Drafted in the 3rd round (72nd overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2004 (signed for $450,000).
View Draft Report
Pardon Padres area scout Bill Killian if he pushes his team to draft the top-rated player in Michigan--his son. The younger Killian is a baseball rat with solid tools and the athleticism to play any position on the field. His game stepped up a level this spring as he hit with more power and showed a more skilled, complete package. He's an accomplished switch-hitter whose hands work well, and he hit .766-4-12 in his first 30 at-bats. He can run 60 yards in 6.7 seconds. His work behind the plate needs improvement, but his arm strength is sufficient for him to remain a catcher. He projects as a second- or third-round pick. If not for his slight 6-foot-1, 180-pound frame, he might even have been a first-round candidate.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
The son of Padres part-time scout Bill Killian, Billy ranked as Michigan's top high school player in 2004, so it wasn't nepotism that led the club to take him. San Diego knew Killian would be a long-term project, and he has spent most of his first two years in Rookie ball. He has made progress both at the plate and behind it, and his upside still excites the Padres. He's a lefthanded-hitting catcher who makes hard contact, though he has yet to homer as pro. His best defensive tool is a strong, accurate arm, and he unleashes throws with a lightning-quick exchange and release. While he's still raw behind the plate from a receiving and game-calling standpoint, he has the makeup and athleticism to improve. San Diego wants him to bulk up in order to withstand the grind of a full season. Because he didn't play in a baseball hotbed, Killian has been slow to adjust to the higher level of competition. Now he's ready for a full-season test and will begin 2006 in low Class A.
Killian is the son of Padres part-time scout Bill Killian, but he earned his $450,000 bonus as a third round pick on talent. While he did little in his pro debut outside of playing three games at Triple-A Portland as an emergency backup, the Padres attributed his struggles to the expected adjustment period after he played lower-level competition in northwest Michigan. A fresher Killian looked much better in instructional league, and displayed all the skills scouts look for in a catcher. He's a switch-hitter with quick wrists and a mature approach, already showing power from both sides of the plate in batting practice. Defensively, he has a strong, accurate arm, but needs to work on nuances of catching like blocking balls and working with pitchers. He's surprisingly fast for his position, but the Padres would like to see him bulk up to withstand the rigors of catching. Killian is a baseball rat with great instincts and an excellent work ethic. Killian's ceiling is higher that any other Padres catching prospect, but his development will require patience. He'll likely begin the year in extended spring training before reporting to short-season Eugene.
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone