Michael Gettys

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #27 prospect in 2018
  Big tools and limited hitting ability have defined Gettys since his prep days. After appearing to shed that reputation with a breakthrough 2016, he regressed badly in 2017 with a California League-leading 191 strikeouts and a 37 percent strikeout rate at high Class A Lake Elsinore. Gettys keeps evaluators intrigued with his athletic gifts. He is a plus defender who roams center field with ease as a plus runner and boasts a plus-plus arm that notched 24 assists the last two seasons. His plus speed plays on the basepaths and he can turn on the jets for extra bases when he drives balls into the gap. The problem with Gettys is he that doesn't make nearly enough contact. He lacks natural rhythm and timing in the box and is frequently caught lunging at pitches out front. He tried to increase his launch angle in 2017 and it only made things worse when opponents picked apart his uphill swing path. Lingering back stiffness didn't help. A poor hitter overall, Gettys produced against Cal League lefthanders in 2017 (.318/.383/.553), which gives him a path as a platoon outfielder with his speed and defense. He'll be tested at Double-A in 2018.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #8 prospect in 2017
  Gettys was an enigmatic talent in high school who posted off-the-charts measurables at showcases but often disappointed in game action. The Padres gambled on his raw upside and drafted him 51st overall in 2014 and signed him for $1.3 million to forgo a Georgia commitment. Gettys' primary problem had always been a lack of hitting instincts, pitch recognition and balance in the box, which led to high strikeout rates and poor quality contact in the early part of his career. He made major strides on those fronts in 2016, adding a back stretch to the start of his swing to improve his rhythm and timing, while also giving him a better look at the pitches as they approach the palte. The result was a more athletic swing with less chasing and harder contact, albeit with a poor contact rate and just average power. Center field is where Gettys really shines, using his plus speed and elite defensive instincts to track down fly balls in every direction, with double-plus arm strength to boot. His speed is limited out of the batter's box but ticks up on the basepaths to make him a dangerous basestealing threat. Gettys is starting to turn his loud tools into baseball skills but needs to continue improving as a hitter to reach his everyday potential. He will jump to Double-A San Antonio in 2017.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #10 prospect in 2016
  Despite his North Georgia roots and obvious athleticism, Gettys did not play football in high school. In fact, he avoided most other athletic pursuits to concentrate on baseball, and it paid off. A 1-for-14 performance in the cold at the 2014 National High School Invitational helped trigger a move down draft boards, and he signed for $1.3 million as a Padres second-round pick. For a player with Gettys' physical tools, he gets high marks for his grinder mentality and hard work. But he struggled with pitch recognition and just making contact in 2015 at low Class A Fort Wayne. He led the Midwest League with 162 strikeouts and struck out nearly 31 percent of the time. In the first half of the season, Gettys had trouble with letter-high fastballs and then after a mechanical adjustment, struggled to hit breaking balls. He has above-average power and impacts the ball when he makes contact. In the field is where Gettys shines. A plus defender in center field, he uses his double-plus speed to get a great first step, and he has good instincts and runs efficient routes. His double-pus arm helped him tie for the MWL lead with 21 assists. Gettys showed frustration in 2015 and some issues with immaturity were evident. He has tantalizing talent, though, and if the Padres can improve his approach at the plate, he has regular potential. He could return to Fort Wayne in 2016.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #13 prospect in 2015
  Gettys entered the 2014 season with first-round helium, but a poor showing at the National High School Invitational left such an impression on scouting directors that he fell to the Padres at No. 51 overall in the second round. San Diego signed him for $1.3 million, then watched the athletic center fielder lead the Rookie-level Arizona League with 66 hits and rank second with 93 total bases. Gettys tempers excitement about his hitting potential with a high strikeout rate--28 percent in 2014--but few players generate the same kind of exit velocity off the bat. Hitting for above-average power should only be a matter of adding loft and backspin to his swing, which many believe will come with maturity. Gettys records double-plus run times in the 60-yeard dash, and he has a cannon of an arm that will play at any position. His speed, first-step quickness and nose for the ball serve him well as a plus defender in center field. A power/speed threat who might be the best athlete from his draft class, Gettys has tantalizing upside, which he will unlock if he enhances his pitch recognition and contact skills at low Class A Fort Wayne in 2015.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #40 prospect in 2014 draft
  Georgia has become the cradle of outfielders and has produced more first-round outfielders (eight) than any other state over the last five years, headlined by Byron Buxton and Clint Frazier. Gettys entered the year as a potential first-round pick but that is less likely after a disappointing spring, although his tools could entice a team that wants to dream on his upside. Gettys began the showcase circuit by blowing up Perfect Game National, breaking the record for outfield velocity at 100 mph, showing plus raw power and 70 speed in the 60-yard dash. But his skill set has not translated well to game action. An explosive power/speed athlete, Gettys faces serious questions about his bat, both in contact frequency and quality of contact. He has made mechanical changes but the outcome has remained largely the same. The righthanded-hitting Georgia commit has tremendous bat speed but lacks balance and hitter's instincts. Gettys is the rare high school draft prospect who has struck out (15) more than he has walked (nine). His center field defense and arm remain plus tools, but his speed is not playing as well out of the box. Despite his deflated draft stock, Gettys' loud set of tools still offers one of the highest upsides of any high school position player.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked California League #6 prospect in 2016
  The Padres bumped Gettys to Lake Elsinore at midseason, and he took the league by storm with his plus speed, arm and glove. His speed is sometimes limited out of the box because of a big swing, but shows up in the center field, where he uses it to track down long flies. After showing his frustration at times last year, Gettys showed an improved maturity and ability to rebound from failure. Combined with natural growth, that allowed him to upgrade his power to at least average, though his contact rate remains below-average. "You could tell in the outfield he could go get it, he's a pretty good outfielder," Modesto manager Fred Ocasio said. "And then he's a good hitter, aggressive hitter. He's going to be a pretty good player." Even with his high strikeout rate, many evaluators now project him to be an average hitter with average power and standout defensive ability.
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  Ranked Midwest League #8 prospect in 2016
  A toolsy player who nevertheless paced the MWL with 162 strikeouts in 2015, Gettys began translating his raw ability to the field this season as he repeated the league. His power, speed and defense played, earning him a mid-June promotion to high Class A Lake Elsinore. He hit .305 at the two stops, albeit with strikeouts more than a quarter of the time. One of the more exciting, multi-dimensional players in the MWL, Gettys is an easy plus defender in center field with incredible range and the plus-plus speed to run down his misreads. His arm is a plus weapon, and his 11 assists ranked among the league leaders. At the plate, Gettys has shown more patience, but he still gets overly aggressive at times. He has toned down his swing and uses a back bend in the batter's box to remind himself to stay tall in his stance. He has average power or perhaps a tick above but still swings and misses too often.
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  Ranked Arizona Complex League #8 prospect in 2014
  Gettys is the latest in a line of athletic high school outfielders from Georgia, following in the footsteps of last year's AZL top prospect Clint Frazier. Like his predecessor, Gettys is a five-tool athlete, though he's more physical than Frazier. Many scouts questioned Gettys' bat coming out of high school, but he hit well in his pro debut and led the AZL with 66 hits and ranked second with 93 total bases, even though he struck out in 28 percent of his plate appearances. He needs to work on putting balls in play and finding a two-strike approach. Gettys has a strong frame, and the ball comes off his bat well by virtue of plus bat speed. He will develop over-the-fence power as he matures and gains experience. His speed and arm are both plus tools, allowing him to handle any outfield position, but he especially shines in center. "He has that ?get up and go' speed right off the first step. He can be at full speed in four steps," Padres manager Anthony Contreras said.

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: Gettys was an enigmatic talent in high school who posted off-the-charts measurables at showcases but often disappointed in games. The Padres gambled on his raw upside and drafted him 51st overall in 2014 and signed him for $1.3 million to forgo a Georgia commitment. Scouting Report: Gettys' primary problem had been a lack of hitting instincts, pitch recognition and balance in the box, which led to high strikeout rates and poor quality contact in the early part of his career. He made major strides on those fronts in 2016, adding a back stretch to the start of his swing to improve his rhythm and timing, while also giving him a better look at incoming pitches. The result was a more athletic swing with less chasing and harder contact throughout the year. Center field is where Gettys really shines, using his plus speed and elite defensive instincts to track down fly balls in every direction, with double-plus arm strength to boot. His speed is limited out of the batter's box but ticks up on the basepaths to make him a dangerous basestealing threat.
  
  The Future: Gettys is starting to turn his loud tools into baseball skills but needs to continue improving as a hitter to reach his everyday potential. He will jump to Double-A San Antonio in 2017.