Padres Top Pitching Prospect Starts His Instruction Process

The San Diego Padres drafted pitching prospect Kruz Schoolcraft straight out of high school and he’s been having many of the typical problems for a prospect with his makeup and background. Jesus Cano of Baseball America did a recent piece about these problems and his season to date, and it was very revealing. 

Cano covered Scboolcraft right after he made his debut in his Bridge League in Peoria, and the writer noted that Schoolcraft didn’t “bask in the spotlight.” Instead he was working with Ron Rizzi, the Padres senior advisor to scouting, who has over 50 years of experience in the game. 

Rizzi offered some solid feedback. One tip he gave Schoolcraft was an adjustment to sharpen the edges of his breaking ball, which could also help unlock his pitch mix as a whole. 

Schoolcraft made his debut against the Seattle Mariners’ Bridge League team, as he threw a single inning tthat consisted for 15 pitches, 11 for strikes. His fastball sat at 97-99 mph, per Cano, and the left-hander complemented it with a changeup that played at around 90 mph. He didn’t throw his slider, which is apparently more of a show pitch at this point in his career. 

The Padres prospect gave up a leadoff double to Brayden Corn of Seattle, then regrouped and struck out the side. That result was emblematic of what Schoolcraft brings to the table, as he checks in at 6’8” and has what Cano called “smooth mechanics and elite extension.”

His changeup was considered one of the best in the 2025 prep class, while his slider has enough movement to become a plus pitch with some refinement. 

Schoolcraft is now on a structured throwing program with the Padres, who are going slowly with the lefty because he had what the writer called a “taxing lead-up to the draft.”

He’s trying to take the same approach he took in high-school ball, which was to “go out there and compete.” He’s facing pro hitters for the first time, so it’s a big jump. Schoolcraft is now in the instructional league, and the goal is to simply sharpen his tools and learn his craft.  

Cano complemented his report with some material on the Padres’ other big arms, including Carson Montgomery and undrafted free agent Brandon Langley, the Western Carolina product who pitched in the Cape Cod summer league before signing with San Diego. There’s a lot of work to do to advance Schoolcraft, and this is just the first of many steps.