There’s people who have been handed everything in life. The ones who never had to work hard a day in their life. People who are full of themselves and think they’re better than other people.
Then there’s the rare ones, like Angelo. A 17 year old kid from humble beginnings who has done nothing but impress everyone around him. You can google the kids name and see that he’s a monster on the diamond. The Yankees seemed impressed…
The Yankees have signed second-round pick Angelo Gumbs for $750,000, the largest bonus below the supplemental first round so far this year. MLB’s recommendation for Gumbs’ No. 82 draft slot is $436,500.
An outfielder from Torrance (Calif.) High, Gumbs honed his game at MLB’s Urban Youth Academy in Compton. He has outstanding bat speed and all of his tools grade as average or better. Though he’s raw, his ceiling is intriguing.
We would like to think that he in fact has ‘no ceilins.’
I first got a chance to meet Angelo and watch him play back in March of this year. I couldn’t have been more impressed. Not so impressed by his incredible athletic ability or command of the field, but of his demeanor and personality. I’ve met a lot of young, great talents but none more composed and level-headed than Angelo. It’s refreshing to meet an incredibly sharp kid who hasn’t let the allure of the spotlight get to his head. With more scouts than fans at your high school games that can be harder than you think. As I watched him glide past the scouts without skipping a step and head straight to his family in the stands I couldn’t help but crack a bit of a smile.
After a brief conversations a few shared laughs I truly felt excited for him. New York is lucky to have landed not just a great talent, but a great person. Check out the trailer below for an upcoming documentary about Angelo and his journey to the majors.
You’ll be hearing a lot more about Angelo from us soon. In the mean time wish the kid luck and leave him a comment below. Your support is always appreciated.
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