San Diego Padres: still kicking themselves over the 2009 draft

A bunch of college players who were just that, college players

Outside of round ten, stars are not going to be found, other than the rare exception. Teams hope to find diamonds in the rough. They are most likely going to find role players, utility players, or extra arms for the bullpen if these players can be developed or even make the big leagues.

With their ten picks in rounds 11-20 of the 2009 draft the Padres focused on proven college talent, selecting just one player from the high school ranks. That guy, John Wooten, didn’t sign, nor did two other of the Padres picks from this range.

Of the remaining seven picks, four didn’t make it past Single-A and only one made it to the Majors. 14th round pick Nick Greenwood was traded as part of a three-team trade (which also saw the Padres send Corey Kluber to the Indians) to the St. Louis Cardinals, which brought outfielder Ryan Ludwick in return.

Greenwood managed to get just five at-bats in his cup of coffee with the Cards, while Kluber has won 98 games and two Cy Young Awards since his departure from San Diego. Ludwick played two years with the Pads hitting .228.

Yes, it is hard to get talent in these rounds, but with what they Padres did get, they weren’t even able to get past Single-A. There could be any number of reasons for this, though something the advance scouts should see, well in……advance.