by Devon POV Mason | Aug 3, 2023 | THE THREE SPOT
The San Diego Padres are trying to dig themselves out of a hole.
At (53-55), the team has underachieved this season, but they’re still only 8.5 games behind the NL West leading Dodgers and within striking distance of a Wild Card.
While, catching the Dodgers isn’t likely the Padres still have a postseason dream to pursue. So, all is not lost. Time is just running out. While team has been inconsistent on the field, they did seem to hit on last month’s MLB Draft.
Padres Draft Dillon Head & Homer Bush Jr. | A Need For Speed
The team drafted talented MLBbros, in outfielder Dillon Head with the 25th overall pick. Then swiped outfielder Homer Bush Jr, out of Grand Canyon University.
Bush’s selection can almost be likened to a legacy pick, as his dad Homer Bush Sr. was also drafted by the Padres in 1991. In fact, Bush Sr., spent the first six seasons of his career in the Padres system. Now his son looks to be a major player for them in the years to come.
This Is What Bush Jr. Hoped For
It’s every young player’s dream to make it to the big leagues, and in Bush Jr’s case he gets an opportunity to follow in his dad’s footsteps.
After seeing his son selected, an elated Bush Sr., told reporters…
“Man, words can’t even express how excited we are as a family he was drafted by the Padres.”
“We’ve gotten to know the organization well,” Bush Sr. said. “This is where he wanted to be. So the fact that he could get drafted in a respectable spot with the organization he wanted to be with, it’s almost too good to be true.”
Bush Sr., is currently the manager for the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Independent Atlantic League, proving he still hasn’t deviated far from the game since his playing days.
What Are Padres Getting In Bush Jr.?
Bush Jr. signed his $511,000 fourth-round allotment bonus on July 20th. As far as Bush Jr’s skill set goes, he in many ways is a lot like his dad. Standing 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, with the ability to add more to his frame, Bush Jr. is considered a right-handed-hitting-speedster. In fact, Bush Jr., clocked the fastest 30-yard dash at June’s MLB Draft Combine.
Bush’s best assets are speed and his ability to make contact with the baseball. During his junior campaign at GCU, he boasted a .478 on base percentage, along with 19 doubles, three triples, and two homers.
Bush Jr prides himself on is his ability to steal bases, and in his junior season he went 25-of-28 on stolen base attempts. The speedster was assigned to the Arizona Complex League Padres, where he’s batting .370. As of now he’s projected to be called up to the majors in 2026-27.
by Devon POV Mason | Jul 27, 2023 | THE THREE SPOT
The San Diego Padres are currently mired in an underachieving season sitting at 49-53, with the third-highest payroll in all of baseball. As the team attempts to find its footing in the NL with 60 games left, they’re front office may have added a future star in the 2023 MLB Draft.
With the 25th overall pick in the draft the Padres chose the speedy outfielder Dillon Head, who stole 31 bases in 31 attempts during his senior season at Homewood-Flossmoor High School just south of Chicago.
2023 MLB Draft Prospect Dillon Head’s Elite Speed, Hand-Eye Coordination And Instincts Have Separated Him From The Field
Head, will bring an added dimension to a Padres squad that could use a jolt in the speed department, in both the minors and major leagues.
Head Officially Signs With Padres
Last week, the Padres were able to get the talented outfielder under contract with a $2.8 million signing bonus. The bonus was slightly under the recommended $3.17 million allotment, but it does pull the base thief away from his commitment to the Clemson Tigers.
Following his signing, Padres President of Baseball Operations, A.J. Preller raved about Head’s abilities on the diamond.
“If not one of the fastest, maybe the fastest player in the draft. Advertisement “It’s a real explosive burst and a guy that can impact the game with his legs defensively,” Preller said last week. “That’s one of the things over the last few years, what some of the players have in common, what some of those guys that are doing well in the minor leagues or gotten to the big league’s, Dillon has a lot of similar traits to them.”
While Head being drafted hurts the Tigers 2023 recruiting class, it immediately helps the Padres as they begin to groom him into their next great outfielder.
Head Has Elite Baseball Instincts
Head is known for his elite speed and quickness, but he is so much more. He also possesses some of the best hand-eye coordination of any player at any level.
Leadership and maturity are also two other traits heavily associated with Head and make many believe he’ll reach the majors much sooner than most high schoolers ever would.
by Devon POV Mason | May 16, 2023 | THE THREE SPOT
Dillon Head is a 5-foot-11 and 180-pound outfielder by way of Homewood-Flossmoor HS in Floosmoor, Illinois. The speedy base thief is the 40th-ranked prospect in the upcoming 2023 MLB Draft, and he’s considered the best prospect to ever come out of Homewood-Flossmoor, surpassing the likes of pitchers John Ely, Eric Hillman and Larry Rothschild.
What sets Head apart is his uncanny speed and instincts. That in itself caught the eye of former major leaguer and 2019 NLCS MVP and World Series champion Howie Kendrick. During the 2023 MLB Dream Series in January, Kendrick got to see it firsthand, and told reporters this about the supremely talented Head.
“Really good player, with a lot of speed. He can play the game, and I like the way he goes about it. He’s a hard worker.”
During his junior season, Head was named all-state and set the school single-season records for both hits and stolen bases. That speed and base-running is a trait that all MLB teams crave, and it should bode well for whatever franchise drafts Head in the July draft. Speed aside, Head’s high school coach says there’s so much more to Head as a player and person.
Head Possesses Other MLB Skills
While Head will be looked upon for that top-end speed, quickness and elite athleticism, his high school coach John McCarthy says he’s so much more than that overall.
“With Dillon, everybody wants to say he’s an athlete, but he’s not an athlete, he’s a smart, smart, smart baseball player. His athleticism and speed are one thing, but for me, it’s his elite hand-eye coordination and his baseball instincts.”
Head Is Committed To Clemson, But Expects To Be Drafted
Lauded for his leadership and maturity, Head who was originally committed to Michigan, flipped to Clemson after the Wolverines head coach Erik Bakich left Ann Arbor for Clemson. As Head preps for the MLB Draft, he isn’t letting the pressure get to him, in fact he’s taking it all in stride.
“Whether I go to college or pro ball out of high school, I see myself getting there to the big leagues one day either day, I’m not too stressed about it.”
The belief is Head will be drafted early and not attend Clemson at all, instead going right into prepping for his major league climb in the very foreseeable future.
Recent Comments