Padres select MacKenzie Gore with 3rd pick in '17 First-Year Player Draft
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres today selected LHP MacKenzie Gore out of Whiteville High School (NC) with the third overall pick on the first day of Major League Baseball's 2017 First-Year Player Draft. Executive Vice President/General Manager A.J. Preller and Director of Scouting Mark Conner made the announcement.
Recommended by Padres Area Scout Nick Brannon, Gore, 18, finished his senior season 11-0 with a 0.19 ERA, two saves and 158 strikeouts against five walks over 74.1 innings pitched. In one start this past season, the 6-2, 180-pound left-hander tossed 5.0 perfect innings, striking out all 15 batters faced. He was named the 2016-17 Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, a 2017 Rawlings-Perfect Game First Team All-American selection and was named to the 2017 Perfect Game Atlantic All-Region First Team. During his junior season, he posted a 0.08 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 83.1 innings pitched while hitting .465 with six home runs at the plate. He was a 2016 Perfect Game Underclass Third Team selection and was also named MVP of the state championship game as both a sophomore and freshman.
The Padres will make two more selections on the first day of the draft with the 39th and 69th overall selections. The 40-round draft will continue tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. PT with rounds 3-10 and will conclude on Wednesday, June 14, with rounds 11-40.