Who is Zach Joyce? Angels select twin brother of Halos fireballer Ben Joyce in 14th round of MLB Draft

It is time for celebration in the Los Angeles Angels organization as the team drafted Zach Joyce in the 14th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Why is there a reason to celebrate? It's because the team already rosters Zach's hard-throwing twin brother Ben Joyce.

It's been an incredible and emotional journey to the MLB for Zach Joyce, who will yet again be on the same team as his brother. For a time, it appeared that the MLB was never going to be an option for Zach, as a series of events led him to step away from the game that shaped him his entire life.

"The #Angels have selected Zach Joyce, twin brother of Halos fireballer Ben, in the 14th round of the 2023 Draft. Zach made an emotional return to the mound this year for the University of Tennessee:" - @MLBPipeline

Zach transferred to Tennessee to play alongside his brother Ben. The pair had previously played together at Walters State Community College, however, the stars did not align for Zach, as he was forced to undergo Tommy John Surgery before ever representing the Volunteers.

It was during his recovery that things took another turn for Zach, as he was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety, which was magnified by the Covid-19 pandemic. Instead of continuing his pursuit of professional baseball, Zach Joyce made the difficult decision to step away from baseball, instead making his mental health his number one priority.

A look at Zach Joyce's return to baseball in 2023

After some time away from the diamond, Joyce made his emotional return to baseball after attending Tennessee as a student. During the 2023 season, Joyce returned to the Volunteers, and while he only appeared a few times for the team last season, he has the frame and potential to develop further in the Angels' system.

"Zach Joyce— twin of Ben Joyce— just got drafted in the 14th round by the Angels. He stepped away from pitching in ‘21 and ‘22 to focus on his mental health, returned in ‘23 and averaged 95 mph with a mid-80s slider in his first game back out of the pen." - @BeyondTheHalo

At 6-foot-4 and 225 lbs, Joyce has an athletic build that could be intriguing for the Los Angeles Angels, not to mention his brother Ben Joyce's abilities make it a worthwhile gamble for the club. Through 10.1 innings with Tennessee last season, Joyce posted a 4.35 ERA with 17 strikeouts.