Angels drafted a complete unknown but he could blossom into a potential star

While most MLB fans don't even tune into the draft (and very few make it past the first round), the Angels and every other team know the chances at landing a superstar in Round One or later rounds are nearly identical. And while the Angels drafting of Tyler Bremner received a lot of flack,the rest of the draft was near-perfect as Perry Minasian executed his plan to spend big later on. And while the Angels signed all 21 of their draftees, none are more of an unknown that Ivan Tatis Jr., and he may have the absolute highest ceiling as well.

Who is this kid?

Ivan Tatis Jr. is from the Dominican Republic and came to the United States to develop at the Georgia Premier Academy. Since being founded in 2017, the Georgia Premier Academy has now seen six alumni drafted. Tatis Jr. was committed to Florida Southwestern before being drafted by the Angels.

At 19-years old, Tatis Jr. is a relative unknown amongst the Angels' draftees. He played internationally most of his life, then for a small prep school in Georgia. However, what we do know about the shortstop is incredibly encouraging and some of the signs point to a potential superstar coming into the Angels' organization.

First off, on defense, there seems to be little concern about Tatis Jr.'s ability to stick at shortstop. He appears to be an incredibly fluid athlete with a plus arm. And while the Angels obviously have Zach Neto penciled in at shortstop for the next half decade, things change quickly in baseball and the idea of moving Neto off shortstop due to injury concerns could eventually be in play. Either way, Tatis Jr. projects to be a plus defender at shortstop with an arm that could play at third base as well.

Tatis Jr. has wheels, as well. With plus speed, he takes fantastic angles around the bases as well. A smart runner, this is another plus skill for him. This will be worth monitoring as his frame fills out, though, as his plus speed could swing either way as his body and game develop.

At the plate, Tatis Jr. is an exceptional prospect. He hits the balls all over the field and consistently barrels pitches deep into gaps. While 30+ home run seasons may not be in play (although, not counting them out), he will be a consistent doubles machine at the plate. A short, compact swing will only gain more power as he enters his 20's. His quick hands and bat-to-ball skills are impressive, making his tendency to over-swing a little more bearable.

As Tatis Jr. was assigned to the Arizona Complex League Angels team along with a lot of the Halos' Day 2 picks, he is a genuine candidate to skyrocket up prospect boards. He'll likely spend all/most of 2026 at the Rookie Ball level, but is his traits translate there, he becomes a candidate to work through the minor leagues relatively quickly (especially if Perry Minasian remains at the helm in Anaheim).

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