There are already rumors that the Angels will go cheap route in the 2025 MLB Draft

The Angels have their highest pick in the MLB Draft since 1995 (when they selected Darin Erstad no. 1 overall), and their selections in the 2025 MLB Draft could completely turn around a woe-begotten franchise. Well, there are already rumblings that the organization will go under slot value at no. 2, meaning that they might not opt for the consensus second best player available and instead save money there so they can go over slot value in later rounds in the Draft. The nitty-gritty of the Draft selections aside, this is slightly terrifying news for Angels fans who are looking for a slam dunk prospect with this pick.

The go-to no. 2 pick that media members have pointed to for the Angels has been Jace LaViolette. However, the gripes in the Texas A&M star's game have born fruit this season, with the outfielder striking out 34 times in 35 games. Florida State's Jamie Arnold's draft stock is holding pat right now, as the left-handed pitcher's floor remains higher than anybody's. Then there's a guy like Seth Hernandez, who might have the best stuff of any pitcher in the Draft.

There's plenty of college and high school season left and a lot to shake out, meaning that there might be a concurrent understanding as to who the second pick in the Draft should be when it's time for the Angels to turn in their pick. If that's the case, perhaps the organization would feel too much pressure to take the consensus second best player in the Draft and not get too cute with it.

The Angels have reaped solid rewards in their latest Drafts by going under slot early, and going over later. It's how they got Ryan Johnson, Ben Joyce and Caden Dana for example. However, Angels fans might have expected a different strategy this year given that they have their highest draft pick in 30 years. The way Baseball America phrased it, i.e. "deal-seeking", makes the Angels sound cheap and not trying to find the best available player with the pick. Their draft strategy of going under slot in the first round has worked in year's past, but they were selecting eighth, 11th, and 13th in the last three Drafts. This is a starkly different situation.

There's a lot on the line for the Angels in this Draft. The no. 2 selection might even make the Show come September given how the organization has operated the past few seasons. Hopefully, if that happens, it would be a reinforcement for the playoffs and not just a body to fill in because everybody else is injured.

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