Angels Select 2B Christian Moore With First Pick (8th Overall) in 2024 MLB First-Year Player Draft
The Angels selected INF Christian Moore from the University of Tennessee as their first pick (1st round, 8th overall) in the 2024 First-Year Player Draft. The announcement was made by Angels Director, Amateur Scouting Tim McIlvaine.
Moore, 21, batted .375 (111/296) with 34 home runs, 74 RBI, 83 runs scored and a 1.248 OPS during his junior campaign at Tennessee. The second baseman led all NCAA Division I with 111 hits and 236 total bases, while his 34 homers set a new single-season record for the Volunteers. In the opening game of the College World Series, Moore became the second player to hit for the cycle in a CWS game, joining Minnesota’s Jerry Kindall who accomplished the feat in 1956. Tennessee would go on to win the College World Series Championship.
For his efforts in 2024, Moore was named to the Baseball America All-American first team and ABCA All-American second team, as well as receiving SEC Player of the Week honors twice (April 9 and April 22, 2024). During his three seasons at the University of Tennessee, Moore batted .338 (212/628) with 160 RBI, 179 runs scored, 115 walks and set a new program record with 61 career homers. A 2022 teammate of current Angels reliver Ben Joyce, the Brooklyn, NY native prepped at Suffield Academy (Suffield, CT).
As the eighth overall selection, Moore is the Angels highest draft pick since Troy Glaus (third overall) in the 1997 Draft. This is the fifth time in franchise history that the Angels held the eighth overall pick, a position which previously produced LHP Jim Abbott in the 1988 Draft.
After selecting 1B Nolan Schanuel (11th overall) last year and SS Zach Neto (13th overall) in 2022, the Angels have drafted a position player with their initial first round pick in three consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so five straight years from 2015-19. This is also the first time in franchise history selecting an infielder with the initial first round pick in three straight years.
The Halos 40-man roster currently features 15 players who were first round selections, including eight who were first round picks by the Angels: Jordyn Adams (17th overall by Angels – 2018), Jo Adell (10th overall by Angels – 2017), Tyler Anderson (20th overall by Rockies – 2011), Sam Bachman (9th overall by Angels – 2021), Reid Detmers (10th overall by Angels – 2020), Carson Fulmer (8th overall by White Sox – 2015), Keston Hiura (9th overall by Brewers – 2017), Mickey Moniak (1st overall by Phillies – 2016), Zach Neto (13th overall by Angels – 2022), Anthony Rendon (6th overall by Nationals – 2011), Nolan Schanuel (11th overall by Angels – 2023), Robert Stephenson (27th overall by Reds – 2011), Matt Thaiss (16th overall by Angels – 2016), Mike Trout (25th overall by Angels – 2009) and Taylor Ward (26th overall by Angels – 2015).
Moore is the first of three selections for the Angels on the first day of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft. The Angels also hold the sixth pick in the second round (45th overall) and a Compensation pick after Competitive Balance Round B (74th overall). The Halos will make eight selections tomorrow in rounds 3-10 and will have 10 selections on Tuesday to conclude the Draft.