Redrafting Angels’ 2021 Draft: The all-pitcher haul was even worse than you imagined

Perry Minasian's first MLB draft as the general manager of the Los Angeles Angels was as extreme a stance as a person in his position could take. The former assistant general manager of the Atlanta Braves was brought over to get the Angels' sunk ship to float once again, and Minasian clearly saw that the organization's biggest area of weakness was its top-to-bottom pitching staff. As everybody knows, the newly minted GM selected 20 pitchers in 20 rounds in the 2021 draft. What people forget is that the Los Angeles Dodgers and Cleveland Guardians selected 19 pitchers that year, but of course the Angels are the butt of the joke because they went 20-for-20.

Minasian's philosophy was fine, it was the execution that left a lot to be desired. Obviously, like the Angels' 2021 MLB draft, hindsight is 20/20. This was coming right out of COVID, and normal scouting practices were completely off the rails. Additionally, one can very easily chock Angels' draft busts up to the organization's cracked pipeline and myriad player development issues. For pitchers entering the draft, the last place they want to go is to the Halos given the horrible track record. It's like when the Cleveland Browns draft a player in the NFL draft, fans immediately predict that the player will stink.

Over-and-over again, the Angels select pitchers in the draft and they do not meet their potential. A draft bust is not always the fault of the player, it's on the team's development skills nine times out of ten. All that being said, it's hard to look back at some of the players Minasian passed on and not feel an overwhelming sense of dread. The fact of the matter is that Angels really gawked at present day stars and passed on them in lieu of underwhelming talent.

Redrafting Angels’ 2021 Draft: The all-pitcher haul was even worse than you imagined

1st round: Angels draft Sam Bachman 9th overall; Kumar Rocker goes 10th, Andrew Painter goes 13th

Of all the selections Minasian made, this one is easily the most defensible. Sure, Bachman's career has been completely derailed by a rash of injuries, whereas Rocker is posting solid numbers as a starter for Texas and Painter is a top prospect in baseball for Philadelphia. This year, Bachman had to work his way back from thoracic outlet syndrome, and something has come up with him every single year before as well.

It's been a long road, but now Bachman is becoming a stalwart of the Angels' bullpen. Rocker did not end up signing with the New York Mets, who drafted him at 10, and wound up going third overall to the Rangers the following year. Painter's career, like Bachman's, also cannot be looked at without discussing the serious health concerns. This pick is fine.

If the Angels were going to go with all pitchers, you'd probably rather have Rocker or Painter than Bachman...but it's debatable at least! The drop-off from Rocker or Painter to Bachman is not nearly as steep as the drop-offs you are about to see.

For what it's worth, Jackson Merrill went 27th overall. OK, ignore that and let's move on!

2nd round: Angels draft Ky Bush 45th overall; Andrew Abbott goes 53rd, Spencer Schwellenbach goes 59th

What happens if Andrew Abbott or Spencer Schwellenbach went to the Angels and Ky Bush went to the Reds or Braves? To reiterate what was previously stated, the Angels likely mess up Abbott or Schwellenbach's development and Bush probably thrives in Cincinnati or Atlanta's farm system. In 2023, do the Angels still pair Abbott or Schwellenbach with Edgar Quero and ship them off to the White Sox in exchange for Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo López? Oh, most definitely.

For what it's worth, James Wood went 62nd overall. OK, ignore that and let's move on!

3rd round: Angels draft Landon Marceaux 80th overall; Mason Miller goes 97th

Mason Miller's fastball velocity can only be surpassed by a healthy Ben Joyce (who was also a 3rd round pick), so this gaffe is especially painful. Coming out of LSU, Marceaux was known to be a right-handed thumber...an archetype that so rarely succeeds at the major league level. Coming out of Gardner-Webb, Miller was already touching 99 MPH. The fit between LAA and Miller is so perfect, as the Angels love developing starting pitchers in the minors before eventually transitioning them over to relief.

Unlike with the Ky Bush hypothetical, there is simply no way the Angels would have shipped Miller off like they did with Marceaux. Marceaux was packaged with Coleman Crow to acquire Eduardo freakin' Escobar in 2023. Oh, and Marceaux officially retired earlier this year while Miller is an All-Star on a divion rival.

How do you not chase the velocity, Perry? You LOVE velocity, man!

4th round: Luke Murphy at 110, Bryce Miller at 113
5th round: Brett Kerry at 141, Tanner Bibee at 156
6th round: Jake Smith at 171, Bryan Woo at 174

Let's just package these together. Once again, the Mariners just dunk on the Angels here with their draft picks. It's yet another reminder that Seattle is so much better with their practices than LAA. They have two stud MLB starting pitchers in Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo (a 2025 All-Star) and the Angels have two non-prospect MiLB relievers in Luke Murphy and Jake Smith. Miller went three picks after Murphy and Woo went three picks after Smith. Unreal. Jake Smith is a 25-year-old with a 5.03 ERA in the incredibly pitcher-friendly Northwest League (High-A) this year. Murphy feels like the one Vanderbilt pitcher to wind up being a draft bust.

Like with Bush and Abbott/Schwellenbach, there is no doubt that Kerry would have thrived in the Cleveland pitching machine whereas the Angels would have messed up Tanner Bibee.

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