Angels' 2002 draft architect Bob Fontaine Jr. dies at 73

Drafted Smith, Gwynn, Johnson and Abbott

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 55m1 min read

What happened: Bob Fontaine Jr. died Saturday at age 73 after almost 50 years scouting for six clubs. He ran the Angels draft from 1987-1999 and selected the nucleus of the 2002 World Series champions. Those picks included Jim Abbott, Jim Edmonds, Garret Anderson, Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad.

Why it matters: His defining call was Abbott, passed over by seven teams before the Angels took him eighth in 1988 on Fontaine's read of his cut fastball. Abbott jumped from Michigan to the majors without a minor-league stop and pitched 10 seasons. Fontaine also drafted Hall of Famers Ozzie Smith, Tony Gwynn and Randy Johnson.

By the numbers: Age 73; nearly 50 years in scouting; 6 clubs scouted; Angels scouting director 1987-1999; 1 World Series title built on his core in 2002; 1988 draft: Abbott 8th overall after 7 passes; Abbott: 10 MLB seasons.

What to watch: The Angels credited him with shaping generations of players in a team statement.

Sources

Yahoo MLB 2026-10-05T16:53:30.248513+00:00

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