2018 MLB Draft: Los Angeles Angels select Jordyn Adams with 17th overall pick

With the 17th pick in the draft, the Los Angeles Angels have selected outfielder Jordyn Adams from Green Hope High School in Cary, North Carolina. In mock drafts, Adams was projected to go 15th by ESPN and 15th by Baseball America.

Adams, 18, is an elite athlete who figures to stick in center field and is capable of making, well, as much of an impact on the basepaths as any player can within the constraints of today’s analytically-driven game. He’s got a smooth swing but is still somewhat raw at the plate overall and hasn’t really developed much power yet, though he has the capability to do so as his 6-foot-2, 175-pound frame fills out.

Adams, a talented wide receiver, is committed to play both football and baseball at the University of North Carolina, where the defensive line coach is none other than his dad, Deke. That creates obvious signability issues, particularly since Adams isn’t a high first-rounder and can always pursue pro baseball again in three years anyway.