By Padman
Well here we go, the Padres drafted 45 players in 42 rounds (they passed in the last 8 rounds). I’m not going to go through every pick (seems kinda tedious) but I will do the top few, as well as a couple others I feel are important.
Overall, I think the front office did exactly what they wanted… build the offense. A lot of power up and down the draft with a good amount of speed. They went after pitchers mainly in the second day, and from the looks of it got a few sleepers.
Draft Grade: B
The only pick I didn’t really like was Dykstra with the 1st pick (I don’t think he’s a bad player I was just really high on a few others). Also considering that they had the 23rd pick in EVERY round, they did a fairly good job. They drafted a few HS studs in the mid rounds, but most of them have strong commitments to college. If the Padres can sign them than this suddenly becomes a lot better (but dont hold your breath).
So lets begin:
Pick #23 Allan Dykstra 1B Wake Forest
First off as I said earlier, I didn’t not like the draft choice, but I think the pick could have been used on 1 of 2 speedy SS or a flame throwing right hander. But enough of that, congrats to the Phills, Yanks, and Red Sox, for drafting them. Dykstra probably has the best raw power in all of the draft. He’s someone whose stats scream 1st round. (Which is why its hard to really knock the Padres for the pick). Led the ACC in HR as a freshman and was a Fresh all-american. At 6-4 the guy is a gigantic 1st baseman similar in size to an Adam Dunn type of hitter (and he has Dunn type power). He also has a great eye at the plate (hmm … this doesn’t sound like a Padre guy). He’s set both the Wake Forest season and career walk record and he’s only a junior. Many scouts think he might be too patient at the plate, but that’s mainly due to him being the only legit hitter in a soft lineup. He’s the type of hitter that will move quickly through the organization. As far as where he will start…I think that depends on what the Padres do with Carrasco (current 1B at Fort Wayne, tremendous power, but strikes out A LOT)…my guess is Ft Wayne, but chance of Elsinore. Oh PS there is a chance he gets moved to LF (has a tremendous arm, just not that great of glove)
Pick #42 Jaff Decker OF (HS)
PMac’s little brother, except this guy is actually good. He played CF in HS but is probably more of a RF. Has a tremendous arm and could also be a pitcher, but it seems that the FO wants him to hit. The guy has great power, can hit to all fields, and is a very patient hitter at the plate drawing a lot of walks. Since hes only 18 he will not climb the minors nearly as fast, BUT he should put up quality numbers throughout the minor leagues and with his power and hitting ability forecasts as a pre-Padre Brian Giles (with an arm in the outfield).
Pick #46 Logan Forsythe 3B (U of Arkansas)
Can you say Sean Burroughs with speed? Well, they say Chone Figgins. This guy hits for a really high average, has a great eye for the strike zone, stole 27 bases last year, right now has doubles power, but the FO sees him developing into a 15-20 HR guy as he gets older. Great “intangibles” … look for him to start in Eugene this year.
Pick #69 James Darnell 3B (U So Carolina)
Another guy with tremendous power. Hit 18 HR last year and 19 the year before. He’s also a 6-2 195lb 3B. Not a fantastic glove, but is a pretty solid 3B with an above average arm. He was a preseason 2nd team all american, ranked as a top 25 prospect entering the season. Big 3B, with a high average, great power, and solid defense. Not a lot of spring in his step, but makes up for it with power. Umm, unless they move Forsythe to 2B, I’m not quite sure where they put him, but I’m guessing Eugene.
Pick # 101 Blake Tekotte CF (U of Miami)
This is my first surprise pick of the draft. CF with tremendous speed, great defense, good arm, and pretty good power. Seems to have a pretty good eye at the plate, and could easily be a 5 tool MLB player. DePo loves him as a leadoff hitter who will work the count, get on base and be right in the middle of the action. He’s going to start in Eugene, but don’t be surprised to see him in Fort Wayne and then in Elsinore next year.
Now best of the rest and some picks to keep an eye on (mainly HS players … if they sign)
Cole Figueroa SS U of Florida
Draft eligible sophomore so its going to be a challenge trying to lure him away. The guy plays tremendous defense, hits for a pretty high average, steals 20 bases, and has good power. He slipped this far because many think hes going to return to college, but the Padres are hoping to sign him.
Brett Mooneyham, LHP, Buhach Colony HS, CA
I think DePo describes this guy best:
Brett is 6’5″, 215 lbs, throws up to 94 mph and has a plus curveball. Furthermore, Brett’s dad, Bill, was a first round pick in 1980. Sounds pretty good, huh? That’s why Baseball America rates him as one of top 100 prospects in the draft, and many people believe that he is the best left-handed high school pitcher in the country. At this point, though, Brett is planning to attend Stanford in the fall.”
If they can get this guy then wow, but Stanford is a hard school to pass up. Cross your fingers people.
Pick #23 Nich Conaway RHP (no school)
Was the closer for Oak last year, shoulder surgery in the fall, but now is fine. Tops out at 97 mph as a reliever and has a power curve. 85 K in 63 innings last year — needless to say, his stuff was good enough to make for the Padres draft him.
Throughout the draft the Padres took a lot of power hitters, a good number of speedy middle infield/CF, and took their normal “strike throwing” pitchers. Most of them throw high 80s low 90s, a lot of them possess a good curve or change. A good solid draft — we will see how they will turn out. This is Christmas day for big baseball fans, and let’s hope we get more hidden gems and gold than coal.
