Fast-rising Moore lifts off in Rocket City debut

Christian Moore sat in the Single-A Inland Empire postgame meeting after his second professional game on Thursday night in Modesto, just thankful to have started his professional baseball journey. That gratefulness shortly turned into shock for the Angels' 2024 first-round Draft pick.

The clubhouse erupted in excitement as 66ers manager Dave Stapleton announced that the 21-year-old was promoted to Double-A (bypassing High-A entirely) after just two games at Single-A -- in which Moore went 6-for-11 with a home run and six RBIs.

“I didn't really know what was happening,” Moore said. “I didn't plan on it. I was just playing to win and trying to help the team be its best. I was definitely surprised and a little nervous, so it was a whirlwind of a day.”

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Moore didn’t get any sleep that night. The Brooklyn native packed up his belongings at the team hotel and headed toward the Sacramento Airport where he would hop on a connecting flight to Houston before arriving in Biloxi at 5:30 p.m. on Friday to join the Double-A Rocket City Trash Pandas.

He wasn’t in the lineup that night, but his Double-A debut was worth waiting for.

The 2024 Men's College World Series champion didn’t waste any time making an impact. Just 40 days after winning an NCAA title -- during which he hit for the first MCWS cycle in 68 years -- and 20 days after being selected eighth overall by the Angels, Moore slapped an opposite-field single off lefty Tate Kuehner for his first Double-A hit in the third inning.

The Brooklyn native then flexed his 60-grade power by belting a homer a reported 401 feet with a 109 mph exit velocity in the Trash Pandas' 13-4 loss at Keesler Federal Park.

Travis Bazzana, the first overall pick by the Guardians, was the first member of the 2024 Draft class to debut in the Minors. JJ Wetherholt, chosen one pick before Moore by the Cardinals, has also joined affiliate ball, but none has soared as quickly as the former MLB Develops participant.

Moore isn’t a stranger to making his mark with home run pop. At Tennessee, he set a single-season record with 34 dingers and left campus with the career mark of 61. He treated this homer like it was just business as usual.

“That's one, let's get some more runs going,” Moore said. “The dugout got pretty hype about it, so I was definitely trying to get them and the offense going in the right direction.”

The Angels have a recent history of targeting Major League-ready players early in the Draft. Each of the Angels' past two first-round selections have had quick journeys to the Majors -- Nolan Schanuel (2023) made his MLB debut after just 22 games (three at Rookie ball, two at Single-A, 17 at Double-A) last season and Zach Neto (2022) arrived to The Show a little over nine months after being drafted.

If history repeats itself, Moore could be sitting in a Major League clubhouse sooner rather than later. He said that the Angels intended him to reach Double-A at some point this season, and he shattered that goal in three games while posting a slash line of .533/.563/1.067.

“I'm definitely blessed for this opportunity,” Moore said. “I thank the Angels for taking a shot on me in the Draft. I'm going to work hard and make sure I show up at work every day prepared to win and ready to play.”