With #69 Pick the Padres Select Catching Prep Blake Hunt
With their third selection on the night, the Padres took catcher, Blake Hunt.
Yes, I know they already took a catcher with their second pick. But you can never figure out what A.J. Preller is up to. You just have to let it go.
He, again, is a high-upside pick that should help solidify the Padres’ minor league system.
The young man has all the tools for success and the Padres scouting staff is surely happy with him being there when the team picked at #69.
After taking Mackenzie Gore, the Padres took a catcher out of Georgia named Luis Campusano. He was a bit of a surprise as the Padres have Austin Hedges, and he should be around for a long time. However, when you have a selection that high in the draft, you pick the player who you believe has the highest ceiling. They must have felt the same intangibles are in place with the young catcher out of Mater Dei High School.
I enjoy the Padres’ new approach towards evaluating and drafting talent. It is surely a different style than past regimes.
Why do the norm? I do not know if this was their plan coming in, but Hunt has value and his stock has been on the rise in recent months.
He has a decent swing and the ability to stay behind the dish long-term.
Take a look at this young man on video for yourself.
The Padres are satisfied with their first night’s work. Landing Mackenzie Gore had to really make the team smile.
A.J. Preller is a scouting guru, so I expect these first three picks to work out just fine for this rebuilding franchise.
Another video of this young man showcases his footwork and arm. He ranks above average on defense presently.
It can not be said enough. It is a great time to be a Padre fan. Enjoy the draft.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
As much as I enjoy Eastvillage times some stories need to be cross checked
Blake Hunt is out of MD in Santa Ana not the MD in San Diego as the story mentions. Another way of spotting this error are the team colors. In all seriousness I do enjoy the reports I think it’s great please continue the great job all the writers do I am a fan
you are correct. my bad
Once upon a time in the mid to late 1980’s the Padres had an abundance of riches at the Catching position…..Benito Santiago….and Sandy Alomar Jr. what should have been the duet of the century…became a steal for Cleveland. Santiago, would eventually become an All-Star multiple times, Golden Glove Multiple Times for the Padres but somewhat of a malcontent…$$$ being the root of all baseball players discontent…..Alomar was part of the IN-famous trade trade that sent Baerga, Alomar and Chris James to Cleveland for Joe Carter who would be traded away one year later to Toronto and eventual baseball immortality. Hindsight I always felt Sandy and Robbie (also traded away) would have been a fantastic brother and brother story for SD, as well as being multiple All-Stars and future Hall of Famer (Robbie) what could have been. Nothing for me exemplified the misery of being a Padres fan in the late 80’s/early 90’s than seeing all this top shelf talent frittered away and my beloved Padres devolve into the mid 90’s fire sale Padres. The moral: There is NEVER enough talent in the minors, you must continue to feed the major league beast. Something the Padres have always seemed to fail at.
Fab hit it on the head. Trading away the Alomars were a pair of the worst mistakes in team history. Talent beats needs so there was nothing wrong with today’s catching picks. These catchers may someday turn into outfielders or shortstops via trade and that would be fine if Hedges stays the course.