Angel’s looking for a franchise player in the draft

March 31, 2026

6 Comments

The draft is this July in Atlanta, Georgia. Angels pick 12th in this year’s draft and could possibly find their next franchise player. Last couple years the angels have drafted mainly pitchers. Will this be the year where they draft differently?

Here are my top 3 hitters that they should consider drafting:

3. Vahn Lackey – CA Georgia Tech

Vahn Lackey has been arguably the best hitter in college baseball. He’s dominating with 10 home runs and batting a 423/541/845, with an OPS of 1.386. Angels can have their selves talented catcher just not defensively, but at the plate as well.

2. Chris Hacopain – SS Texas A&M

Chris is off to a great start with 3 home runs and batting 339/448/536 with an OPS of 983. Chris will probably get 10+ home runs after the season and bat near 350. This will be good cornerstone guy to build around at shortstop.

Sawyer Strosnider – OF Texas Christian (TCU)

Sawyer has been on a roll so far with 10 home runs batting 330/465/753 with a 1.217 OPS. Last year Strosnider had 11 home runs and batted 350, he already has 10 this season. I can see him hitting 20+ home runs and near 350 average. This guy is legit and will have huge impact for the Angels if they draft him.

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2GA2Join

42 minutes ago

The obvious answer is Vahn.

Statistics show that when we call up a Lackey to the team we win a World Series, so I’m sticking to the data.

pegitom

20 minutes ago

Reply to 2GA2Join

Can not argue with that logic!

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Turk's Teeth

11 minutes ago

Reply to 2GA2Join

Ironclad logic, but alas, probably the second bat off the board after Cholowsky. Top five selection, most likely.

Trusted Member

cookmeister

9 seconds ago

Reply to Turk's Teeth

Lebron has a good case to be the 2nd college bat gone (and Emerson has a chance too, who knows), but Lackey definitely up there

Trusted Member

cookmeister

1 hour ago

I’ll do a full write up when we get closer, but I like the list.

Lackey is athletic enough to play the OF as well, in case one of Montero, Flores, etc works out.
Hacopian I’m not as high on, mostly because he hasn’t produced as much as I was hoping transferring to an SEC school
Strosnider is ideal atm. Corner outfielder, with pop, and a good overall hitter.

I’ll add to the list some other guys I like/could envision:

Derek Curiel: Local kid, reminds me of Kwan with more pop at the same age. Would probably be a $ save too.Tyler Spangler: Not the Angels MO for sure, but i just really like his game (reminds me a lot of Seager)Ace Reese: not sure he would fall this far, but he’s a stud, in a good conference, at a position we have struggled with for yearsCaden Sorrell: injury concern, but the kid mashesAJ Gracia: another I’m not sure he would fall, but I’d run to the podium. Patient but doesn’t strike out. Swing is a carbon copy of Michael Brantley.

Last edited 1 hour ago by cookmeister