Padres target Blake Bowen, a SoCal slugger with elite athleticism, could offer massive upside if his contact issues are solved.
The San Diego Padres may not have been in contention for the No.1 overall pick during last night’s MLB Draft Lottery, but now that it’s over, the Padres can start honing in on their targets for next summer’s draft.
In Bleacher Report’s post-lottery mock draft, Joel Reuter has the Padres selecting high school outfielder Blake Bowen at the 21st overall pick.
Bowen is a senior at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano, California, about an hour north of Petco Park. His 6’3”, 215-pound frame leaves no question as to why he is seen as one of the strongest hitters on team’s draft boards.
There are questions to be asked about how often Bowen will be able to showcase his power; however, with a history of struggling to put the bat on the ball in the first place. Last season saw Bowen lessen the frequency of swing-and-misses and put the barrel on the ball more often, but the 17-year-old still has work to do in that area.
Bowen previously played football before going all in on the diamond, helping him become one of the strongest and most athletic high school players in his class. It’s helped him become a great runner on the basepaths and have great range in the outfield. His athleticism makes it easy to see a future in center field for Bowen, who also possesses a strong arm and plays with high energy in the outfield.
If Bowen can continue to work on his contact at the plate in his final season at JSerra, he could continue to rise on draft boards ahead of July’s draft. Bowen is currently committed to play at Oregon State University, but a first-round draft selection could be more than enough to pursue professional baseball instead.
If Bowen’s on the board when the Padres are selecting at No. 21, snagging up a powerful, athletic, high-energy SoCal kid could be a move that pays dividends down the line for San Diego.
“The Padres have never been shy about rolling the dice on upside with high school talent, and Bowen offers one of the highest ceilings in the class thanks to his 60-power, 60-speed profile,” Reuter wrote.