3 Players Padres Can Target With Their First-Round Pick
By Ryan Flores
The San Diego Padres are one of the few teams in baseball that are spoiled with talent in the minor and major-league levels, and it's finally starting to pay off. With tons of pitching prospects in the minors, it's very likely that the Padres look to select some more offensive weapons in the upcoming MLB draft in an effort to provide the pitching staff with some more run support, as they currently rank 24th in runs scored. With that said, let's look at three prospects the Padres will likely consider taking with their first-round pick in less than a week.
3. Riley Greene
The Padres have a tough decision to make at the sixth pick. Should they go with the college bat, or develop a prep bat? If Hagerty High School product Riley Greene passes by the Detroit Tigers, then he could very well be in play here. According to Perfect Game, Greene was the third-overall prospect, and the top outfielder in his class. At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, he has a strong frame, and has the ability to hit to all fields with some pop thanks to his bat speed. He’s most certainly one of the best pure hitters of the 2019 prep class. On the other side of the ball, he’s shown some more athleticism in his senior year, but he’s still a below average runner with an average arm, which means he’s likely a corner outfielder, with left field likely to be his home in the majors. As a whole, the Padres could be the team that bet on Greene’s raw power potential and it could very well pay off in the next four-to-five years. However, there are other players that are more deserving of the sixth pick, like the next two guys on the list.
2. Hunter Bishop
Bishop is one of those intriguing, yet inconsistent prospects heading into the 2019 draft. In his freshman year, Bishop hit .301, then hit .250 in his sophomore season, then capped his college career with an awesome .356 batting average. He’s certainly polished his game all around, as he improved pretty much every facet of his game at the plate, with a career high 22 homers, 61 runs batted in and 42 walks. He’s delivering on the raw strength that he’s shown in the past, and with the bat speed he has, he could be a successful MLB hitter. However, he definitely has a chance to strike out a lot with his aggressive approach. If you’re able to look past that, you’ll find a hitter that could hit 25+ home runs a season, with speed that could fit in center field. His 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame is likely to excite at the big league level, but it’s not a lock that he’s going to be an other worldly player.
1. JJ Bleday
JJ Bleday has been a steady riser in mock drafts and for a good reason. Bleday went 8-for-16 with two doubles and home run through four SEC tournament games, leading Vanderbilt to a conference tournament title. Bleday certainly is an outstanding hitter, as he broke out in his Junior year, hitting .346 with 25 homers and 64 runs batted in. He never had more than 22 runs batted in or four home runs prior to 2019. He’s one of the best pure hitters in college ball, with a fast left-handed swing, and the ability to drive the ball with force to all fields. It also helps that he sports a strong 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame. He’s not a five-tool player because of his below-average speed, but teams will likely look past that with his incredible performance this year, as well as the other positives he has in his game. Vanderbilt has had three outfielders drafted in the first round in the past few years (Bryan Reynolds, Jeren Kendall, Rhett Wiseman), and Bleday will likely be better than all of them. Bleday is a good bet to be fast tracked to the majors, and if he’s left on the board at the sixth pick, then there’s no doubt that he should be the selection.