Written by: Jake Tweedie
Follow him on Twitter: @MLBUKAnalysis1
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The Los Angeles Angels had just the 4 picks in the 2020 Draft. This was because they forfeited their second-round pick as a result of signing a qualified free agent in Anthony Rendon.
They certainly split their picks, 2 being from college and 2 from High School, whilst 2 were pitchers and 2 were position players.
Round 1 Pick 10 : Reid Detmers – LHP – Louisville (KY)
21 Years Old – Bat: L – Throw: L – Height: 6’2 – Weight: 210lbs
| FB | CB | CH | Control | Athleticism | FV |
| 45 / 55 | 60/60 | 40 / 45 | 50 / 60 | 45 / 50 | 50 |
With their first-round pick, the Angels picked lefty Reid Detmers. Despite being drafted in 2017, he decided to head to Louisville, where he came to be a much more polished pitcher. He has some of the best pitchability and mound presence in the 2020 Draft.
Fastball: He usually stays around the 90-94 mph area with his fastball. Although this isn’t significantly quick, his deception and ability to command the pitch makes it much more impressive. This is even more impressive when his velocity starts to dip as he tires out. His command will allow him to be hard to play against regardless of whether his pitch falls below 90mph.
Secondary pitches: He has an arsenal that includes a changeup and a curveball. Whilst his changeup may sit mid-low 80s, it has the ability to sink, as well as the deception that is created like the fastball. This seems to be his most improved pitch, due to its development in his college career.
His curveball is his best secondary pitch. It usually stays within the 72-76mph region, but its ability to deceive makes it extremely dangerous.
He utilizes it well by changing the hitters’ eye level and catching them out with a significant drop in velocity. This mixed in with his fastball has had him striking out hitters for fun in college.
Delivery: His strong frame allows him to work through a lot of innings before becoming tired. He only has a small kick before he pitches, but moves his body with great force to generate his velocity. He throws in between a 3/4 slot and an upper slot, but the way he watches the ball after it has left his hand shows his level of command over the pitch.
College Career: Completed his first collegiate season in 2018, with a 4-2 record, 4.85 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 18 appearances, including eight starts, and 55.2 innings pitched. His season highlight came when he had a career-high 10 strikeouts in six innings against Wright State.
In 2019 he made 19 appearances on the mound, starting 18 games. He went 13-4 with a 2.78 ERA in 113.1 innings, as well as a Louisville season-high strikeout record of 167. His accolades for the season were phenomenal, he was in the All-ACC First Team, as well as All-ACC Pitcher of the Year, just to name a couple.
He became the 13th player in program history to reach double-digit wins and set a Jim Patterson Stadium record with 16 strikeouts against Georgia Tech. These records earned him a well-deserved call-up to the USA Collegiate National Team in the Summer.
He finished with a 2-0 record, allowing just 1 run in 12 innings.
His last season for Louisville saw him make 4 starts, picking up 3 wins and no losses, with an ERA of 1.23. He managed to strikeout 48 in 22 innings to move himself into fourth on UofL’s career strikeout list with 284 and tied for ninth with 20 wins.
Overall: One of the most impressive left-handed pitchers in the First Round, the Angels selected a pitcher that is sure to leave his mark on the organization. After being selected in the 32nd Round in 2017, he made the correct decision to further his career in college and managed to refine his pitching ability perfectly.
Round 3 Pick 82 : David Calabrese – OF – St. Elizabeth Catholic HS (ON)
17 Years Old – Bat: L – Throw: R – Height: 5’11 – Weight: 160lbs
| HIT | RAW PWR | PWR | SPD | ARM | FLD | FV |
| 35 / 45 | 25 / 50 | 20 / 35 | 60 / 70 | 35 / 45 | 40 / 50 | 40 |
With their first choice on Day 2, the Angels picked outfielder, David Calabrese. The left-handed hitter from Canada had committed to Arkansas, alongside fellow draftees Masyn Winn and Tink Hence (find out more about them here).
Offensive: With a loose, smooth swing, the youngster can make hard contact with the ball but sacrifices power with his short-to-the-ball approach. He has good barrel awareness and can pick the gaps well. He isn’t a power hitter, but his ability to get on base and find the openings could prove useful.
His athletic frame could allow him to generate more power as he fills out, and his quick bat speed would allow for this. This alongside his impressive running capabilities could make him a dangerous acquisition for the Halos. He is touted as a potential 80-grade runner, which is certainly his greatest tool.
Defensive: He is generally a solid defender. He has good movement, can make plays and has decent arm strength. Despite being a right-handed thrower, he adjusts to his throwing hand well and covers the outfield with great speed. He has a smooth and easy action with his throw, and is generally accurate. An above average CF.
High School Career: The young Canadian played with the Ontario Blue Jays throughout most of his career.
OBJ plays in the Canadian Premier Baseball League (CPBL) throughout May and June with a playoff tournament occurring the first weekend in August.
Calabrese was a member of the 2020 Perfect Game Preseason All-American Team and All-Region First Team for the Canada/Puerto Rico Region and an honorable mention on the Perfect Game Underclassmen All-America Team.
He was able to impress those who attended the Canadian Junior National Team Spring Training trip this March prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 that effectively shut everything down.
Overall: Despite his lack of power at the plate, his speed and his ability to barrel the ball so cleanly makes him a smart choice for Round 3. He is also a very good fielder and should complement the outfield talent that the Angels have.
Round 4 Pick 111 : Werner Blakely – SS – Detroit Edison HS (MI)
18 Years Old – Bat: L – Throw: R – Height: 6’3 – Weight: 185lbs
| HIT | RAW PWR | PWR | SPD | ARM | FLD | FV |
| 25 / 40 | 35 / 55 | 30 / 50 | 50 / 45 | 40 / 55 | 35 / 45 | 40 |
Certainly a shock pick, the Angels selected young SS Werner Blakely. Not hugely known, he shows serious potential and became the highest drafted-player from a Detroit HS since Redford St. Mary’s right-hander Scott Kamieniecki was selected in the second round by the Tigers in 1982.
Offensive: He has an aggressive left-handed approach, and this was replicated with 23 extra-base hits last year in High School. This alongside his incredible speed between the bases, makes him a hitting threat as well as a base-stealing threat. He barrels the ball well and has the ability to produce decent power that will only increase as he grows.
Defensive: He seems to be a smooth defender, with quick hands. He is alert to plays and has a decent arm throw velocity of 90mph. There is accuracy with his throws, and he is well suited for SS. His size may allow him to switch to 3B later, but he also has the ability to stay at SS due to his defensive qualities in that position.
High School Career: As a Junior, he was .467 at the plate with 11 doubles, 7 triples, 5 HRs, and 38 RBIs. He was also 16-from-16 for stolen bases. With the 2020 season being cut he didn’t have a lot of exposure to competitive baseball but showed the talents required when he had the chance.
He was also selected for the Under Armour baseball All-American, becoming the first player from Detroit to participate, and just the 2nd from Michigan.
Overall: Bit of an unknown pick, but the Angels selected a bright young talent that is quick between the bases and has the ability to work the infield well. Standing at 6’3 he has the potential to bulk significantly, which could allow a position change, but an interesting player to keep an eye on.
Round 5 Pick 141 : Adam Seminaris – LHP – Long Beach State (CA)
21 Years Old – Bat: R – Throw: L – Height: 6’0 – Weight: 185lbs
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Control | Athleticism | FV |
| 40 / 45 | 40 / 45 | 35 / 40 | 45 / 50 | 45 / 50 | 40 / 45 | 40 |
With their last pick of the 2020 Draft, the Angels selected lefty Adam Seminaris. Although he isn’t a standout player in terms of velocity or arsenal, he has extreme potential and control that certainly makes up for this.
Fastball: His fastball works around 89-90mph, topping out at 93mph. It can come into RHH with the way he sets his body up and pitches the ball. This is generally in the lower quadrants to try and get swings and misses, or to allow weak contact. With the great command he has over his pitching, he uses his fastball effectively and alongside his other 3 pitches very well, especially due to its deception.
Secondary pitches: He has a full arsenal that includes a curveball, slider, and changeup. His better delivery is his changeup that misses bats regularly and also gets weak contact when hitters get an opportunity.
He has a mid-70s curveball that has a big drop in velocity, and with his control, he can manipulate the pitch to work alongside his faster deliveries. His slider stays in the low-80s. This moves extremely well and he utilizes his deception perfectly. As individual pitches, they are not the best, but all together they are used with precision and quality.
Delivery: He has a big kick and uses a straight arm at a 3/4 slot. He doesn’t use a great deal of effort but uses his mobility and upper body to generate great velocity. This allows him to have more control over his pitching and can really hone in on the hitters’ weaknesses. He has the ability to pitch all around the zone and very rarely gives up walks.
College Career: His first season in college didn’t produce the best stats. He finished 1-7 with an ERA of 4.84, from 10 starts and 11 bullpen appearances. He picked up 44 strikeouts and allowed 16 walks from 57.2 innings.
He did manage to turn this around in 2019. He had a better season in terms of control, before having a summer in the Cape Cod league. He finished the 2019 college season with a record of 4-9, with an ERA of 3.35. He had 1 complete-game shutout, striking out seven batters in a dominating win against Hawai’i.
He received an Honorable Mention All-Big West selection and a Big West Pitcher of the Week honor after striking out a career-high 10 in an incredible performance against UC Riverside.
He spent the 2019 Summer in the Cape Cod League, finishing with an ERA of 3.26, after striking out 21 in 30.1 innings.
He did manage to get 3 starts and a bullpen appearance in 2020 before the season was cut short. He posted a 1-0 record and an ERA of 1.23. He struck out 36 and walked just 3 in 22 innings.
Overall: He’s not the quickest of pitchers, and he doesn’t have a huge ceiling, but he controls his pitches extremely well and has a good solid floor. The Angels will look at utilizing him as the reliable lefty that he is and he has plenty of growth with some focus on his pitching.
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