Breaking: Angels select Tennessee’s baseman, with the eighth overall pick in the MLB Draft.
Christian Moore, a second baseman out of the University of Tennessee, was chosen by the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in the opening round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
Moore, a right-handed pitcher and batter, was selected eighth overall in the draft following three outstanding seasons with the Volunteers, which included a College World Series championship following their June victory against Texas A&M.
Before deciding to enroll to Tennessee in 2022, the Brooklyn, New York native attended Suffield Academy in Connecticut. He finished his three seasons with a.338 batting average, a.697 slugging percentage, a.447 on base percentage, and 61 home runs, 160 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases.
In 2024, he became the school record holder with 34 home runs, good for third place in the NCAA Division I.
Moore, 21, led the country in hits with 111, and he became just the second player in history to hit for the cycle in the College World Series opening. His impressive play earned him a ranking of No. 13 overall in Major League Baseball analysis.
He is the younger brother of C.J. Moore, the 2014 Arizona Diamondbacks draft selection.
On the first night of the draft, the Halos also had two additional selections. At No. 85 overall in the second round, they selected Texas A&M pitcher Chris Cortez.
The 21-year-old Cortez was a vital component of the Aggies’ successful run to the College World Series, where they were defeated by the Tennessee Volunteers. He pitched 64 and two-thirds innings the previous year, finishing his junior year with a 10-3 record, 102 strikeouts, and a 2.78 ERA.
His pitch arsenal, which includes a slider that can hit 100 mph and a fastball that can reach 100 mph, is highly acclaimed.
Prior to Sunday, the 6-foot-1 righty, who is from Las Vegas, Nevada, was ranked No. 85 among MLB’s overall Draft prospects.
After Shohei Ohtani chose to join with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Angels finally selected Ryan Johnson, a towering 6-foot-6 pitcher from Dallas Baptist University, with a compensatory pick they earned.
In his final season, he finished with an 11-3 record, 2.21 ERA in 106 innings pitched, and 151 strikeouts. He was named Conference USA pitcher of the year.
Johnson boasts a five-pitch arsenal that is led by his fastball, which can reach speeds of up to 100 mph, and slider. He also includes a cutter and a curveball.
He is the younger brother of M.D. Johnson, who the Miami Marlins selected with the 171st overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. With their Double-A affiliate, he pitches now.
