Grading the San Diego Padres' last 5 first-round picks

The 2025 MLB Draft is just a few days away, and the San Diego Padres have the 25th overall pick. Ahead of this season's draft let's take a quick look back at the San Diego Padres' most recent first-round picks. Some of them have paid off, while others are no longer with the organization.

2024: Kash Mayfield (25th overall)

Drafted out of Elk City HS in Oklahoma, the Padres' first pick the in 2024 draft was given a $3.44 million signing bonus.

The 6-foot-4 left-handed pitcher did not pitch professionally last year. Mayfield made his debut in 2025, and through his first 11 starts with Single-A Lake Elsinore, opponents are hitting just .184 against him. He has 3.48 ERA in 31 innings, all while striking out 49 batters. He missed a few starts due to shoulder discomfort, but he has allowed just one run in 10 frames since coming back.

Grade: A-

2023: Dillon Head (25th overall)

The 6-foot outfielder was signed out of Homewood Flossmoor HS in Illinois to a team-friendly $2.80 million signing bonus, but he spent little time as a Padre.

He played in 48 minor leagues with San Diego before getting traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for Luis Arraez. With Single-A Jupiter this season, Head is batting .226 as the organization's No. 8 prospect.

Obviously trading away a first-round pick so soon is not ideal, but what makes things worse is that the New York Yankees selected George Lombard Jr. immediately after the Padres picked Head. Lombard Jr. is the top prospect in the Yankees' organization, and is destined for a major league career.

Grade: C

2022: Dylan Lesko (15h overall)

Drafted out of Buford HS in Georgia, Lesko was given a $3.90 million signing bonus, but Friars fans should be thankful that the club never gave him more money.

Lesko has not been a good minor leaguer, but he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Jason Adam, who is a first-time All-Star with San Diego this season. For that reason alone, the Lesko signing will get a decent grade.

Here are Lesko's ERA numbers by season, beginning in 2023: 5.45, 6.96, 23.63. His control issues have sent him to the Rays' complex, where he will essentially try to start over again.

Some notable players drafted in the first round after Lesko: Chase DeLauter, Justin Crawford, Cole Young, Spencer Jones.

Grade: B

2021: Jackson Merrill (27th overall)

It is very much in the cards that Jackson Merrill could go down as the greatest draft pick in Padres history. Given a $1.80 million signing bonus out of Severna Park HS in Maryland, Merrill spent very little time in the minors before his promotion to the bigs.

At 22 years old, Merrill is already an MLB All-Star, Silver Slugger, and Top 10 MVP finisher. He was rewarded with a nine-year, $135 million extension to keep him happy in San Diego.

Despite battling some injuries, in 2025, too Merrill has produced 61 hits in 59 games, as well as elite metrics in the outfield and on the bases.

Grade: A+

2020: Robert Hassell III (8th overall)

This signing was a disaster. Taking Hassell III as a Top 10 option, the Padres gave him a $4.30 million signing bonus out of Independence HS in Tennessee.

He put together decent numbers in the Padres' farm, but he was part of one of the worst trades in organization history. Hassell III was packaged to the Washington Nationals with James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, and CJ Abrams in order for the Friars to acquire Juan Soto.

The Padres didn't win with Soto, and now he long gone from Petco Park. Hassell III has played well with Triple-A Rochester this season, batting .299 with 11 doubles, eight home runs, 13 stolen bases, and 36 RBIs. He's batting .321 in July, riding a six-game hitting streak.

It's a classic tale of 'what could've been' but Hassell III no longer being with San Diego, mixed with Soto also gone, makes this draft grade very low. So basically, it's not his fault, but it's still a bad pick considering what transpired.

Some notable players drafted in the first round after Lesko: Zac Veen, Reid Detmers, Garrett Crochet, Patrick Bailey, Mick Abel, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Garrett Mitchell, Tyler Soderstrom, Austin Wells, Jordan Westburg.

Grade: D