ESPN draft expert's comments on the top prospects don't bode well for Angels future

2025 is a crucial year for the Los Angeles Angels, as who they select with the second pick in the draft could be a linchpin for the organization moving forward. The Angels' playoff drought and putrid pipeline rankings are well-known to even the most casual baseball fans. Having the highest draft pick since 1995 means the expectations for that player are sky-high, and that pick could make the big leagues as early as this season. So, when fans read this from ESPN's Kiley McDaniel, it should make them feel incredibly uneasy:

"I'm not going to sugarcoat it: This year's draft class is not as good as last year's college-heavy crop and certainly not as good as the historic 2023 draft group featuring Paul Skenes and Wyatt Langford near the top."

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel

ESPN draft expert's comments on the top prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft don't bode well for Angels future

McDaniel described the top of the draft as "underwhelming" so....great. There are already rumors that the Angels are looking to go under slot value at no. two, something they have done with great success in years past, so do not be surprised if the top brass goes a little off the board with their selection. Picking at the beginning of each round certainly helps that strategy, but fans are expecting a slam dunk at no. 2. Their previous draft strategy might be too ticky-tacky for fans given how high they are selecting, even if the top of the draft is not ideal.

The second overall pick last season was Chase Burns from Wake Forest University, who could maybe even debut this season for the Reds. In 2023, it was Dylan Crews from LSU, who is currently playing for the Nationals' big league team. Skip to 2021, and Jack Leiter went second, and is looked semi-dominant in his starts thus far for Texas (before he hit the IL with a blister). 2019 was Bobby Witt Jr., of course. 2017 was Hunter Greene, who is a National League Cy Young candidate this year. 2015 was Alex Bregman, 2013 Kris Bryant, and on and on it goes. It sure would be nice to have a player of that caliber in Anaheim.

The Angels desperately need a stud at no. two. Could it be Jamie Arnold, Jace LaViolette, Seth Hernandez, etc.? Possibly. However, the selection of any of those players will not be viewed as a knock out of the park compared to previous no. two selections. Which stinks, and feels incredibly typical for this woe-begotten, down-trodden organization. The plan is to stay positive, but it would have been nice to have more hype around the pick as of right now.

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