LA Angels Draft Preview: Three Pitchers the Halos Should Target in the First Round

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BOSTON, MA – OCTOBER 23: Chris Sale #41 of the Boston Red Sox delivers the pitch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game One of the 2018 World Series at Fenway Park on October 23, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Charles Krupa – Pool/Gettyimages) /

In our third installment of the LA Angels MLB Draft preview, we’ll be taking a look at three pitchers the Halos could be looking at in the first round.

The LA Angels have seen major upgrade to their farm system since general manager Billy Eppler has taken over. However, even with top prospects Griffin Canning and Jose Suarez, there is always a need for more pitchers in an organization, especially in Anaheim.

Last week we took a look at local boy Spencer Jones, who is the perfect two-way prospect for the Angels to draft to continue their reimagining of baseball. This week, however, we’ll stick to players who make all of their impact on the mound.

Spencer Jones is the Perfect Prospect for LA Angels. Must Read

Nick Lodolo, LHP

A 21-year old out of Texas Christian University, Nick Lodolo is a rather interesting prospect. He came into the 2019 season as a fringe first round guy, but has been absolutely dominant so far in 2019. Through five starts, he has posted a 1.36 ERA, striking out an absurd 46 batters in 33 innings.

Before this season, the expectations of Lodolo were always great. However, after posting a 4.35 and 4.33 ERA in his freshman and sophomore campaigns, respectively, his impressive three-pitch repertoire has been working hitting on all cylinders this year.

At 6’6” and 185 pounds, Lodolo definitely has room to fill out his frame. The only real knock on his game, which has been much-improved this season, is he seems inconsistent at times with his delivery. His delivery, however, is reminiscent of Chris Sale and can end up a major advantage for him.

In the end, Lodolo may very well pitch himself out of the Angels’ range at No. 15 in June. With his hot start to the season, there is some noise he could be the first college pitcher drafted, possibly as a Top 5 selection. If he finds himself still waiting to be selected halfway through the first round, however, the Angels will need to pounce.

CLEVELAND, OH – APRIL 16: Jason Kipnis #22 of the Cleveland Indians leads off second as starting pitcher Matt Harvey #33 of the New York Mets pitches during the sixth inning at Progressive Field on April 16, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Indians defeated the Mets 7-5. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Jack Leiter, RHP

A very different prospect than Lodolo, pitching has always been easy for Jack Leiter. Turning 19 next month, the Delbarton High School product has more baseball lineage than most, with his father, uncle, and cousin all having spent time on the MLB mound.

Leiter has a case as the best prep arm in the draft this year (and is, in my opinion), and with a commitment to Vanderbilt, will more than likely need to be signed for an offer more than his draft slot.

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He made his name even more well-known that before over the camp season, and has seen his stock climb. A strong end to his high school career could push Leiter very high up on teams’ boards.

His fastball has serious sinking action to it, and while most scouts argue over whether his curveball or slider is a better pitch, they’re already both above-average, especially considering Leiter’s age. His changeup is also an exceptional strikeout pitch against either lefty or righty hitters.

Apart from his frame, Leiter’s advanced arsenal of pitches reminds me of watching new Halo Matt Harvey back in his Dark Knight days. The main similarities, apart from having a variety of plus pitches, is the confidence that Leiter pitches with and Harvey pitched with.

While some teams may be wary about his 6’1”, 195 pound frame, there really isn’t any cause for concern. The Angels showed they’ll draft “undersized” pitchers when they selected Canning (6’2”, 180 pounds), and there’s no reason to believe it’d be an issue for them when evaluating Leiter.

OMAHA, NE – JUNE 27: Pitcher Tyler Dyson #18 of the Florida Gators delivers a pitch against the LSU Tigers in the first inning during game two of the College World Series Championship Series on June 27, 2017 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /

Tyler Dyson, RHP

Over the past half decade or so, no college program has produced more first round pitchers than the University of Florida. Junior pitcher Tyler Dyson is now slated to be among the long list of successful former Gators in the MLB.

After a phenomenal freshman season where he posted a 3.23 ERA in 24 appearances and led the Gators to a national championship, Dyson’s sophomore year was tainted by injury. His numbers all saw a downward trend, but after a full recovery Dyson is well on his way to regaining his status as a surefire first round prospect.

Dyson spent his summer in the Cape Cod League, where he made three starts. Fully recovered from injury, Dyson threw 19 total innings where he allowed five runs (2.36 ERA) while striking out an impressive 23 batters. He did allow 12 hits, which might be more than you’d hope for, but it was an overall encouraging few starts for Dyson.

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Next. Two Catchers Who Could Make Angels' Farm System Elite

In terms of his pitching selection, Dyson has two exceptional pitches. His fastball screams power, and can touch 98 MPH consistently. His most devastating pitch is his slider though, which has come a long way and has the potential to be Gerrit Cole-esque.

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