The San Diego Padres appeared to have a solid draft and took a player at each position except for third base, with a primary focus on pitching with 10 selections.
The San Diego Padres had a rough end to the first half after being one of the top teams in Major League Baseball and even taking control of the National League West division for a short time.
While the Padres enter the second half with little momentum, the organization enjoyed what looks like a solid draft over the weekend. San Diego selected players of each position except third base with a primary focus on pitching, as 10 of the 21 picks were pitchers, including first-round selection Coleman Borthwick out of South Walton High School in Florida.
Borthwick could be a fast riser in San Diego’s system if the team can sign him, which may be difficult according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel.
McDaniel analyzed each team’s draft and picked out players that were best value selections, quickest to the big leagues and sleeper picks as well as one big thought regarding each draft class; While he thinks Borthwick will be signed by San Diego, his commitment to Auburn may muddy the waters a bit.
“RHP Coleman Borthwick (first round) was considered one of the toughest signs among the players in the mix for the top 50 picks because of a strong commitment to Auburn to play both ways,” McDaniel wrote Tuesday. “His market was believed to be in the 30s where his demands would likely have been above slot, but I think the Padres can get this done.”
McDaniel described Borthwick as a clutch player that can throw up to 100 mph while having elite control of all his pitches, which mostly sit low-90s.
McDaniel went with San Diego’s second-round pick, shortstop Elliot Lascelles, as the best value pick. Lascelles was described as a lefty bat that exceled against high-level pitching who can play shortstop long-term. McDaniel believes there isn’t a ton of pop in his bat but is great at everything else.
McDaniel believes third-round pick, right-handed pitcher Ryan Lynch, has the quickest route to main roster.
“RHP Ryan Lynch (third round) had second-round buzz much of the spring because of his en vogue low launch to his fastball due to his low arm slot. His sweeper has big spin rates (2,836 rpm on average), but he rarely throws a third pitch and his fastball command needs some work.”
He’s an intriguing prospect; Lynch would benefit from refining his pitch mix as most pitchers don’t have a lot of success throwing just two pitches.
McDaniel has catcher Robbie Lavey, who was taken in the fourth round, as a sleeper to watch. His stock rose more as the spring went on because of his raw power and excellent arm behind the dish, but he’s got some things to work on to be a future every day catcher.
“He'll need some refinement behind the plate but can likely stick and his power-focused approach may lead to below average contact rates.”
A good, diverse draft was needed considering the farm system was depleted after the Mason Miller trade and it seems like the Padres did just that.
