The Los Angeles Angels[1] are a Major League Baseball franchise based in Anaheim, California. They play in the American League West division. Since the institution of Major League Baseball's Rule 4 Draft in 1965, the Angels have selected 62 players in the first round. Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[2] the Rule 4 Draft is Major League Baseball's primary mechanism for assigning amateur players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur clubs to its teams. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick.[2] In addition, teams which lost free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded compensatory or supplementary picks.[3]
Of the 66 players drafted by the Angels, 29 have been pitchers, the most of any position; 18 of these were right-handed, while 11 were left-handed. Fourteen outfielders, eight shortstops, four third basemen, and four first basemen were also taken. No second basemen have been selected.[4] Thirteen of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of California, while Florida follows with six players. Four players have been selected from both Illinois and Georgia. All players selected have been from the United States. The franchise has made five selections in the same draft three times, in 1986, 2009, and 2010.[4]
Two Angels first-round picks, outfielder Darin Erstad (1995) and third basemen Troy Glaus (1997), played with the 2002 World Series championship team. Outfielder Mike Trout, who was chosen in 2009 and has spent his entire MLB career to date with the Angels, was named American League Rookie of the Year in 2012, and finished no worse than second in voting for American League Most Valuable Player in each of his first five full seasons with the Angels, winning that award in 2014 and 2016.[5] Pitcher Jim Abbott (1988), born without a right hand, won the 1987 Golden Spikes Award while playing at the University of Michigan, and the 1992 Tony Conigliaro Award and the 1995 Hutch Award while with the Angels.[6] Danny Goodwin (1975), who was picked first overall in 1971 by the Chicago White Sox but opted for four years of college, is the only player to be selected first in the draft on two separate occasions.[7][8]
The team has made 13 selections in the supplemental round of the draft and 21 compensatory picks since the institution of the First-Year Player Draft in 1965.[4] These additional picks are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the prior off-season,[3][9][V] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[10] The Angels have failed to sign one of their first-round picks, Alan Bannister (1969), but received no compensation.[11][12] The franchise has made the first overall selection twice, in 1975 and 1995.[8]
