. John’s University. Agresti led the Big East Conference with 20 home runs and 14 intentional walks in 2026 and was named to the All-Big East First Team and the ABCA/Rawlings All-Northeast Region Team.
The Angels drafted RHP Jacob Sammis from Glynn Academy (Brunswick, Georgia) with their 12th round selection (349th overall).
In the 13th round (379th overall), the Angels selected OF Jake Long from the University of Utah. A Whittier, CA native, Long batted .374 (79/211) with 16 doubles, 11 home runs and 58 RBI in 51 games for the Utes. He earned All-Big 12 Conference Second Team honors and became the third player in Utah history to hit for the cycle on March 29 vs. Kansas State.
The Halos 14th round selection (409th overall) was RHP Tate McGuire out of the University of Arkansas. McGuire posted a 1-1 record and 4.78 ERA (49.0 IP – 26 ER) with 41 strikeouts in 21 games (eight starts) for the Razorbacks in 2026.
The Angels 15th round pick (439th overall) was SS Cameron Jackson from Georgia Premier Academy in Statesboro, Georgia. Jackson is the third Angels selection out of Georgia Premier Academy in the last four years, following OF Raudi Rodriguez (2023) and INF Ivan Tatis (2025).
In the 16th round (469th overall), the Angels drafted RHP Robert Orloski from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Orloski appeared in one game in 2026, after being named First Team All-AAC in 2025.
With their 17th round selection (499th overall), the Angels selected 2B TJ Grines from the University of Tennessee at Martin. The Ohio Valley Conference Male Athlete of the Year, Grines hit .386 (93/241) with 21 doubles, three triples, 10 HR, 56 RBI and 66 stolen bases in 55 games for the Skyhawks. His 66 steals led all NCAA players (Division I, II or III) and were the most by any Division I player since 2007.
The Angels selected RHP Greyson Chappel from the University of Central Missouri in the 18th round (529th overall). In 2026, Chappel pitched to a 2-3 record with a 2.72 ERA (46.1 IP – 14 ER) with 57 strikeouts across 14 appearances (13 starts).
With their 19th selection (559th overall), the Angels selected OF Jack Salmon from UNLV. In 49 games for the Rebels in 2026, he batted .344 (53/154) with 10 doubles, three HR and 32 RB and his .485 OBP led the team. A Newport Beach native, Salmon prepped at Corona del Mar HS and played collegiately at Golden West College and the University of Hawaii before transferring to UNLV. He is the nephew of Angels Hall of Famer Tim Salmon and the son of former NFL defensive back Mike Salmon.
OF Jake Jackson was selected in the 20th round (589th overall) out of San Diego State University. Through 57 games in his junior season, he batted .338 (78/231) with 18 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs, 49 RBI, 53 runs scored, and a 1.027 OPS. He became the second Aztec in program history to be named the Mountain West Tony Gwynn Player of the Year in 2026.
Below is a list of all Angels selections during the 2026 Draft:
ROUND PLAYER POS. B/T HT. WT. BORN SCHOOL/HOMETOWN
1 (12) Jared Grindlinger OF L/L 6-3 190 4/16/2009 Huntington Beach HS/Huntington Beach, CA
2 (45) Jarren Advincula 2B L/R 6-0 195 1/15/2005 Georgia Tech/Santa Clara, CA
3 (81) Gavin Grahovac 3B R/R 6-3 225 1/2/2005 Texas A&M/Orange, CA
4 (109) Rylan Lujo OF R/R 6-2 195 6/6/2005 Univ. of Georgia/Parkland, FL
5 (141) Jaxon Willits SS S/R 6-0 205 10/27/2004 Univ. of Oklahoma/Fort Cobb, OK
6 (170) Justin Byrd RHP R/R 6-2 205 3/27/2004 Univ. of Georgia/Bogart, GA
7 (199) Ryan Hetzler RHP R/R 6-0 195 1/7/2005 Auburn Univ./Corona, CA
8 (229) Garrett Wright C R/R 6-0 195 7/5/2005 Univ. of Tennessee/Massillon, OH
9 (259) Trevor Hansen RHP R/R 6-2 195 5/17/2005 UC Irvine/Simi Valley, CA
10 (289) Luc Rising RHP R/R 6-2 210 12/11/2003 Northeastern Univ./Exton, PA
11 (319) Adam Agresti C R/R 6-3 235 2/10/2005 St. John’s Univ./Yorktown Heights, NY
12 (349) Jacob Sammis RHP R/R 6-1 195 9/21/2007 Glynn Academy/Waverly, GA
13 (379) Jake Long OF L/R 6-3 215 8/9/2004 Univ. of Utah/Whittier, CA
14 (409) Tate McGuire RHP R/R 6-4 215 8/9/2004 Univ. of Arkansas/Kansas City, MO
15 (439) Cameron Jackson SS S/R 5-11 170 2/18/2008 Georgia Premier Academy/Statesboro, GA
16 (469) Robert Orloski RHP R/R 6-4 195 10/6/2004 Univ. of Texas – San Antonio/Caldwell, ID
17 (499) TJ Grines 2B R/R 5-9 185 9/12/2003 Univ. of Tennessee – Martin/Alexandria, LA
18 (529) Greyson Chappel RHP R/R 6-8 255 2/3/2005 Univ. of Central Missouri/Shawnee, KS
19 (559) Jack Salmon OF L/R 6-3 210 4/24/2004 Univ. of Nevada, Las Vegas/Newport Beach, CA
20 (589) Jake Jackson OF R/R 6-6 215 6/25/2004 San Diego State Univ./El Cajon, CA
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