Los Angeles Angels 2024 MLB Draft Review

Draft Theme: Quick-moving collegians

This is nothing new for the Angels, who are as aggressive about drafting and pushing prospects up the minor league ladder as you can get. It would be unsurprising for No. 8 overall pick Christian Moore to move quickly, and after that selection, the team drafted a number of college arms who could also move fast. RHP Chris Cortez has premium fastball velocity and life and could move in a bullpen role, RHP Ryan Johnson looks like a reliever but pitches like a starter and turns 22 shortly after the draft, LHP Ryan Prager is an advanced strike-thrower with deception and RHP Bridger Holmes is a sidearming reliever who could also move quickly.

Most Interesting Day 2 Pick: RHP Bridger Holmes, 7th round

Holmes is a 6-foot-4, 218-pound righthanded reliever who throws from a sidearm slot. He pitched with Feather River (Calif.) JC before moving to Oregon State for the 2024 season where he has been a lockdown reliever early in the year. Through his first 10 innings, Holmes has struck out 16 batters, walked one and not allowed a run. He pitches off a high-spin slider around 80 mph instead of a fastball and has gotten nearly a 50% miss rate on the pitch. Holmes does throw a low-90s fastball that has been up to 94, but he uses it more to complement the slider rather than vice versa. It’s a straight reliever profile in pro ball, but Holmes’ ability to spin the ball and his unique low arm slot could make him an interesting pen option.

Most Interesting Day 3 Pick: RHP Trey Gregory-Alford, 11th round

Gregory-Alford is a power-framed pitcher with power stuff to match. A physically developed 6-foot-5, 235-pound righthander, he regularly pitched in the mid 90s during the showcase circuit in 2023 and consistently reached back for 97-98 mph. His heater is one of the loudest in the prep class and he also showed triple-digit velocity during the 2024 spring season. He throws the pitch with tons of arm speed, and it also features running armside life that will make it even more of a headache for opposing batters. Gregory-Alford’s slider is equally advanced and consistently sits in the mid 80s with a fastball look out of his hand before snapping off with impressive late tilt to dive under barrels. He has used the pitch for whiffs in the zone and chases below it. The plus fastball/slider combo is Gregory-Alford’s bread and butter, but he’s also mixed in the occasional mid-80s changeup that will need to improve significantly to get to the same level. Gregory-Alford has a track record as a scattered strike-thrower, but he did a nice job cleaning up his delivery over the offseason and threw solid strikes this spring. There’s still a bit of reliever risk, but less than there was six months ago. Gregory-Alford is committed to Virginia but is a top-three rounds talent.