LA’s New LHP Took Quite the Inspirational Road to the Franchise

1102. 

Is it a hotel room number? An old apartment number? How hard he wants to throw?

No.

Kolton Ingram has the number stitched on his glove to remind himself that he was the 1102nd selection in the 2019 draft. 

His road to get to the Angels was anything but conventional. The lefty was chosen by the Tigers in the 2019 draft, but like so many others, 2020 was a difficult time for Kolton Ingram.

He was let go by the Tigers during the 2020 season when so many minor leaguers were displaced due to the lack of a minor league season. 

He said he knew he wasn't let go because of his abilities, and when he got the call to join the Angels, everyone that was around him said his face turned completely white.

And while his first outing in the big leagues didn't turn out like he wanted, only going a third of an inning and giving up three runs, the story of determination and persistence is something of an underdog story.

Coming up straight from Double-A and performing well isn't something that happens very often. Giving people time to develop in the minors is the name of the game.

But if one thing's for sure, a rough debut isn't going to stop Ingram from working his hardest and proving he belongs on the mound at Angel Stadium.

He knows exactly how many people were taken before him, and that the privilege to play baseball professionally can be taken away any day.