San Diego Padres Take OF Michael Gettys In 2nd Round

Padres’ draft selection Michael Gettys. Mandatory Credit: gainesvilletimes.com

With the 51^st pick in the 2014 MLB Draft the San Diego Padres selected Michael Gettys an OF from Gainesville HS (GA).

Gettys who is 6’1’’, 203 LBS, has the potential to be a five tool player in the big leagues. He is an explosive player who has a lot of raw power, and can run the bases exceptionally well. Gettys was clocked with a 6.43 60-yard dash in a showcase circuit last summer.

It doesn’t stop there though, Gettys is able to use that explosive speed to cover a lot of room in the OF, and was also clocked at 100 MPH on a throw from the outfield at the Perfect Game National Showcase. Many scouts believed that Gettys had the potential to be a top pitching prospect with a fastball in the mid-90’s but the Padres are moving forward with him as an OF .

Many scouts have tabbed Gettys as a ‘physical specimen’, and after the Padres took one of the safer picks in the draft, in SS Trea Turner from NC State, you can tell San Diego was looking to roll the dice on a high risk high reward player.

With that being said there are a few holes to Gettys game. He does strikeout a lot for a top hitting prospect, and has a lot of difficulty hitting the breaking ball.

All in all there are not too many other players in this draft with a higher ceiling than Gettys. With the Padres abundant struggles at the plate this year, it’s nice to see them take a risk on an OF with as much potential as Gettys.

If the Padres are able to sign Gettys and tweak a few facets of his approach at the plate to cut down on his strikeouts, you are looking at a guy with a lot of similar tools to Mike Trout, yes, Mike Trout.

Kudos to the Padres for gambling on a toolsy high school player, something that the organization rarely does. Hopefully this is signaling in an era in which the Padres go after the players with the high ceilings, not just safe picks.

Footage courtesy of MLB.com: