The Los Angeles Angels are keeping it all in the family following the conclusion of the 2023 MLB Draft.
The Angels selected Zach Joyce in the 14th round after they took his twin brother, relief pitcher Ben, in the third round of last year’s amateur draft. Zach is coming off a season in which he helped the University of Tennessee reach the College World Series this season.
Joyce went 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 10⅓ innings over 13 appearances.
“The story of it being with Ben and being his brother is great, but this was a guy that regardless of any connection to the Angels, I was targeting him as a guy that could help us for sure,” Tim McIlvaine, the director of amateur scouting for the Angels said (h/t ESPN). “The story now with Ben, too, could be awesome at some point as well, but for sure, he’s a really talented kid.”
Ben Joyce, 22, also starred at Tennessee before he was drafted by the Angels and made his MLB debut on May 29th. Joyce went 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in five relief appearances before he was placed on the 15-day injured list with ulnar neuritis in his right arm.
Zach, on the other hand, had Tommy John surgery in January 2020 and also stepped away from the game because of clinical depression and anxiety before returning this season with the Volunteers.
“I saw him this fall at Tennessee and he looked great,” McIlvaine said. “He was throwing the ball really well. He was spinning the ball really well, and the velocity started climbing back up.”
