Angels final pick of 2025 draft Sam Tookoian could be hidden gem

While a lot of attention from Angels' fans and the world of MLB went towards what Perry Minasian did at the start of the draft, his final draft pick is one that could prove to be a rock solid selection. Sam Tookoian, a right-handed pitcher out of the University of Mississippi, ended an incredibly successful draft for the Angels. He, along with the entire draft class, have signed on with the team and most are starting their development in Tempe, Arizona.

A few months ago, Tookoian was likely off the radar of MLB organizations in terms of his worthiness as a draft selection. After being ranked right outside of the top 300 high school prospects in 2021, Tookoian committed to Ole Miss where he has been since. He was one of nearly a dozen Rebels drafted this year, but his career at Ole Miss was largely forgettable.

In his three seasons at Ole Miss, Tookoian posted a career ERA of 4.81. He only pitched 43 innings during his time there, and was largely a middling reliever who never quite figured out his pitch mix. For this reason, Tookoian decided to pitch in the MLB Draft League, a league designed for draft-eligible players to have another chance to showcase their talent prior to MLB front offices making their final decisions.

And in this league full of players fighting for their professional lives, Tookoian was one of the most effective pitchers in the league and played the best baseball of his life. He appeared in five games, pitching a total of 12.2 innings for the West Virginia Black Bears. He used a combination of his fastball (sitting 93-95) and a slider/curveball offspeed combination to dominate hitters, posting a 1.49 ERA as he showcased that he may just be worth taking a chance on.

With his velocity being relatively underwhelming compared to modern day relievers, Tookoian has to be near perfect in other facets of pitching to make it as a reliever. This includes command, control, and knowing how to adequately use his pitch mix. With his fastball and slider being his two main pitches, and both producing solid whiff rates, there is a recipe for Tookoian that major league coaching may be needed to unlock. His coaches in the MLB Draft League clearly discovered a way to use him effectively, so the groundwork is laid out for Minasian and the Angels' development staff.

And if Tookoian can turn into a useful reliever for the Angels, the return on investment would be monumental for a 20th round pick the team gave a minuscule $50,000 signing bonus to.