San Diego Padres 2020 MLB Draft Guide and Strategy

Draft strategy and history at picking 8

There really isn’t much of a strategy for Major League Baseball teams in the first couple rounds of the draft. You simply want to take the best player available.

In the Padres top five prospects they have a pitcher, outfielder, infielder, and catcher, so that pretty much covers everything.

They really are well-balanced throughout the system, so it’s not like they need to target one area over another.

If I had to pick one position of need it’s a power corner outfield bat or first baseman.

The Padres don’t currently have a primary first baseman listed in their top 30 prospects list.

But again, they will take whoever they believe is the best player available when their pick comes up at eight.

Here are the last 10 players who were selected eighth overall:

2019: Josh Jung, 3B

2018: Carter Stewart, RHP

2017: Adam Haseley, CF

2016: Cal Quantrill, RHP

2015: Carson Fulmer, RHP

2014: Kyle Freeland, LHP

2013: Hunter Dozier, 3B

2012: Mark Appel, RHP

2011: Francisco Lindor, SS

2010: Delino DeShields, CF

It’s split right down the middle with five pitchers and five position players taken at eight. Only three of them were high school players, and Carter Stewart didn’t sign when drafted by the Atlanta Braves eighth overall in 2018.

Interestingly enough, two of the pitchers played at Stanford (Appel and Quantrill). I don’t see that happening again in 2020.

Lindor is obviously the highlight of this group. But outside of him there hasn’t been a ton of major success stories in recent years with this pick.

However, other than Appel (who may have been the most highly touted of them all) they all have gone on to be big league contributors. Jung obviously hasn’t had the time to work his way up yet, but I’m a big believer of his.