Angels’ first pick is a defensive catcher

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Angels emphasized defense over offense in the first round of the draft Monday, selecting Fresno State catcher Taylor Ward with the 26th overall pick. They took Jahmai Jones, an athletic high school outfielder from Georgia, in the second round, with the 70th overall pick.

Ward, 21, hit .303 with seven homers, 14 doubles and 42 runs batted in as a junior but was rated the 99th-best prospect in the draft by mlb.com and 70th by Baseball America, which described Ward as having “decent pull power, though he lacks a natural feel for hitting.”

The magazine raved about Ward’s defensive skills, though, saying he has “one of the best throwing arms in the country . . . and his throws are accurate and true.”

Ward threw out 13 of 23 basestealers this season, and some scouts believe his arm would play on the mound if he doesn’t hit enough to stick behind the plate.

“Quite frankly, it doesn’t bother me where other people have him,” Angels scouting director Ric Wilson said. “They have no idea what our dynamics are, and everybody sees everyone differently. We think he will be a premium defender who will be able to shut down the running game.”

The suggested signing bonus for Ward is $2.034 million, and Ward said he is “very motivated to get going with the Angels.”

The 6-foot, 210-pound Jones, a star wide receiver for two years in high school, has committed to North Carolina, “but at end of the day, my heart is sold on baseball,” he said. “I hope in a couple weeks I’m out in California playing.”