The Los Angeles Angels stepped to the podium with the No. 2 pick in Sunday’s MLB Draft. After another underwhelming season and growing frustration in Anaheim, this was supposed to be a moment of clarity, a chance to reset the franchise’s trajectory by selecting a proven, big-stage talent. LSU’s Kade Anderson, the Division I strikeout leader and fresh off a national title run, was still available. So was Ethan Holliday, a potential power-hitting cornerstone. Everything pointed toward the Angels making a safe, impactful pick.

Instead, they stunned the baseball world by selecting Tyler Bremner, a right-hander out of UC Santa Barbara, projected by many to be taken much later. Bremner has talent; he features three pitches and projects as a quick riser, but in a draft stacked with elite options, the decision felt out of sync. Analysts immediately flagged it as a reach. Fans were confused. And across the league, rival teams took notice.

As one analysis noted bluntly, as Jim Bowden of The Athletic penned down, “The Angels whiffed on the No. 2 pick when they selected right-hander Tyler Bremner from UC Santa Barbara. Not because he’s not a good pitcher; he is… No, the Angels blew it because of what they left on the table to take Bremner.” Though Bremner was projected for Round 1, no one expected him to make the top five pick, let alone No. 2.

The table that Bowden referred to included Anderson, who ultimately landed with the division-rival Seattle Mariners as No. 3. It’s even a worst-case scenario for an Angels club that could be watching him dominate from the other dugout for the next decade. Followed by Holliday, who was scooped up by the Colorado Rockies as No. 4. His raw power will now be amplified by the thin air of Coors Field.

The concern isn’t that Bremner lacks ability. It’s that the Angels may have missed out on greatness. And in a league where first-round picks can define a rebuild, that kind of decision carries weight. Every outing Anderson makes in Seattle and every homer Holliday hits in Colorado will now serve as a mirror to reflect back on what the Angels could have had.

This isn’t unfamiliar territory for the Angels; taking risks in the draft has become a pattern. But in a year where certainty and star power were available, passing on both has already triggered major backlash. If Bremner doesn’t exceed expectations quickly, this pick could become another painful chapter in Anaheim’s growing book of what-ifs.

Angels Draft Day Shadowed by Loss

Tyler Bremner didn’t walk into Draft Day the way most top prospects do. Just four weeks before hearing his name called at No. 2 overall, he lost his mother, Jennifer, after a courageous five-year battle with breast cancer. The memorial service was held just days before the draft. Instead of being swept up in excitement, Bremner and his family found themselves taking a moment to recover their composure. Dealing with sadness while trying to savor what could have been the pinnacle of his baseball career was no feat.

Throughout Bremner’s journey, his mother had been there for him every step of the way. Until her body reached its limit and could no longer go on with him. “She came out to all the games all the way up to the point where her body wouldn’t let her anymore,” he said. “But she’s a fighter, and I know she’s out there watching, and in a weird way, I went to the Angels. It’s weird how life works.” The moment clearly meant more than just draft positioning. For Bremner, it felt like fate.

As heavy as the loss was, Bremner used it as fuel. His performances on the mound became more intense, more focused, as if every pitch was a tribute. “Funny enough, as she got worse, that’s when I got stronger on the field,” he admitted. “I feel like I did a very good job of almost using that kind of negative energy and channeling it into pitching, and pitching angry, or pitching for her, pitching for something bigger than myself.” It was personal.

And that fire may just be what carried him to a stage he never expected to reach so soon.