TEAM: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
PICK: 17 (Slot: $3,472,900)
POOL: $6,984,400
SCOUTING DIRECTOR: Matt Swanson

PREVIOUS TOP PICKS
2017: Jo Adell, OF, Ballard HS, KY (10th overall)
2016: Matt Thaiss, C, Virginia (16th overall)
2015: Taylor Ward, C, Fresno State (26th overall)
2014: Sean Newcomb, LHP, Hartford (15th overall)
2013: Hunter Green, LHP, Warren East HS, KY (59th overall, 2nd round)

HISTORY: Under new direction in the scouting department last year, the Angels didn’t hesitate to gamble on upside, taking OF Jo Adell (Ballard HS, KY) with the 10th overall pick. Their first-round picks the three years prior all came out of the college ranks, but they still mixed in athletic high schoolers with upside in the early rounds.

FORECAST: If Adell is the first domino in a shift toward risk/reward prospects, there are plenty of players in the mix at 17 for the Angels. OFs Connor Scott (Plant HS, FL) and Alek Thomas (Mount Carmel HS, IL), and LHP Ryan Weathers (Loretto HS, TN) figure to be the best available. OF Jordyn Adams (Green Hope HS, NC) would also fit that mold. However, they have a bonus pool just under $7 million so a budget conscious pick isn’t out of the question. That would put the focus on college prospects like RHP Sean Hjelle (Kentucky), RHP Jackson Kowar (Florida), OF Jameson Hannah (Dallas Baptist), SS Nico Hoerner (Stanford), SS Jeremy Eierman (Missouri State), RHP Tristan Beck (Stanford) and RHP Logan Gilbert (Stetson).

Connor Scott, OF, Plant HS, FL
PBR Draft Board: 17
HIT: 40/50            POWER: 50/60            SPEED: 60/60            DEFENSE: 55/55            ARM: 55/55

One of the few high school players in the state with a true plus tool and multiple above average tools. It is a fairly easy comp him to Kyle Tucker, being from the same school, though Scott has less power and is a better runner. The swing has shown some swing-and-miss tendencies in the past, but he has appeared to level the path and cut down on the swing and miss. He works to all fields, but shows power to the middle of the field. (Doug Freeman)

Find Scott's full report in the Draft HQ.

Alek Thomas, OF, Mounta Carmel HS, IL
PBR Draft Board: 18
HIT: 40/60            POWER: 30/40            SPEED: 70/70            DEFENSE: 60/70            ARM: 40/50
Thomas has a wiry-strong frame with room for continued physical development. He’s a top-of-the-scle athlete with advanced baseball instincts. His speed and athleticism translate to game play, allowing him to be a top-level defender in center field. He hits from a relaxed, open set-up with fluid and athletic hands, generating easy bat speed. (Sean Duncan)

Find Thomas' full report in the Draft HQ.

Sean Hjelle, RHP, Kentucky
PBR Draft Board: 19
FB: 55/60            CB: 55/60            SL: 45/55            CH: 55/60
Hjelle has an extra tall, long-bodied and long-limbed frame at 6-foot-11, 225 pounds. He’s surprisingly athletic and repeats his delivery, leveraging the ball from a high-3/4 slot with a loose arm swing and good arm speed. Hjelle’s two-seam fastball sits 91-93, peaking at 94 early, and shows tail and sink in addition to steep downplane. His knuckle-curveball flashes plus at 80-83 and he throws it to both sides of the plate. He also showed an 85-87 slider and 83-86 power changeup. (David Seifert)

Find Hjelle's full report in the Draft HQ.

Ryan Weathers, LHP, Loretto HS, TN
PBR Draft Board: 20
FB: 55/60            CB: 60/70            CH: 20/50
Weathers showed two plus pitches in his second start back after winning a state title in basketball. The frame is close to mature with some physical projection remaining, and is built much like his major league father, David Weathers. He pitches with some effort and has a super quick arm with extension. He maintained his fastball velo for the first four innings, sitting 90-94. His tight curveball was a weapon all day, flashing plus-plus. He pounds the zone and projects to command his arsenal. (Tim Kay)

Find Weathers' full report in the Draft HQ.

Jackson Kowar, RHP, Florida
PBR Draft Board: 21
FB: 60/60            SL: 50/55            CH: 60/70
Kowar is wiry at 6-foot-6, 185 pounds. He has a very simple, low-effort delivery and throws from a 3/4 slot. The arm works free and easy with whip, as the ball comes out his hand very well. The fastball worked 92-94 mph, touching 97 with late, riding life. Despite a plus fastball, he seemingly pitched backwards early, working off of a plus changeup at 83-86. He threw the pitch in any count to any hitter. He showed impressive ability to control the pitch to right-handed hitters on the inner half. He also showed a feel for an above-average slider with late sweeping action at 75-78. (Doug Freeman)

Find Kowar's full report in the Draft HQ.

Jameson Hannah, OF, Dallas Baptist
PBR Draft Board: 22

HIT: 50/60            POWER: 45/50            SPEED: 60/60            DEFENSE: 50/55            ARM: 30/40
Hannah has a lean, athletic and fast-twitch frame at 5-foot-11, 190 pounds. He has quick, strong hands and a balanced swing. His demeanor at the plate is confident and he has elite hand-eye coordination. He takes pitches with easy rhythm, seemingly picking the ball up early out of the hand. He has above-average range in the outfield and runs easily with long strides. (Toby Bicknell)

Find Hannah's full report in the Draft HQ.

Nico Hoerner, SS, Stanford
PBR Draft Board: 23
HIT: 40/55            POWER: 30/40            SPEED: 55/60            DEFENSE: 45/50            ARM: 55/55

Hoerner is an athletic, medium-frame infielder with good bounce and energy. Offensively, he showed a mostly balanced approach with a loose swing. He’s more of a doubles or gap power type with the chance to hit 10-12 home runs a year in pro ball. He has contact and pitch recognition skills that should allow him to also hit for average, as well as take his share of walks. His above-average to plus speed plays in the game. He showed above-average arm strength with a quick release and solid carry to his target. Although not a silky smooth defender, Hoerner has good hands and is aggressive and confident in the dirt. (David Seifert)

Find Hoerner's full report in the Draft HQ.

Jeremy Eierman, SS, Missouri State
PBR Draft Board: 25
HIT: 30/40            POWER: 40/55            SPEED: 60/60            DEFENSE: 45/55            ARM: 50/60
Eierman is a strong-bodied, super athletic infielder. He started the season slow at the plate, but now looks to be locked in. He showed an improved approach with much better balance than last summer. He’s a pull hitter with plus raw power. He shows an above average to plus arm and will likely remain at shortstop, though he could profile as an offensive second baseman as well. He’s a plus runner with good acceleration and his speed impacts the game. (David Seifert)

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Tristan Beck, RHP, Stanford
PBR Draft Board: 26

FB: 50/55            CB: 55/55            SL: 50/50            CH: 50/60
Beck is tall, lean and wiry at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds. He mixed four pitches for strikes with a cross-body landing and high-3/4 slot. He occasionally dropped closer to a 3/4 slot. His fastball sat 90-93 mph, occasionally touching 94 and one 95 on a 3-2 pitch that was up and well out of the zone. He generated occasionally swings and miss, but that was mostly due to his pitch mix and not excessive life or pinpoint command. His first changeup was at 83 and plus. It had great bottom and good hand speed. All the other changupes were 80-83 with more average quality and movement. The curveball was his best breaking ball, showing good shape and depth in the 75-79 range. He also mixed in a sweeping slider/slurve at 80-84. (David Seifert)

Find Beck's full report in the Draft HQ.

Logan Gilbert, RHP, Stetson
PBR Draft Board: 27
FB: 50/55            CB: 45/45            SL: 45/55            CH: 40/50
Overall, Gilbert is an athletic pitcher with a proportional frame, long legs and long arms. There is a little wrist wrap/curl in his separation, but the arm works free and easy. When he gets to extension with the fingers on top, there is tilt on the fastball. He showed velocity early, sitting 92-95 mph and settled in at 91-92 mph. He competed, despite not having his best command and being up in the zone. Both breaking balls are average at best and will need to improve. At times, they blended together. (Doug Freeman)

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Jordyn Adams, OF, Green Hope HS, NC
PBR Draft Board: 31
HIT: 30/45            POWER: 45/55            SPEED: 80/80            DEFENSE: 55/60            ARM: 45/60
Adams has a lean, projectable and athletic frame at 6-foot-2, 185. He is a premium athlete and four to five star recruit as a wide receiver in football. That athleticism shows in the field as he takes long, easy strides on the bases and in center field, chewing up tons of ground and he has the advance footwork to course correct his routes if needed. He has consistently turned in home to first times of 4.0-4.1. He could stand to get better jumps in center field, but that can come with more playing experience and he has the speed and athleticism to make up ground. At the plate, he is behind his peers, but has above-average bat speed and a smooth path. He can get big at times, adding length to his swing and causing some swing and miss, but can drive the ball with authority when he stays short. (Nathan Rode)

Find Adam's full report in the Draft HQ.

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