Top Pick Signs for $975,000

By Mike DiGiovanna

July 24, 2005 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

The Angels, in their never-ending quest to stockpile power arms, added another to their stable Saturday when they signed pitcher Trevor Bell, their first pick in the June draft, to a $975,000 bonus.

Bell is a 6-foot-2, 180-pound right-hander from Crescenta Valley High whose fastball has been clocked as high as 97 mph. The 37th overall pick in the draft, Bell was ranked by Baseball America as having the fourth-best fastball among high school pitchers last season.

Bell, who also throws a curve, slider and changeup, went 8-3 with a 1.13 earned-run average in 16 games for Crescenta Valley this year, striking out 113 and walking 11 in 80 innings. He has passed a physical and will report to the Angels’ rookie-league affiliate in Mesa, Ariz., Monday with strict orders to ease himself into competition.

“He hasn’t pitched in six weeks, but knowing his personality, he’ll want to go down there and throw rockets,” Angel scouting director Eddie Bane said. “It will take a week or so to get in shape, and we want him to go real slow. We told him he’s not pitching in Anaheim tomorrow.”

Bell, 18, attended Saturday night’s Angel-Yankee game and spent about an hour on the field watching batting practice. After seeing the Yankees and their many high-priced superstars loosen up, Bell said, “I want to pitch against those guys.”

Bane, who helped scout Eric Gagne for the Dodgers, said Bell’s “very aggressive delivery” is similar to that of the Dodger closer. Bell will begin his professional career as a starter, but with a potentially overpowering fastball, it’s possible he could be converted to short reliever.

“Any way I can help the Angels win, whether it’s as a starter, closer or setup man, I’m there,” Bell said.

Asked if there was any pitcher he patterns himself after, Bell said, “Roger Clemens for his intensity, and Barry Zito for his smarts.” Bane said Bell “has a lot of passion and great mound presence.”

The kid also has stage presence. Bell has been acting since he was 8 years old, appearing in commercials for Hot Wheels, Kellogg’s and Old Navy, and his grandfather, Bob Bell, played Bozo the Clown for WGN-TV in Chicago for 25 years.

Asked if he still wanted to be an actor, Bell said, “No, I’m a baseball player.”

Unlike the Angels’ top pick in 2004, pitcher Jered Weaver -- who held out for almost a year before signing for $4 million on May 30, an hour before he would have entered the 2005 draft -- Bell will pitch for the organization in the year he was drafted.

“It will be nice for us to get to see him,” Bane said. “I’m still thrilled we have Jered Weaver, and I’m sure the teams that picked in front of us wish they would have picked him when they saw what we signed him for. Fortunately, Bill [Stoneman, Angel general manager] got all the headaches [of the negotiation] and I got all the credit [for drafting him].”

Stoneman said there was no significance to the timing of Weaver’s promotion from Class-A Rancho Cucamonga to double-A Arkansas on Friday; it’s not an indication the Angels want Weaver to be in position for a September call-up to the big leagues, though that hasn’t been ruled out.

“He did so well his last two starts, showing great fastball command, we just said hey, it’s time,” Stoneman said. “It’s really that simple.”