Draft Review - San Diego Padres

I've posted a review of the San Diego Padres' draft over at MLB Bonus Baby. There's comments on all 50 picks. The next team up will be the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Here's an excerpt for you, this being the size of each year in my draft previews before the draft:

1. Donavan Tate, OF, Cartersville HS (GA), #3 overall, 6’2’’/184: I have to admit I wasn’t high on Tate for most of the draft season, so him going this high was a little annoying to me. I don’t really believe in his bat, and combined with the signability issues connected to a prep who has a UNC commitment and also will play football, I just didn’t see an attractive draft prospect. However, he does have top ten talent overall, and the Padres were heavily connected to him coming into the draft, making this pick lack surprise. He hasn’t signed yet, and I don’t see him signing until the deadline. DOB: 9/27/90. Commitment: North Carolina.

2. Everett Williams, OF, McCallum HS (TX), #52 overall, 5’10’’/200: The Padres got a steal when Williams fell this far. He had been rumored as a possible first-round pick in the early 20s up to the week of the draft, but fell due to a few small questions. He doesn’t have a big arm, limiting him to center field or left, and he doesn’t have the plus speed of a typical center fielder. But he does have a bat, and that bat packs plenty of punch. Great pick if they can sign him, which I think is a pretty sure bet. DOB: 10/1/90. Commitment: Texas.

3. Jerry Sullivan, RHP, Oral Roberts, #83 overall, 6’4’’/220: While some sources say Sullivan can be a power pitcher, I’ve yet to see a full recovery in terms of velocity from his days as a touted high school junior before Tommy John surgery. However, I like his command, and the fact that he has a quality slider/changeup combo really raises his grade in my eyes. I thought he might last a round longer, but this isn’t really an overdraft, as he’s got the talent. His workload at ORU was a bit much, so that’s something to keep an eye on. He signed on June 24 and has thrown three mediocre relief appearances with Eugene in the Northwest League. DOB: 1/18/88. Signing bonus: $430,200.

4. Keyvius Sampson, RHP, Forest HS (FL), #114 overall, 6’0’’/185: Sampson was very high on draft boards entering the spring, and he had a great senior season. However, there were lingering questions that popped up late on his frame and durability, as some scouts wondered if he’d be able to handle a starter’s workload. As a result, it seems some teams saw Sampson as a future reliever, really bringing down his draft value. However, the Padres still got a steal here, as Sampson should have gone in the area of the second round. If they sign him, which they haven’t, this is a big coup. DOB: 1/6/91. Commitment: Florida State.

5. Jason Hagerty, C, Miami, #144 overall, 6’3’’/220: I was surprised Hagerty went this high, as he only really had a solid starting spot with good production for a single year at Miami. Add in the fact that he hasn’t caught full-time since his freshman year, and you should have a guy that has less helium than Hagerty ended up having. However, the Padres seem to believe in Hagerty’s plus raw power, and they also seem to believe that he’ll bloom with full-time experience at catcher. Hagerty most recently held down the first base spot for the Hurricanes. Not high on this pick, as Hagerty has to stay behind the plate to warrant this high draft slot. He signed on June 24, and he’s 10-for-36 (.278) so far with Eugene. DOB: 9/13/87. Signing bonus: $177,300.

The cutoff point in the Padres' draft in terms of transitioning to unsignable or organizational players is after the Griffin Benedict pick in the 16th round.

Direct link here.

What do you guys think?