Angels get weird and pick College World Series champ with 2024 first-round pick

While the top of the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft was a little chaotic, most of the players that we expected to be gone when the Los Angeles Angels picked at No. 8 overall were off the board.

With the Angels having a lengthy track record of targeting college players that can get to the major leagues quickly, they continued that trend when they selected Tennessee third baseman Christian Moore.

In terms of the draft rankings, this isn't exactly where Moore was expected to go, as he was more of an early teens guy. However, the talent drop-off at the end of the top 10 was real, and with the big names gone, the Angels went with the college bat they liked.

LA Angels News: Angels select Christian Moore at No. 8 overall

While the "draft expert" rankings may not line up with this pick, Moore is right there when it comes to actual talent in production. Coming off a 2024 season that saw him be a part of a national championship team at Tennessee, where he posted a 1.248 OPS in 72 games, Moore is one of the best bats in this draft class without question. Moore has a plus hit tool and has real power from the right side.

Moore's pick was announced with him as a second baseman, which does highlight an issue: his future defensive home is a real question. Moore doesn't have a ton of quickness, which means that he will be tied to either second base or left field in all likelihood.

However, the Angels don't care about any of that if they made this pick. They are buying into his bat here and, given his production in the SEC, it is hard to argue with the logic.

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