Jared Grindlinger is ready for the next challenge.
The ultimate destination, Angel Stadium, is not too far away from his home in Huntington Beach.
The Los Angeles Angels drafted the Huntington Beach High product with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft on Saturday.
“It’s almost surreal to think that we’ll be able to drive down the road and go watch him play, if he makes it,” Huntington Beach baseball coach Benji Medure said.
Grindlinger helped the Oilers win their ninth straight Sunset League title and the Southern California Regional Division I championship this season. A two-way prospect, he hit .376 with a pair of home runs for Huntington Beach and was 6-0 on the mound with a 0.85 earned-run average as a left-handed pitcher.
Jared Grindlinger (28) of Huntington Beach runs to third safely against Newport Harbor during Sunset League play in April.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
Grindlinger, who turned 17 in April, was in his junior year at the time but reclassified as a senior, becoming one of the youngest prospects in the draft.
“Watching him start the season and how dominant he was, I can’t even imagine him coming back and playing high school baseball next year,” Medure said. “He’s ready. He’s totally ready. And if he has the courage to [reclassify] and the confidence to do that, then we have to support it 100%. We did, and it’s a great decision for him. Obviously, it worked out for him.”
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Grindlinger was committed to the University of Tennessee, but now appears likely to sign with the Angels. The No. 12 overall pick carries a slot value of $5.89 million.
Jared is the third of three brothers to come through the Oilers program — Brad plays at Long Beach State and Trent at Tennessee — and has played for several U.S. national teams in his age group, starting at age 12.
Huntington Beach High alumnus Ralphy Velazquez (24), shown against Edison in 2022, played in the MLB All-Star Futures Game over the weekend.
(File photo)
“He was always playing with the big boys, and he not only held his own, but he would do well against older kids,” Medure said. “There’s not much fear in him of this. This doesn’t seem like a huge jump for him. He’s played against bigger, older guys his whole life, and I think he’s ready.”
Medure called Grindlinger the most competitive player he’s coached since Nick Pratto, who was selected by the Kansas City Royals with the 14th overall pick of the 2017 MLB Draft. The other first-round picks from Huntington Beach High in Medure’s tenure have been Hank Conger (25th overall to the Angels in 2006) and Ralphy Velazquez (23rd overall to the Guardians in 2023).
Velazquez started in the 2026 MLB Futures Game on Sunday — on the same day four other former Oilers were drafted. Caden Aoki went in the seventh round to the Rangers, and Colby Turner and Nathan Aceves both went in the 12th round to the Twins and A’s, respectively.
Carson Lane was drafted in the 14th round by the Guardians.
“It was a really cool day for us,” Medure said.
Laguna Beach alumnus Nick Bonn, shown pitching in 2022, was drafted Sunday by the St. Louis Cardinals.
(File photo)
Among other former local high school players drafted, UCLA first baseman Mulevai Levu went with the 70th overall pick in Competitive Balance Round B. Levu is a product of Ocean View High.
Laguna Beach High graduate Nick Bonn, a pitcher for Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, went in the 10th round to the St. Louis Cardinals. Another former Breakers player and Cal Poly pitching teammate, Griffin Naess, was selected in the 15th round by the Chicago Cubs.
Ryder Brooks, a Fountain Valley High grad who has been pitching for UC Irvine, was selected in the 18th round by the San Francisco Giants. Jack Salmon, who prepped at Corona del Mar High and has been playing at UNLV, was taken in the 19th round by the Angels. Salmon is the nephew of former Angels star Tim Salmon.
UC Irvine also had pitcher Trevor Hansen taken in the ninth round by the Angels.