Best Under-Slot Options For The Angels In The 2026 Draft
June 7, 2026 - Written by Brayden Zielke
LSU CF Derek Curiel is a nice safety blanket for some team picking reasonably high in the draft. 93% Z-Con/13% whiff in SEC play. Growing into raw pop (111 maxEV) to pair with good HH%. +field/run. Needs to elevate more and get more aggressive in pro ball. #7 on my college board pic.twitter.com/7k0fMLzEuM
— Danny (@dannybarrand_) June 5, 2026
As many of us who follow the MLB Draft know, the Angels love to go under-slot with their 1st round pick. To those who don’t know this term, it means that the Angels use less of their assigned draft money in the early rounds so that they can spend more on high-upside high schoolers in the middle rounds. With this strategy, the Angels saved $2.56 million on the Tyler Bremner pick in 2025, $1.5 million on the Christian Moore pick in 2024, and $912,000 on the Zach Neto pick in 2022. The Angels draft 12th this year and have a wide range of options.
With that being said, here are some of the best under-slot options for the Angels in the upcoming MLB Draft.
Derek Curiel, OF, LSU (#12 ranked draft prospect)
Curiel is a SoCal native who was born in West Covina and attended Orange Lutheran High School. In his two seasons at LSU, Curiel played in 126 games, slashing .349/.452/.522 with 13 home runs, 101 RBIs, and 131 runs scored. Curiel is a natural leadoff hitter and has spent most of his college games in Left Field, which would help him fit into an Angels team that doesn’t really have either of those at the moment. While he probably wouldn’t save the Angels a ton of money, he has been slipping down some draft boards, meaning the Angels could probably save some money with his selection.
Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA (#28 ranked prospect)
Reddemann is one of my favorite prospects in this year's draft, but he is a risky pick. Reddemann only started 10 games this year due to arm fatigue, but many of his numbers could make the case that he is worth the risk. In his 10 starts, Reddemann had a 2.87 ERA, along with 84 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 59.2 innings. During his previous 2 seasons at San Diego, Reddemann had a 3.29 ERA in 26 games (22 starts), meaning that he has multiple years of quantifiable success and is not a one year wonder. He would likely save the Angels millions if they decided to draft him at pick 12. He also has a 5 pitch mix, which is always a plus.
Caden Sorrell, OF, Texas A&M (#29 ranked prospect)
Sorrell was a 3 year starter at Texas A&M, and despite a hamstring injury causing him to miss a good chunk of his 2025 season, he remained a consistent contributor while on the field. 2026 was Sorrell’s best season, in which he slashed .341/.434/.743 and hit 23 home runs and 76 RBIs. In his first 2 seasons, Sorrell played Left Field, as Center was held down by Guardians 2025 first round pick Jace LaViolette. Sorrell moved to Center Field for the 2026 season, and could play either in pro ball.
Mason Edwards, LHP, USC (#34 ranked prospect)
Edwards, another SoCal native, has had a really strong season for USC. This season, Edwards has started 17 games and has a 2.07 ERA to go along with 169 strikeouts in 95.2 innings. Although he only has 3 pitches, he has been dicing up hitters all season. Although he did struggle against North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Super Regional, he is a name to watch as USC attempts a College World Series run.
Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia (#39 ranked prospect)
Jackson absolutely demolished the baseball at Georgia this year. In 61 games, Jackson slashed .396/.493/.830 for a whopping 1.323 OPS to go along with 29 home runs, 83 RBIs, and 82 runs scored. Jackson also possesses great speed for a catcher, stealing 25 bases while only being caught stealing twice. While he’s not the most polished catcher and not a great defender, his athleticism and hitting skill is undeniable. Because many scouts think he could handle a corner outfield spot in pro ball if he doesn’t pan out as a catcher, I think drafting Jackson could be worth the risk.
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