That was quick.
The Angels are bringing in infielder Christian Moore, who was the 8th overall selection in the 2024 MLB draft, as reported by John Heyman.
The 22-year-old Moore has participated in only 79 minor league games across the last two seasons but has quickly ascended to become the top prospect for the Angels.
So far this season at Triple A Salt Lake, Moore has posted a .350 average with a .999 OPS, driving in 18 runs over 20 games.
Starting the 2025 season with Double A Rocket City, he saw a rapid promotion to Triple A in May. Angels manager Ron Washington noted that he was ready for the step up.
“He started swinging the bat better in Double A, and we felt it was time to give him a challenge,” Washington explained. “He might excel at Triple A, or he might find his footing, but we wanted to push him.”
Washington, who is 73, also highlighted Moore’s growth defensively at second base since he was drafted.
“His defense has been excellent,” Washington remarked. “He played 30 games and had only two errors. He’s been solid defensively and started hitting better.”
Recently, the Angels have developed a pattern of promoting players swiftly to the majors. For instance, they called up Nolan Chanuel, a first-round pick from 2023, just six weeks post-draft.
During his tenure with the Angels, the 23-year-old Chanuel has maintained a .263 average and a .726 OPS over 241 games.
The team also advanced reliever Ben Joyce just a year after drafting him in 2022, where he pitched 49 innings for the club.
