Angels Draft: Checking in on Jamie Arnold's 2025 season thus far

Organizations can never have enough starting pitching, especially the down-on-their-luck ones, so the Angels' no. 2 selection in the 2025 MLB Draft will be incredibly intriguing. Ethan Holliday will presumably be the top pick by the Washington Nationals, which would allow the Angels an opportunity to draft who they view as the best pitcher in the draft. Florida State's Jamie Arnold is the no. 3 prospect, and one of three 60-grade pitchers (alongside Tyler Bremmer and Seth Hernandez) according to MLB.com's prospect rankings. So, how is he faring this season on the bump?

Arnold is about to turn 21-years-old, and is a 6'1" left-handed pitching in his junior year of college. He has started 3 games, thrown 16.0 innings, has a whopping 24:2 K:BB, and has only allowed 2 runs. He was scratched from his 4th start due to an illness. Hitters are posting a paltry .135/.164/.192/.356 slash line, as Arnold is striking out 42.1% of them. His FIP stands at 0.55, his xFIP is 1.45, and his WHIP is 0.56. To put all of that in perspective -- of Division 1 pitchers to have thrown at least 10 innings this year, his FIP is 3rd best in the country, his WHIP is 9th, and his K% is 23rd.

His heater is up to 96mph, and has been sitting 91-95mph. He does not rely on his four-seam and sinker as much as most dominant pitchers, throwing them only 55.2% of the time. He tosses his "soft" pitches 44.8% of the time, showcasing his complete arsenal and elite pitchability. For reference, his fastball and slider both have 60-grades. To pair with his two fastballs, Arnold throws a ton of sliders and will sprinkle in a changeup from time-to-time. He's only thrown 14 changeups this year, accruing 3 whiffs, 3 called strikes, 1 lineout, 1 ground ball out, and 6 balls. For a pitcher like Arnold, it's slightly surprising that he does not have a bread-and-butter changeup.

Arnold's low release point allows his elevated heaters to play up incredibly well, as a flat approach angle in the upper third of the zone makes it incredibly difficult for hitters to get on top of the ball. He does exactly that. According to TruMedia, Arnold's four-seams in 2025 are "high" in the zone 51.7% of the time and in the upper half 66.3% of the time. That release point also allows him to throw frisbee sliders that seem completely unhittable for left-handed hitters.

The Angels' organizational philosophy when it comes to draft strategy will be put to the test. They love their left-handed pitchers, and he sure looks a lot like the optimal version of Mason Albright. It feels increasingly likely that, despite his struggles, Jace LaViolette makes the most sense for the Angels at no. 2. Arnold will succeed no matter where he goes, though.

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