Angels Shockingly Pass On Top Pitcher in MLB Draft, Who Gets Drafted By AL West Rival

The Los Angeles Angels chose right-handed pitcher Tyler Bremner with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, passing on Kade Anderson, who MLB ranked as the second-best draftee in the class and top pitcher.

Anderson went one pick later to the Seattle Mariners, further strengthening one of the best pitching staffs in the league — one who happens to be an American League West rival of the Angels.

The 20-year-old played college ball at LSU, where he won the College World Series in 2025. He pitched in the first game of the series, striking out 10 in a complete game shutout while allowing just three hits. He won Most Outstanding Player for his performances during the tournament.

Anderson threw an NCAA Division I-leading 119 innings for the Tigers in 2025, posting an insane 12-1 record with a 3.18 ERA. He fanned batters at an absurd rate, notching 180 strikeouts last season, which also led all of D1 baseball.

"Anderson's fastball plays much better than its velocity (sitting 92-94 mph, touching 97) because it carries past bats up in the strike zone,"reads MLB.com's scouting report. "He used an upper-70s downer curveball as his main breaking pitch as a freshman but now favors a high-spin mid-80s slider that has the makings of a plus offering. He also employs a mid-80s changeup with fade and sink that has become a true weapon as he has used it more often.

"With a quick arm and athletic delivery, Anderson provides plenty of strikes. There's still projection remaining in his slender 6-foot-2 frame, and his uptick in stuff this spring could make him a frontline starter. He also comes with a high floor as a lefty with four effective offerings and pitchability."

Bremner also has high upside as a pitcher, however, and is clearly a pick the Angels didn't want to miss in this year's draft. His fastball has a higher average and max velocity than Anderson — resting around 95 and topping out at 98 — and his four years of college pitching experience could help him adapt better to the minor leagues and eventual major leagues. On the Angels, it may not be long until he's pitching in the big leagues.

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