A Way Too Early Look at Who the Padres Could Select with 3rd Pick in 2017 MLB Draft
A Way Too Early Look at Who the Padres Could Draft with the 3rd Pick in Next Summer’s Amateur Draft:
The San Diego Padres are picking third in next summer’s annual baseball amateur draft.
I will discuss five names the Padres could be considering with the third overall pick. I have chosen five players with a slant towards ceiling, as that seems to be the direction A.J. Preller and company are presently leaning towards.
Some consideration is given for floor when the overall value could be too good to pass up. Over the next six months, there will be many risers and fallers on the potential draft board, but here are some upside names that the Padres may be weighing internally.
Jeren Kendall – OF Vanderbilt
Kendall has perhaps the best combination of floor and ceiling in the draft. Scouts believe he will have no issue sticking at CF and he gets compared to Jacoby Ellsbury due to his solid on base skills, average power, and plus speed. Kendall is a safe bet to be a top-3 pick in next June’s draft.
Hunter Greene – RHP/SS UCLA Commitment
Greene is the top two-way player available in the draft. Scouts are mixed as to whether he is better off pitching or staying in the field. He has a plus arm and could probably stick at shortstop or third base. As a pitcher, he features a plus fastball that sits mid 90s and can run up close to 100 at times. He also has a plus slider to go along with average changeup and command. He is probably the highest ceiling prospect in next summer’s draft. If he fails as a starter, a team selecting him could move him to the field or put him in the bullpen where his fastball/slider combo would do well. I like Tyson Ross as a comp.
J.B. Bukauskas – RHP North Carolina
J.B. will be one of the more controversial draftees from a war room standpoint. His repertoire is very similar to Greene’s, but some scouts don’t like his delivery and size. Major league war rooms will be debating injury future due to his delivery, and SP versus RP due to being only 6’0″ with not much projectibility. Drafting 3rd I’d stay away, but the ceiling is that of a front-of-the-rotation starter.
Royce Lewis – SS/OF UC Irvine Commitment
Lewis is another high ceiling kid that can play up the middle due to his plus speed. He’s a legit five tool prospect with average or better tools across the board. The Padres could consider Lewis at 3 if they believe he can stick at short.
Jayson Gonzalez – SS Vanderbilt Commitment
This is my dark horse pick if the Padres overdraft and save money for other picks later. You won’t find Gonzalez high on any list at the moment, but high school kids with plus raw power and a chance to stick at SS don’t grow on trees. Gonzalez would be a high ceiling developmental type pick. Lower floor than Lewis or Greene.
I think Greene, Kendall, and Lewis will be the guys given the most consideration.
Hi! I’m Scott Tanderup. I’ve been a sports nut my entire life. My first sports love was for my hometown Nebraska Cornhuskers. I fell in love with the Padres when I moved to San Diego around 2000. I recently relocated to Northwest Phoenix and am spitting distance from Spring Training, AZ Summer League, and the AFL. I’m a Prospect junkie and craft beer lover!
Well written article.
I was really hoping that the Pades were finally going to get a Competitve Balance Pick A this year, but of ocurse they got a B pick. That extra money would have really come in handy, they could have pulled off a “Braves draft” from last year and brought in multiple high end prospects with 3 early picks again.
Here is a question, now that teams can trade both Competitive Balance picks(slot money) and International bonus money, should we be expecting a deal of bonus money for bonus money? The Padres are limtied to signing players for $300,000 or less for the next 2 International signing periods. Having $5.75M to spend on $300,000 players seems a little crazy. If the Padres could make a deal with one of the teams that got a Comp A pick and have a deal lined up with a high price International prospect, it could benefit both sides. The International bonus money cannot be traded before July 2nd and with the draft being June 12, players would have to be involved, but this is one way that Preller and Co. can keep adding talent to the farm system.
Excellent point. Preller will look at every angle if it brings in talent.
I think they should focus on a college bat. If they can get Kendall, he’d be my pick. We have way too many young guys, and a lot of lower level pitching that its time to load up on bats this year
I see them as 2/3 starter ceilings along with Beck. I was slanted towards ceiling.
What about Kyle Lewis the pitcher out of Vanderbilt, or Alex Faedo out of Florida? I would guess one of these two guys will be available, and they seem to be front of the rotation guys with a chance to move quickly to the padres.
Kyle Wright, not Lewis sorry