
2009 — Padres select Donavan Tate in Round 1, Pick 3
Donavan Tate was picked third overall in the 2009 draft with a huge bonus of $6.25 million. He was drafted from Cartersville High School in Cartersville, Ga., as a centerfielder. Despite being such an expensive pick, he never played in the majors.
Tate played in the minors until 2016 but never played above High-A. Over his minor league career, he hit .226/.331/.321 for an OPS of .652. He had his best season in 2011 and hit .288/.410/.411 for an OPS of .821.
In high school, he showed a lot more potential. According to Perfect Game, he ranked third in the Top 100 National Rank and first in outfield velocity at the 2008 national showcase. He was also seemingly well-liked and respected by his high school coach.
"“It’s almost like being around a professional athlete or a movie star or something like that.” -Former Cartersville High School coach Stuart Chester, via ESPN"
After Tate was released from his final minor league team in 2016, he focused on football at the University of Arizona.