Tag: Los Angeles Angels

Mike Trout was so pumped to pull a Mike Trout autographed rookie card from a pack with his son

This is the best.

It’s such a bummer that Mike Trout hasn’t been able to play much this season due to a torn meniscus in his knee, but this is a wonderful thing.

The Los Angeles Angels superstar decided to go chasing after his rookie card in packs of 2009 Bowman Draft, and what’s more is that he did it on video, with his son. It’s so sweet.

Even sweeter? The slugger opened a pack and there it was: A pristine Mike Trout rookie card with his very own autograph on it.

“There’s no better feeling than getting the little man into the card game at a young age, and pulling my own card with him made it more special,” he wrote.

Watch this delightful moment:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-s8s5VyaR2/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=04c8ec64-68b2-4429-98da-25d75af39349

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George Springer rightfully went ballistic on an umpire after a botched hit-by-pitch call

This pitch definitely hit George Springer, right?

George Springer was right to argue this one.

During an at-bat as his Toronto Blue Jays were on their way to a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels, the outfielder got hit on his back foot by a Kenny Rosenberg pitch. But umpires said that it didn’t hit Springer.

Fine, there’s replay review, right? And when you see it, the pitch really does look like it hits his foot. Except … no, the call stayed the same.

And Springer went OFF, screaming at umpires and needing to be restrained.

“I know it hit me. I’m not going to say it didn’t hit me if it didn’t hit me, he said after, per MLB.com. “I know it hit me in the foot, but it is what it is.”

Watch:

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Niko Kavadas explains why Notre Dame was the perfect place for him

The South Bend native always knew where he wanted to go

Many of us are rooting for former Notre Dame baseball star 1st baseman [autotag]Niko Kavadas[/autotag].

The slugger was involved in a trade deadline deal, sending him from the Boston Red Sox to the Los Angeles Angles. Kavadas grew up in South Bend, while claiming that he was an Irish fan from the moment he was born.

His want to be part of Notre Dame translated over to his high school recruitment, where “he begged and pleaded the staff to come watch him play.” It clearly was a good choice for both parties, as Kavadas set the all-time season record for home runs during his senior campaign which he led the Irish to a Super Regional matchup against Mississippi State.

Notre Dame would fall to the eventual champions, but not before Kavadas had firmed planted his name into the history books and forever in our hearts. Since the move to the Angels organization, the power-hitter has struggled hitting only .114 with no homers and just 4 hits.

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Former Notre Dame star 1B, Niko Kavadas, traded in one of MLB’s deadline deals

The former Irish star has been dealt in a trade deadline deal

Although former Notre Dame baseball star first baseman [autotag]Niko Kavadas[/autotag] lasted until the 11th round of the MLB draft, he was seen as a solid piece for the Boston Red Sox.

Unfortunately for the slugger, he won’t get to say that Fenway Park is his MLB home (at least right now), as on Tuesday he was included in a deal that sent him to the Los Angeles Angels.

This season Kavadas has been crushing the ball, hitting .281 with 17 home runs and 63 RBI. With first baseman Nolan Schanuel already making his debut with the Angels and sticking around with the big league club, there isn’t a natural fit for him at the big league level unless it’s as a designated hitter.

Hopefully Kavadas can force his way onto the 40-man roster, and make his Major League debut soon for the rebuilding Angels.

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‘Unfinished business,’ LHP Ryan Prager bypasses Los Angeles Angels for return to Texas A&M

“We came so close, feeling like we have a good shot to be able to avenge some of the things that we weren’t able to accomplish,” he said.

A few weeks ago, Texas A&M left-handed pitcher Ryan Prager accomplished a childhood dream by being drafted in the MLB Draft.

Prager was picked very high as well, in the third round at 81st overall by the Los Angeles Angels. However, he has decided to return to the Aggies for his redshirt junior season next year.

“I thought that would be huge for my career and be able to put me in a big spot to have a long career and that’s the ultimate goal,” Prager told KBTX on Thursday. “Then, also, a little unfinished business after last year. We came so close, feeling like we have a good shot to be able to avenge some of the things that we weren’t able to accomplish.”

Los Angeles also selected Texas A&M junior RHP Chris Cortez, but Prager opted to stay in College Station rather than joining his teammate in Anaheim.

“I knew that I wasn’t going to jump into a situation that I thought was not the right one, because I knew what A&M had to offer,” Prager said. “What one more year of addressing a few things on the development side could do for my career, because the goal is still to be a major league player and to do it for a long time. So, it was kind of a bet on myself at this point.”

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Ben Joyce records three strikeouts in win against Oakland

Former Vol Ben Joyce records three strikeouts in the Angels’ win against Oakland.

Los Angeles (46-60) defeated Oakland (44-64), 8-6, on Sunday at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

Former Vol Ben Joyce (1-0) pitched two innings in relief for the Angels and recorded three strikeouts. He did not allow a hit, run or walk in the contest, while totaling 25 pitches (16 strikes).

Joyce has appeared in 18 games for the Angels this season, including one start. He has recorded 19 strikeouts and a 2.11 ERA.

Joyce was a third-round selection by the Angels in the 2022 MLB draft.

He played for the Vols from 2021-22 after transferring from Walters State Community College. Joyce did not play in 2021 due to rehabbing from offseason surgery.

Texas A&M baseball enters the record books with 2024 MLB Draft

Texas A&M now has the longest streak of three or more players being drafted in the MLB Draft since 2001

Texas A&M has been on the cusp of being a powerhouse baseball team for the most part of the last decade but repeatedly fell short of expectations until the 2024 season. On the heels of a historic year, Aggie fans settled in to follow the 2024 MLB Draft to see which of their beloved A&M players would make the jump to the pros.

They didn’t have to wait long with Braden Montgomery being selected 12th overall and stayed tuned to watch six more Aggies get selected throughout the draft. With seven players being picked A&M now has the longest streak in the nation for three or more players being drafted since 2001. The Aggies that were selected in this year’s draft can be viewed on the tracker here.

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Los Angeles Angels become fourth MLB team to draft a Duke pitcher with Fran Oschell III

The Los Angeles Angels became the fourth MLB team to draft a Duke pitcher on Tuesday when they snagged Fran Oschell III in the 12th round.

For the fourth time in three days, an MLB team snagged one of Duke’s pitchers on Tuesday.

During the 12th round of the 2024 MLB draft, the Los Angeles Angels drafted right-hander Fran Oschell III.

After an All-American season in 2023 when he finished with a 0.69 ERA and a 6-0 record in 22 relief appearances, Oschell appeared on every preseason First-Team All-American squad. After all, he averaged 1.68 strikeouts per inning against just 0.92 combined walks and hits per inning.

However, the 2024 season, while impressive, didn’t measure up to his star-making sophomore campaign. He made 22 trips to the mound again, but he only lasted 23.1 innings as opposed to his 39.1 from one season ago. His ERA rose to 6.94 and he ended with no wins and three losses on his ledger.

In all fairness, however, he didn’t give up an earned run in 14 of his 22 appearances. His ERA was 4.43 until he gave up five runs against North Carolina in the final regular-season series and three runs against Oklahoma at the Norman Regional.

His opposing batting average stayed low, only surrendering an opposing batting average of .198, but his strikeouts per nine innings dropped from 15.1 to 8.5.

Oschell joins Jonathan Santucci (second round, New York Mets), Charlie Beilenson (fifth round, Seattle Mariners), and Nick Conte (eighth round, Kansas City Royals) as Blue Devils draft picks in 2024.

Ryan Prager selected by the Los Angeles Angels with the 81st overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft

Texas A&M pitcher Ryan Prager is the second Aggie taken by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2024 MLB Draft

Texas A&M tone-setter on the mound Ryan Prager could very well be named as the Aggies comeback player of the year. To make it even sweeter, his 2024 campaign with him being drafted in the third round by the Los Angeles Angels in the 2024 MLB Draft. If Prager does actually sign with the Angels, he will join fellow Aggie pitcher Chris Cortez.

The lefty was A&M’s main weekend starter and picked up the win in the Aggie’s lone victory during the national championship series against Tennessee. While his fastball only tops out around the low 90s it has great movement, and he pairs that with some good off-speed pitches. Prager’s comeback as been nothing short of amazing.

CAREER STATS

  • Record – 10-5
  • Saves – 0
  • ERA – 3.78
  • Innings Pitched – 157
  • Strikeouts – 177
  • Walks – 45
  • Opposing Batting Average – .242

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Chris Cortez selected by the Los Angeles Angels with the 45th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft

Texas A&M pitcher Chris Cortez is the second Aggie off the board in the 2024 MLB Draft to the Los Angeles Angels

It’s been a wild ride for Texas A&M flamethrower Chris Cortez in his three years in Aggieland. The last 12 months have been even more interesting for Cortez, as he went from entering the transfer portal last year after a poor 2023 season to being a second-round draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

The Los Angeles Angels selected the Aggie pitcher with the 45th pick, capping off a great 2024 season for Cortez. Last season, there was a lot of talk about Cortez’s big-league stuff and lack of command of his pitches. After being convinced to pull out of the transfer portal and stay at A&M, the work began to transform Cortez into one of the most feared relievers in the SEC.

With a fastball that tops out at over 100 MPH and a wicked slider, former A&M pitching coach Max Wiener helped him learn to control his money pitches. That led to him having his best season in the Maroon & White with over 100 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .187. 

 https://twitter.com/MLBDraft/status/1812674373020528745  

CAREER STATS

  • Record – 19-7
  • Saves – 1
  • ERA – 4.67
  • Innings Pitched – 150.1
  • Strikeouts – 173
  • Walks – 90
  • Opposing Batting Average – 237

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on X: @whosnextsports1.