San Diego Padres Draft: Three gems with 45th overall pick

Who might the San Diego Padres target with the 45th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft? We looked at three players who would be great selections.

By the time the San Diego Padres are on the clock with the 45th overall pick, they will have already made two selections, the first being the eighth overall pick and a competitive balance pick at 34th overall. The additional pick at the end of the first round, while a sign of the smaller market that comes with the Padres organization, likely signals that general manager AJ Preller could have more flexibility in the second round.

The Padres have one of the best farm systems in baseball. Of the franchise’s top ten prospects, six are pitchers, two are shortstops, and the final two are at the catcher and outfield positions. Let’s target three more draftees that would be welcome additions to the farm system.

Isaiah Greene, OF, Corona High School

While college prospects should be the priority with the first two picks, this is where AJ Preller grabs one of the most talented high school outfielder prospects in this class. Greene is verbally committed to the University of Missouri in the fall.

A left-handed bat who has blazing speed in center, Green has a mechanically smooth swing with almost no movement prior to the pitch. He has a simple step, and his follow-through demonstrates a stable body. Greene turned heads when he ran the 60-yard dash in 6.48 seconds at the Perfect Game National Showcase in 2019.

At 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Greene can play all three outfield positions. As a junior, he batted .327 with seven doubles, four home runs, and knocked in 16. He’ll graduate from Corona High with a career .866 OPS and 17 stolen bases in three-plus seasons.

Logan Allen, LHP, Florida International

If the Padres want to stick to college pitchers in the second round, they will not find a much better value than FIU’s Logan Allen. At 6-foot-0, 180 pounds, Allen was a starter from the day he walked on campus. Originally drafted by the Orioles in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Allen turned down Baltimore’s offer and drastically improved his draft stock at FIU.

As a freshman, he made 13 appearances – including 12 starts – and struck out 85 batters in 74.0 innings. He displayed terrific command as well, walking just 16 batters, which equates to less than two batters over nine innings. Allen was named Freshman All-American by several media outlets.

The following year, Allen had a huge season for the Panthers, striking out 120 batters in 84.0 innings (12.9 K/9) while allowing just 25 walks (2.7 BB/9) and limited opponents to a .231 average. Mechanically, Allen has a fairly simple delivery from the 3/4 arm slot with a mid-level leg kick. Because of its simplicity, his throwing motion is easily repeatable throughout a full start.

He participated in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2019, making three starts and struck out 24 batters to just three walks in 15.0 innings of work. He was off to a great start this year, striking out 41 in 25.2 innings.

Allen would fit nicely in the Padres minor league system and would another valuable left-handed starter prospect. He profiles closely to Diamondbacks’ lefty, Robbie Ray.

Ray 2019: 4.34 ERA, 7.8 H/9, 1.6 HR/9, 4.3 BB/9, 12.1 K/9

Allen FIU Career: 3.33 ERA, 7.9 H/9, 0.8 HR/9, 2.3 BB/9, 12.1 K/9

Casey Schmitt, 3B/RHP, San Diego State

AJ Preller seems to like infielders who can also pitch for some reason. Casey Schmitt would be that guy in the second round of the 2020 MLB Draft. He’s a hometown guy and could potentially be a two-way player in the big leagues, but he profiles better as a right-handed bat in a future lineup.

In two-plus years at SDSU, Schmitt posted a combined .295/.366/.408 line with 24 doubles, four triples, six home runs, and 77 RBI. He experienced a breakout sophomore campaign where he posted a .865 OPS.

The following summer, he participated in the Cape Cod League, posting a .248/.329/.411 line with five home runs and 18 RBI. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Schmitt could potentially tap into his raw power as demonstrated in the Cape Cod wood-bat league.

Baseball America likes his ability to stick at third base in the big leagues, but he may need to switch to second given Manny Machado‘s status on the roster. Schmitt’s numbers profile similarily to Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Vlad Jr 2019: 514 PA, 8.9% BB, 17.7% K, .272/.339/.433 line

Schmitt SDSU Career: 508 PA: 8.5% BB, 14.2%K, .295/.366/.408 line