Angels sign Torri Hunter Jr. signs, but will still play football

ANAHEIM >> The Angels on Saturday added a familiar name to their organization.

Torii Hunter Jr., whom they selected in the 23rd round of the draft two weeks ago, signed a contract, the club aounced.

He is the son of former All-Star outfielder Torii Hunter, who played for the Angels for five of his 19 seasons in the major leagues from 2008 to 2012.

Hunter Jr., a rising senior at Notre Dame who is also a wide receiver for the Fighting Irish football team, could still retu to school for the fall after he plays in the minors this summer.

The 6-foot, 195-pound prospect has more experience suiting up for football than for baseball.

He saw only 11 at-bats last spring playing baseball at Notre Dame, but caught 24 passes for two touchdowns in football in 2015.

Although he was drafted in the 36th round out of high school, Hunter Jr. did not play baseball at Notre Dame until his sophomore season. He went 2 for 12 two walks over two collegiate seasons.

Ric Wilson, the Angels scouting director, praised his athleticism earlier this month when discussing their draft picks.

The Angels have signed 20 of their draft picks from this year, including seven of the top-10 selections. The signing deadline is July 15.

Both Hunter Jr. and his father were in attendance Saturday at Angel Stadium for the game against the Oakland Athletics. They met with players and coaches beforehand and watched from a dugout suite.

Escobar out

Third baseman Yunel Escobar, who left the Angels’ loss to Oakland on Thursday in the seventh iing with what is considered a bruised knee, missed a second straight game.

Escobar, who has a team-leading 85 hits, was not in the lineup.

“It’s going to take a couple days,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We’ll evaluate him on a daily basis.”

Scioscia said Friday that he had expected Escobar to be in the lineup a day later, but scaled back on that forecast after the game. Escobar’s knee was still “tender,” he said, and he would need a couple more days off.

He is not being put on the disabled list, Scioscia said.

Without Escobar in the leadoff spot, the Angels had second baseman Johy Giavotella lead off.

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Giavotella went 3 for 5 in that spot on Friday. He began Saturday with nine at-bats as the leadoff hitter this season with three hits, but Escobar will retu to the top of the lineup when he retus, Scioscia said.

Rehab report

Setup man Joe Smith, who has been out for two-plus weeks because of a strained left hamstring, has a minor-league rehabilitation assignment on Sunday night with Class-A Inland Empire.

Smith threw a bullpen session on Thursday. His last appearance in a game was June 4 against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.

Veteran infielder Cliff Peington (hamstring) and catcher Geovany Soto (knee) have begun baseball activities. They each ran the bases on Saturday.

Scioscia said both were closer to rehab stints.

He added that Soto, who had surgery for a to meniscus, would try some “aggressive” catching drills in the next couple days that would “give us an idea for how that knee reacts and where he is.”

Carlos Perez became the full-time catcher when Soto was put on the disabled list in mid-May, but Jett Bandy started his fourth consecutive game behind the plate on Saturday.