San Diego Padres: MLB Draft Wish List

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SAN DIEGO, CA – MARCH 29: San Diego Padres line up for Opening Day between the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on March 29, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

With the MLB Draft fast approaching, let’s expand our wish list of probable San Diego Padres draft picks, covering rounds one-three.

Are you ready to find out who joins the San Diego Padres organization? As the love of minor league baseball and thirst for information about prospects continues to grow at a tremendous rate, so has interest in the Major League Baseball draft. The MLB draft isn’t a big media circus like the NFL or NBA draft, for legitimate reasons.

When your favorite NFL team drafts a player, you immediately watch his mini-camp performance. Three months later, that player (along with every other draft pick) is given ample playing time in pre-season. Odds are, a number of those draft picks become starters or key pieces to the team’s regular season successes or failures.

On the flip side of that, when your favorite team (the Padres) drafts a player, he gets shipped off to Arizona or Pasco, Washington (home of the Tri-City Dust Devils). If it’s a more polished, college player, you might see him in spring training action in two years, longer if it’s a high school player.

Regular season college baseball is essentially non-existent on major sports TV networks and detailed information/scouting/analysis on players and teams is hard to come by.

As far as pre-draft coverage, there are a number of outstanding websites that provide detailed scouting reports on hundreds of draft prospects. Thanks to the work of people like Kiley McDaniel at FanGraphs, John Sickels and staff at MinorLeagueBall.com, Adam McInturff and John T. Eshleman of 2080ball.com, and the crews at Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, we have live scouting reports at our fingertips.

The information for the following list was compiled using these sources along with Youtube videos, watching players when possible on TV, and discussions with fellow writers who follow the MLB draft closely.

What follows are names of nine players, in no particular order, that I think are good fits for this Padres team. With four picks in the top 100, San Diego has an opportunity to add even more elite talent to the league’s top farm system.

SECAUCUS, NJ – JUNE 5: Representatives from all 30 Major League Baseball teams fill Studio 42 during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio on June 5, 2014 in Secacucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

The San Diego Padres first two picks come at #7 and #38 (Competitive Balance Round A)

We previously highlighted Nolan Gorman and Carter Stewart as two of the top prospects the San Diego Padres should target. You can check out the full report on Gorman here. He’s a high school third baseman with the defensive abilities to stick at the position. Gorman flashes some of the best raw power in the draft and an above-average hit tool.

Drawing from the full report on Carter Stewart, he has the best curveball in the draft. Correction, he has one of the best curveballs at any level of baseball, amateur or pro. With a fastball that now sits in the mid-90s, Stewart is a high-ceiling, high-risk prospect. Investments in right-handed high school pitchers tend to backfire more often than not and Stewart brings his own injury concerns with him. However, if his fastball can play in the minor leagues, he could be a fast riser in the system.

Jonathan India, 3B, University of Florida

Let’s throw one more name out there for pick number seven, Jonathan India. A third baseman out of the University of Florida, India may be a slight reach with the seventh overall pick, however, he’s one of the safest picks in the entire draft.

India hit .372 with the Gators this year and reached base in 50% of his plate appearances. He chipped in 17 home runs and walked just as many times as he struck out (47). Reports indicate that his game-power may subside in pro ball, but his feel for the strike zone and hit tool are for real.

The Padres farm system may be deep overall, but third base is a weaker position for the team. India should be a fast mover through the ranks and provide intense competition for Hudson Potts.

Other names to keep an eye on with pick number seven: Jarred Kelenic (OF, Waukesha HS), Matthew Liberatore (LHP, Mountain Ridge HS), Ryan Rolison (LHP, Ole Miss)

A familiar name may be a possibility at pick number 38.

Odds aren’t high that he will be around when the Padres pick again at 38, however, if Noah Naylor is available, take him.

The younger brother of current San Antonio Missions outfielder/first baseman Josh Naylor, Noah is a catcher out of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Ontario, Canada. Perfect Game USA has a recorded pop time of 1.78 and his arm strength behind the plate is fantastic.

At 6’1″ and 195 pounds, Naylor possesses a strong hit tool and is beginning to tap into his power. With questions surrounding Austin Hedge’s future and the defense of Austin Allen, taking a high-upside catcher would be a great addition to the system.

Remember Jeff Conine?

Jeff Conine’s son, Griffin Conine, entered his senior season at Duke as a potential top 10 draft pick. Unfortunately, an early slump has caused the attention surrounding him to cool off.

Conine finished the year with 15 home runs, 13 doubles, and 36 walks. He projects as a future corner outfielder with above-average power from the left-side of the plate.

While the Padres are loaded with high-potential teenage outfielders, Conine projects as a major league outfielder who can hit for average and power with a glove that won’t hurt you on defense. If enough teams shy away from him, the Padres stand a small chance of grabbing the former Blue Devil.

Another name to keep an eye on here: Tim Cate (LHP, UCONN).

SECAUCUS, NJ – JUNE 07: A general view of the MLB First Year Player Draft on June 7, 2010 held in Studio 42 at the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

The next two selections come at picks 74 and 84 for the San Diego Padres.

Pick number 74 comes from their recent trade with the Minnesota Twins for starting pitcher Phil Hughes.

At this point in the draft, anything is possible. Should the Padres grab high signability guys with at least one of their first two picks, they may be able to save a little money to throw towards their third pick, a high-upside prep player.

Nick Northcut, William Mason High School (Ohio)

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Northcut is committed to Vanderbilt University, meaning he will be a tough sign. Will a signing bonus north of $1 million convince him to join the Padres? His primary position is third base. The guys over at 2080ball.com believe he is athletic enough to stick at the position if he can improve his arm strength.

Featuring polished bat speed and the ability to hit breaking pitches effectively, Northcut can also toe the rubber. He doesn’t project as a pitcher, but he can throw in the high-80s.

With plus-power and the ability to hit for a high average, Northcut will more than likely elect to attend Vanderbilt in hopes of boosting his draft stock down the road. Can a big signing bonus and the prospect of playing in the top farm system in baseball sway the young man?

RHP Zack Hess, LSU

Standing at 6’6″ and over 210 pounds, Hess is a sophomore at LSU that moved from the bullpen to the starting rotation this season. As a reliever, Hess owns an upper-90s fastball and one of the best sliders in the draft. He doesn’t have a strong third pitch, other than a fringe changeup.

Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline believes that Hess could be the first player in this draft class to reach the major leagues, should he be converted back to a reliever.

OF Alex McKenna, Cal Poly

McKenna is a centerfielder who appears destined to become a third or fourth round pick, however, he’s one of the bigger sleeper prospects in the early rounds of the 2018 draft.

Looking over the list of players already discussed here, there’s no speed among the hitters. McKenna brings plus-speed and the ability to stick at centerfield at the major league level. He doesn’t have a lot of power at the plate but does have line-drive power over the entire field.

His ceiling is that of a Travis Jankowski type player with a better stick.

OF DJ Artis, Liberty University

Some believe Artis could sneak into the first round of the draft but realistically, he’s a second-third round pick. Artis has plus-speed and one of the best batting eyes in the entire country.

A Freshman All-American in 2016 and Big South Player of the Year in 2017, Artis has posted an eye-opening K/BB ratio each of the past three seasons.

2016: 52 walks, 28 strikeouts

2017: 62 walks, 30 strikeouts

2018: 51 walks, 46 strikeouts

Standing under six feet tall, Artis has a very low, crouching batting stance. It’s unorthodox but he’s a pesky hitter with elite speed, graded as high as a 65.

Next: Checking In On Former Friars

While this list discusses a lot of college talent, don’t be surprised to see more high-upside prep players make their way into the Padres’ organization. The lower minor league affiliates are home to many of the youngest players at their respective levels, hence the higher focus on more advanced college players in this wish list.

Make sure you tune in to the MLB draft June 4-6. Be sure to check back here after the draft where we will have a complete recap with notes on every single pick of the San Diego Padres.

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