Padres Draft: Best players drafted eighth overall

Jay Bell

Initially selected by the Minnesota Twins, Jay Bell committed 129 errors in his first three minor league seasons. The Twins gave up on him, trading him to the Cleveland Indians (in exchange for Bert Blyleven).

Bell played sparingly in his first three big-league seasons with the Indians – hitting just .223 – but blossomed into a household name with regular playing in Pittsburgh. He earned the first of two All-Star selections in the 1993 season, batting .310 in 154 games.

His defense remained shaky at shortstop and second base, but his offense outweighed the negatives. Bell would later go onto play with the Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and New York Mets.

He helped the Diamondbacks win their first World Series Championship in 2001, logging 80 games at second base and another 40 at third. His playing time came to an end after the 2003 season, but Bell had accumulated a 37.8 WAR throughout his illustrious career.

Although unlikely to ever be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Bell batted .265 for his major league tenure and was one of the most versatile infielders anyone could ask for.