Padres take lefty pitcher Kash Mayfield with 25th overall Draft pick
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The Padres have had plenty of success lately drafting high school players. Why change that formula?
To the surprise of no one, San Diego selected a high-upside high school prospect in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft on Sunday, taking left-hander Kash Mayfield from Elk City High School (Okla.) with the 25th overall selection.
It marked the ninth straight year the Padres have used their first round pick on a high school player. Two of those picks -- Jackson Merrill and CJ Abrams -- are All-Stars this season.
"It's just been guys that have been really exciting to us," scouting director Chris Kemp said before the Draft. "We've had success training those types of guys once we get them in player development, and we've done a good job of evaluating that type of talent on the ground."
MLB.com’s No. 30 overall Draft prospect, Mayfield is one of the top high school lefties in the 2024 Draft class. The southpaw showed that as a senior, pitching 44 innings with 115 strikeouts and allowing just four hits, one run and eight walks -- about as good as any high school pitcher could hope for. Mayfield was the Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year and MaxPreps Player of the Year for his efforts (which also included a .476 batting average, 1.593 OPS and 21 steals as a hitter).
So how might Mayfield’s high school dominance translate to the Majors? The lefty’s three-pitch arsenal is highlighted by his changeup, which received a 60 grade on the 20-80 scale from MLB Pipeline. The low-80s pitch with drop complements an effective fastball with armside run that sits 92-95 mph and can touch 97. The Oklahoma State commit has also been able to impressively locate a curveball in the high 70s that has some slider movement to it.
In the pre-Draft process, Mayfield’s age (19 years and 5 months on Draft Day) gave some teams pause, as did his lack of track record and data in prospect showcases. But his excellent extension, smooth delivery and impressive arsenal make Mayfield an intriguing prospect.
The Padres dropped 10 spots, from 15 to 25 in the Draft, as a result of exceeding the collective bargaining tax for a third straight season. They will make one more selection on Day 1 of the Draft, No. 52 overall.