As the 2017 MLB Draft approaches, is top prospect Hunter Greene trying to force his way to the San Diego Padres?
The San Diego Padres have the third pick in the 2017 MLB Draft which is a little less than two months away. We’ve heard about players trying to manipulate where they want to go in the drafts throughout sports and this year it appears that one top prospect in the draft wants to find his way to the San Diego Padres.
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Hunter Greene is the top prep prospect in the draft out of Sherman Oaks, California. He can already hit 100 MPH with his fastball. It appears he wants to have his pro career as a member of the Padres.
"Hunter Greene, the top prep player on the board and owner of a 100 mph fastball, has had an up-and-down spring, and the rumors of he and his family attempting to maneuver his way to the No. 3 pick with the Padres are a poorly kept secret. The Padres’ throwing program is more in line with Greene’s program, and it’s on the West Coast, among other advantages. Greene isn’t pitching this week in the Boras Classic and is widely believed to be shutting down as a pitcher in another attempt to move down to the third pick. But the Reds, who covet McKay, also aren’t afraid to call Greene’s bluff."
The Padres, after going all in two years ago, have torn the team back down and have the fourth ranked farm system according to MLBpipeline.com. The first wave of talent has come up in Austin Hedges, Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot and there is plenty more coming. The Padres spent the GDP of a small country in the international market, signing six of the top 30 international players and could add the freshly cleared Luis Robert next month as well.
If Greene can fall into the lap of the Padres it will give even more of a boost to their already loaded farm system as the team attempts to rebuild around those prospects and Wil Myers. If Greene goes to the Reds or even the Twins at number one, the Padres will certainly have another talented option to go to. They could target Kyle Wright out of Vanderbilt if they want a college arm or if they want a prep bat, they can stay in California with Royce Lewis.
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Greene can try and force his way all he wants, but in the end, if he really wants to turn down millions he can go to college. Otherwise, he may just have to be okay with the Twins or Reds if the Padres don’t take him.