In Memory of Tyler Skaggs: Always and Forever an Angel

The Angels almost missed Tyler Skaggs in the 2009 draft; at the time Tyler was debating whether or not he should attend Cal State Fullerton and pursue a college career. The Angels were able to convince him to enter the draft, and given his first round selection by the Angels it’s apparent how highly they valued him and this was before he was even a part of the organization. The Angels made it a mission to make Skaggs one of their own, and looking back at the years past we can see the strength of his destiny drawing him to be in the company of Angels. Tyler Wayne Skaggs was the 40th pick in a draft that saw the Angels nab Mike Trout as well as Patrick Corbin, two fellow Angels that Skaggs would grow incredibly close to and form the bonds of a lifetime.

It is often said that art is an imitation of life and this sentiment couldn’t be any more true with Tyler Skaggs walking this earth as a living, breathing Angel during the precious time we had with him.

His career with the Angels started off strong, so strong that he would only be with the team for a year and a half as he was traded to the Diamondbacks in the middle of the 2010 season. Prior to the trade Skaggs pitched 10 innings of Arizona League and Orem Owlz Rookie Ball in 2009 and maintained a 1.80 ERA with 13 K’s during that short stretch. 2010 saw him pitching 82.1 innings of 3.61 ERA baseball alongside 82 K’s and 21 BB’s with the Angels Class A affiliate, the Cedar Rapid Kernals. Tyler Skaggs ended up rooming with Mike Trout during his time with the Angels Low A affiliate, a time where Skaggs began to make the unbreakable bonds that would affect those around him for a lifetime.

On July 25th, 2010, Tyler Skaggs was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks alongside Patrick Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez, and Joe Saunders for prolific MLB starter Dan Haren. It was at this point that Tyler Skaggs would truly come into himself as a star pitcher. It was this year that would see Skaggs embracing his All-Star potential; all in all he pitched 98.1 innings of 3.29 ERA baseball with 102 K’s in 18 starts (23 games total). Tyler Skaggs was named an All-Star for the Midwest League. At the young age of 18 Skaggs was already making waves in the world of baseball.

Things would only get bigger for the young star as his 2011 season within the Diamondbacks organization saw him receive accolade after accolade. That 2011 season saw Skaggs hold down a 2.96 ERA in 158.1 IP alongside 198 K’s , after that performance he was named the D’backs MiLB pitcher of the year as well as given a bid to start that years Futures Game. On top of that he was named to Baseball Americas MiLB All-Star team as well being named as the D’backs 2nd best prospect by the same publication.

This would be the final step between Skaggs grinding away in the Minors and making it in the big leagues