ANAHEIM – The Angels selected OF Jared Grindlinger from Huntington Beach HS (Huntington Beach, CA) as their first pick (1st round, 12th overall) in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft. The announcement was made by Angels Director, Amateur Scouting Tim McIlvaine.
Grindlinger, 17, batted .376 (41/109) with 26 runs, 10 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 22 RBI, and a 1.000 OPS in 2026. Grindlinger also helped lead Huntington Beach to their ninth straight Sunset League title and the 2026 CIF Southern California Division 1 Regional Championship, where he homered in the title game.
Following the season, Grindlinger was named the Orange County Register Player of the Year, as well as the Sunset League Most Valuable Player. He was also named the 2026 Mr. Baseball State Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports, following a selection as the State Sophomore of the Year in 2025. Grindlinger finished his three-year high school career with a .361 batting average, 40 runs scored, 21 extra-base hits, 39 RBI, and a .953 OPS.
The Angels held the 12th overall pick in the Draft for the fourth time in franchise history. Grindlinger is the first Angels position player to be selected with the #12 pick. Grindlinger joins RHP Lloyd Allen (1968) as well as All-Stars Joe Saunders (2002) and Jered Weaver (2004) as Angels players selected with the #12 pick. He is the first prep player selected with the Angels first round pick since Jordyn Adams in 2018. Additionally, at 17 years and 86 days old, Grindlinger is the youngest first round pick in Angels franchise history.
After selecting RHP Tyler Bremner (second overall) last year, the Angels have drafted a position player with their initial first round pick for the first time since selecting Christian Moore eighth overall in 2024. This is the fourth time in five years that the Halos have taken a position player in the first round following Moore in 2024, Nolan Schanuel in 2023, and Zach Neto in 2022.
The Halos 40-man roster currently features 12 players who were first round selections, including seven who were first round picks by the Angels: Jo Adell (10th overall by Angels – 2017), Sam Bachman (9th overall by Angels – 2021), Travis d’Arnaud (37th overall by Phillies – 2007), Reid Detmers (10th overall by Angels – 2020), Josh Lowe (13th overall by Rays), Christian Moore (8th overall by Angels – 2024), Zach Neto (13th overall by Angels – 2022), Anthony Rendon (6th overall by Nationals – 2011), Grayson Rodriguez (11th overall by Orioles – 2018), Nolan Schanuel (11th overall by Angels – 2023), Robert Stephenson (27th overall by Reds – 2011), Mike Trout (25th overall by Angels – 2009).
Grindlinger is the first of four selections for the Angels on the first day of the 2026 First-Year Player Draft. The Angels also hold the eighth pick in the second round (45th overall), the sixth pick in the third round (81st overall), and the sixth pick in the fourth round (109th overall). The Halos will make 16 selections tomorrow in rounds 5-20 to conclude the Draft.
