Angels draft Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore with No. 8 pick in MLB Draft

The Los Angeles Angels selected second baseman Christian Moore out of the University of Tennessee during the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday. 

Moore, who both bats and throws right handed, was the No. 8 overall pick after three stellar seasons with the Volunteers, capped off with a College World Series title after they defeated Texas A&M in June. 

The Brooklyn, New York native attended Suffield Academy in Connecticut before committing to Tennessee in 2022. During his three seasons, he tallied 61 home runs, 160 RBIs and 22 stolen bases to the tune of a .338 batting average, .697 slugging percentage and .447 on base percentage. 

He set a school record with 34 homers in 2024, which qualified for third best in the NCAA Division I. 

Moore, 21, was ranked No. 13 overall by Major League Baseball analysis after he led the nation in hits with 111, on top of his stunning performance in the College World Series opener, when he became just the second player ever to hit for the cycle. 

He is the younger brother of C.J. Moore, who was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014. 

The Halos also had two other picks on the opening night of the Draft, picking Texas A&M pitcher Chris Cortez in the second round at No. 85 overall. 

Cortez, also 21, was one of the key cogs in the Aggies run to the College World Series, where they fell to the Tennessee Volunteers. He tossed 64 and two-thirds innings last season, putting together a 10-3 record with 102 strikeouts and a 2.78 ERA in his junior season. 

He's highly regarded for his pitch repertoire, which includes a fastball that can touch 100 miles per hour and a nasty slider. 

The 6-foot-1 righty hails from Las Vegas, Nevada and was MLB's No. 85 overall Draft prospect ahead of Sunday.

Finally, with a compensatory pick that they earned when Shohei Ohtani opted to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Angels selected Ryan Johnson, a towering 6-foot-6 pitcher from Dallas Baptist University. 

He was the Conference USA pitcher of the year in his senior season, putting together an 11-3 campaign with 151 strikeouts and a 2.21 ERA in 106 innings pitched. 

Johnson touts a five pitch repertoire highlighted by his fastball, which often hits 100 miles per hour, and slider, but also mixes in a curveball and cutter. 

He is the younger brother of M.D. Johnson, who was selected at 171st overall in the 2019 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins. He currently pitches with their Double-A affiliate.