Padres first-round pick torn between the mound and the batter’s box

The San Diego Padres didn’t just make a splash with their first-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft — they dove headfirst into one of the more fascinating player dilemmas in recent memory.

With the 25th overall selection, the Padres landed towering 6-foot-8 two-way player Kruz Schoolcraft, a high school standout with an arsenal of electric pitches and legitimate pop in his bat. Rarely do players this size move with such athleticism, and even more rarely do they dominate on both sides of the ball like Schoolcraft did leading up to draft day.

Schoolcraft drew attention all season with his dominance on the mound, where his fastball already sits in the mid-90s and his slider has flashed wipeout potential. Scouts rave about his feel for spin and believe he has the tools to add more velocity as he matures. But the intrigue doesn’t end there — he’s also a dangerous left-handed hitter with raw power and promising plate discipline, enough to make teams wonder if he could realistically do both.

The Padres, however, will not wonder. They already have their plan.

Towering Padres draft pick may have to leave his bat behind

While Schoolcraft may still see himself as a two-way player, the Padres have other ideas. According to scouting director Chris Kemp, the team is firm in its belief that Schoolcraft’s fastest route to the majors is through pitching — and they intend to stick to that path.

“He understands his fastest route to the big leagues will be as a pitcher only,” Kemp said. “So we’ll be going that route.”

It’s a telling quote. Despite Schoolcraft being officially listed as a two-way player, the Padres are moving quickly to streamline his development and turn him into a frontline starter.

That said, Schoolcraft isn’t quite ready to hang up the bat just yet. He’s expressed a strong desire to keep hitting “as long as he can,” while also acknowledging the reality of his situation and his desire to make it to the big leagues as quickly as possible.

It’s a classic tug-of-war between long-term dreams and short-term opportunity. Schoolcraft wants to compete. He wants to contribute. And if the mound is the fastest ticket to the show, he’s willing to follow that route — even if it means putting down the bat.

At this point, it’s clear the Padres aren’t hedging. They see Schoolcraft as a future rotation mainstay — not an experiment. And while his bat may have impressed scouts along the way, his days as a hitter may already be behind him before he ever suits up in a Padres uniform.

In the end, the story of Kruz Schoolcraft won’t be about what could’ve been with the bat — but how far his arm can take him.

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