Angels Draft: Checking in on Jace LaViolette's 2025 season thus far

Many in the baseball community do not foresee successful win-loss results for the Los Angeles Angels this year, but help will be on the way in July in some way, shape, or form. The Angels had a lucky night during MLB's second annual draft lottery when they claimed the no. 2 selection in the 2025 MLB Draft -- which could easily turn into a franchise-altering talent for an organization in desperate need of such a player. Before the college and high school seasons began, most reputable sites' mock drafts showed Ethan Holliday going first overall to the Washington Nationals and Texas A&M's Jace LaViolette going to the Angels. With that in mind, let's check in on how the potential future Angels' outfielder is faring in College Station.

Angels Draft: Checking in on Jace LaViolette's 2025 season thus far

The basics: in 70 plate appearances, LaViolette is slashing .235/.414/.510/.924 with 12 hits, 2 doubles, 4 home runs (3 were from the opening weekend), 13 runs scored, 18 RBIs, and has a 16:16 SO:BB. He has added in 3 steals. The biggest question mark with LaViolette as a prospect is his strikeout rate, but he has cut his K% some (a 22.9% K% in 2025 vs. a 24.3% K% in 2024). His swing and miss rate has improved as well, going from 28.2% last year to 25.2% so far this year (per TruMedia). Those are LaViolette's overall numbers, but they assuredly do not paint the full picture with him.

The concerns with LaViolette? Well, he is not exactly hitting left-handed pitchers this season... like at all. He is slashing a contemptible .154/.313/.154/.466 against lefties with a, count it, .000 ISO, 50% K%, and .242 wOBA. Yikes. He's essentially a college version of Mickey Moniak right now. Is this who he is? Decidedly not, as he crushed left-handed pitching in 2024. In fact, his numbers were better against lefties than righties last season. However, you cannot ignore his 30.5% swing and miss rate against LHPs from last year ballooning all the way up to 44% this year. That's a massive red flag and is further perpetuating what scouts have dinged him for his entire collegiate career.

Baseball America agrees, as they had him going...11th... in their latest mock draft. This draft is supposedly worse than last year's (just the Angels' luck), so if the Angels do wind up selecting LaViolette it would likely be an under-slot value that helps fill multiple needs for the org -- a left-handed, power hitting outfielder with high-end talent and athleticism, and cheap enough that they could acquire more talent in the later rounds. Keep in mind, the Angels will be selecting second during every subsequent round (barring the compensatory rounds).

On the defensive side, LaViolette has played a flawless centerfield in every one of the Aggies' games so far. He played the majority of their 2024 games there as well, but did filter into the corners at times as he did when he was a freshman. With his 6'6 frame and giant arm, many forecast him moving to a corner full-time at the professional level. However, with the Angels, they have a man named Mike Trout who will presumably be the team's every day right fielder moving forward. With the Halos, LaViolette would likely be developed as a centerfielder still, given how fast he would move through the farm system.

If LaViolette ends up with the Angels, do not be surprised at all to see him at the Big A in 2025. That's just how the organization rolls. He is the most MLB-ready player in the draft, despite the flaws in his game, and the Angels' front office and coaching staff will do anything to get themselves off Arte Moreno's hot seat.

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