San Diego Padres: Draft Review

General Manager: Jed Hoyer
Farm Director: Randy Smith
Scouting Director: Jaron Madison

2006-2009 Draft Results:
First three rounds included
x- over-slot signees ($200,000 or more)

2009 1st Round: Donavan Tate, OF, Georgia HS
2. Everett Williams, OF, Texas HS
3. Jerry Sullivan, RHP, Oral Roberts
s- Keyvius Sampson, RHP, Florida HS
6x – James Needy, RHP, California HS
17x – Jorge Reyes, RHP, Oregon State

The Padres nabbed the toolsy Tate with the club’s first pick, but the first-selection curse continues to haunt the players. The outfielder has already had more medical procedures than big league at-bats. So far, he’s suffered from a sports hernia, and suffered a broken jaw/facial lacerations (thanks to an off-season ATV accident).

Williams was a possible first-round selection, so the club was lucky to get him in the second round. The outfielder appeared in just 10 games but he showed flashes of his explosiveness with some power and speed.

Sullivan is a big, strong right-hander with a plus change-up. He pitched 53.2 innings and allowed 44 hits in short-season ball. He showed some iffy control (4.53 BB/9) but he racked up his fair share of strikeouts (9.73 K/9). Sampson made four appearances after signing out of the third round. In 8.0 innings, he allowed four hits and struck out eight batters.

Needy appeared in five games and made three starts. The right-hander showed good control (2.65 BB/9) but he didn’t strike out many batters (6.88 K/9). He’s not a big strikeout pitcher to begin with as his fastball currently grades out slightly below-average but he’s young and could add velocity. Reyes, 22, made just three appearances after signing. A starter in college and in his debut, he’s expected to eventually move to the bullpen since he lacks a third pitch.

2008 1st Round: Allan Dykstra, 1B, Wake Forest
1S. Jaff Decker, OF, Arizona HS
1S. Logan Forsythe, 3B, Arkansas
2. James Darnell, 3B, South Carolina
3. Blake Tekotte, OF, Miami
3S. Sawyer Carroll, OF, Kentucky
6x – Cole Figueroa, 2B, Florida
8x – Beamer Weems, SS, Baylor

The club nabbed four Top 10 picks in Decker, Forsythe, Darnell, and Carroll. Dykstra has been slowed by injuries and poor numbers. He spent last season in low-A ball and hit just .226 despite walking at a crazy rate (19.4%). He struck out a lot (25.1%) and posted an ISO rate of just .148.

Tekotte, 22, also spent the season in low-A ball and hit .258/.345/.396 in 530 at-bats. He showed a respectable walk rate at 11.1% and kept his strikeout rate below 20%. The speedy outfielder nabbed 30 bases in 42 attempts. Figueroa remains one of my favorite sleepers. He hit .319/.408/.403 in 238 low-A at-bats before moving up to high-A where he struggled in 21 games. The second baseman has a good eye at the plate, as well as some speed and a line-drive bat. Weams posted a solid walk rate (16.7%) in high-A but he lacks pop and speed, so he projects as more of a utility player. He’s excellent with the glove.

2007 1st Round: Nick Schmidt, LHP, Arkansas
1S. Kellen Kulbacki, OF, James Madison
1S. Andrew Cumberland, SS, Florida HS
1S. Mitch Canham, C, Oregon State
1S. Cory Luebke, LHP, Ohio State
1S. Danny Payne, OF, Georgia Tech
2. Eric Sogard, 2B, Arizona State
2. Brad Chalk, OF, Clemson
3. Tommy Toledo, RHP, Florida HS (Did not sign)

With eight picks before the third round, the club was set to add a lot of depth. Unfortunately, top pick Schmidt was derailed by surgery and Kulbacki had a terrible offensive season in ’09 while dealing with his own health concerns. Luebke is the only top draftee who appears on the Top 10 list, but he’s joined by Lance Zawadzki (4th round) and Wynn Pelzer (9th).

Cumberland had a nice season in ’09 (although he missed time with injuries) while playing in low-A ball for the second straight season. The infielder hit .293/.386/.410 in 290 at-bats. He stole 19 bases in 22 tries and showed a good eye at the plate with a BB/K of 1.11.

Already 25, Canham continues to work on his defense behind the plate. He hit OK in double-A this past season with a line of .263/.339/.371 in 407 at-bats. His power output (.108 ISO) was a bit of a disappointment. After an intriguing debut, Payne’s last two seasons have been disappointments. He has posted excellent walk rates but his strikeout rates have been way too high given his modest power output (.143 ISO in ’09).

Sogard was recently traded to Oakland while Chalk projects as a possible fourth outfielder. In ’09, he hit .301/.357/.398 with 33 steals in 41 attempts in high-A.

2006 1st Round: Matt Antonelli, IF, Wake Forest
1S. Kyler Burke, OF, Tennessee HS
2. Chad Huffman, OF, Texas Christian
2. Wade LeBlanc, LHP, Alabama
3. Cedric Hunter, OF, Georgia HS
11x – Mat Latos, RHP, Florida HS

Antonelli had a solid ’07 but he was rushed through the system and hasn’t hit in the past two seasons. His injury-shortened ’09 season in triple-A produced a line of .196/.300/.339. The most promising player in the draft is Latos, who may have already secured himself a rotation spot after posting respectable numbers in his MLB debut (10 starts).

Burke is another talented prospect but he was dealt to the Cubs. Huffman has shown flashes of excellent power, including an ISO rate of .200 in triple-A, but the jury remains out on whether or not he projects to be a big league regular, or a quad-A star.

LeBlanc, 25, posted a 4.97 FIP in nine big-league starts in ’09 but the southpaw has a below-average fastball (even for a lefty) and his command hasn’t been as sharp in the Majors as in the minors. He may end up in the bullpen where he can focus on his cutter/change-up mix.

At just 21 years of age, Hunter remains a sleeper prospect but he hit just .261 with a walk rate of 4.3% in double-A in ’09. He’ll need to get on base more often and his lack of power doesn’t help his chances. Third baseman David Freese was a nice find in the ninth round, but he’s now in St. Louis.

Up Next: The San Diego Padres Top 10 Prospects