Pick #168 in the 6th Round & the Padres Select LHP Aaron Leasher
With six high school athletes selected with the Padres’ first six picks, the team was surely going to take a collegiate athlete in the sixth round, right?
Right? A.J., Right?
Well the team finally did, as they selected LHP Aaron Leasher out of Morehead State. He is 21 years old and holds a 16-10 career record in college. In 211 inning pitched for Morehead, he has struck out 248 in total, while holding a 5.37 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.
In 2017, he went 9-3 with a 4.19 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Not overly impressive numbers by any means, but the Padres’ scouting staff must see something they like.
It is going to be amazing seeing all these kids grow up in the Padres’ system. Jonny Homza and Mason House provide some excellent depth to the lower minor league levels. The two catchers, Capusano and Hunt, also give the team extreme depth. Gore and Keating have great ability and can motivate each other to progress through the system, and now adding Leasher to the mix only makes things better.
If this Padres team is going to compete for a long time, they need to have a non-stop arrival of talent penetrating Petco Park.
This 2017 draft wasn’t about the 2019 or 2020 season. It is about beyond that and laying the groundwork for the future of this franchise. The Padres took all high-upside players that could really progress into special players. Instead of taking the safe pick, they rolled the dice. I applaud them for their vision towards the future.
Take a look at some video of this young man.
He has skill. There is no questioning that. He is able to put batters away, but has suffered from wildness so far in his collegiate career. Leasher has issued 102 walks in 211 innings pitched. The Padres might have an idea what his mechanical flaw is, so you could see something special from this young man.
The Padres are satisfied with his ability to get hitters out, they just need to refine his mechanics. At 6′ 3″, he has great size and reports are that he is very durable. He does not blow batters away, as he hit the low to mid 90’s but does have an excellent slider and a developing change. He throws all three pitches in any count and has great demeanor on the mound.
Stay tuned for the next Padres’ selection. This is fun.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.