The 2011 MLB Draft is upon us, and the first round and supplemental round will be televised on Monday night. The Los Angeles Angels hold the 17th overall pick in the first round, their highest draft position since 2004. Thanks to the loss of several free agents in recent years, the Angels had five first round picks in the last two seasons, but are back to just one this year. Here is a look at the Angels' first round draft history of the last 10 years:
- 2010 - #18: Kaleb Cowart, high school RHP
- 2010 - #29: Cameron Bedrosian, high school RHP
- 2010 - #30: Chevez Clarke, high school CF
- 2009 - #24: Randal Grichuk, high school LF
- 2009 - #25: Mike Trout, high school CF
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2008: no first round pick (signed free agent OF Torii Hunter)
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2007: no first round pick (signed free agent OF Gary Mathews Jr.)
- 2006 - #25: Hank Conger, high school C
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2005: no first round pick (signed free agent SS Orlando Cabrera)
- 2004 - #12: Jered Weaver, college RHP
- 2003 - #23: Brandon Wood, high school SS
- 2002 - #12: Joe Saunders, college LHP
- 2001 - #13: Casey Kotchman, high school 1B
The draft is important for both producing major leaguers, like Weaver and Conger, and hopefully Trout, one of the best prospects in baseball right now, and for acquiring assets to be used in trades. For instance, 2001 first-round pick Kotchman was traded with others in 2008 to the Braves for Mark Teixeira. When Teixeira signed with the Yankees the next winter, one of the compensatory picks the Angels received turned into pitcher Tyler Skaggs, who was packaged last year with 2002 first-rounder Joe Saunders to Arizona to get Dan Haren.
The MLB Draft is a three-day event, beginning Monday at 4 p.m. PDT with the first round and supplemental round on MLB Network. For more news and information on the Angels, be sure to read the SB Nation blog Halos Heaven.