2016 Draft Report Card: San Diego Padres

BEST PURE HITTER: SS/2B Hudson Potts (1) wasn’t a consensus first-rounder but the Padres believed in his bat. He has timing, bat-to-ball skills and an ease of operation that gives the club’s scouts conviction in his hitting tool.

BEST POWER HITTER: Potts’ average future power stands out in a pitcher-heavy draft class.

FASTEST RUNNER: OF Buddy Reed (2) has a high waist, long legs and easy gliding strides that play on the bases. He’s shy of a true 70 runner, mainly because of his big swing at the plate.

BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Reed’s speed plays better in center field, where he lets his athleticism play and has plus range and has at least an above-average arm.

BEST FASTBALL: RHP Cal Quantrill (1), the first of the Padres’ three first-rounders, has come back from Tommy John surgery throwing 94-96 mph. He has plus control, though his command is still coming back. RHPs Reggie Lawson (2s) and Mason Thompson (3) both have low-90s heaters with projection for more. LHP Eric Lauer (1) throws 88-92 mph but pitches off his fastball extremely well with angle and location.

BEST SECONDARY PITCH: Quantrill throws three variations of his plus changeup, with a feel for manipulating the ball and locating it. He has the confidence to throw it in any count, to any hitter.

BEST PRO DEBUT: LHP Joey Lucchesi (4) showed his deception, 88-93 mph fastball with late life and downer curveball will play in pro ball. He went 0-2, 1.29 in 42 overall innings with a 56-3 strikeout-walk ratio. Lauer struck out 37 in 31 innings while posting a 2.03 ERA over three levels. SS Chris Baker (17) hit .295/.380/.428 with 14 stolen bases between short-season Tri-City and low Class A Fort Wayne.

BEST ATHLETE: Reed was a three-sport prep star in Rhode Island, thriving at soccer and hockey. OF A.J. Brown (19), a physical specimen at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds, is playing wide receiver at Mississippi, with 14 catches and two touchdowns in his first five games.

MOST INTRIGUING BACKGROUND: Quantrill (father Paul) and 2B Nate Easley (23) (father Damion) have fathers who played more than 12 years in the big leagues apiece. RHP Lake Bachar (5) went to Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater as a punter/kicker but wound up reaching 95 mph on the mound.

CLOSEST TO THE MAJORS: Lauer has built up stamina, throwing 135 innings between college and pro ball in 2016, and has the fastball command to get on the fast track. Lucchesi (153 IP in 2016) shares similar traits.

BEST LATE-ROUND PICK: OF Trey Carter (11) was a second-team preseason All-American, with athleticism to rival Reed and Brown. He signed for $100,000. The Padres went higher in bonuses for strong OF Jack Suwinski (15, $550,000) and SS/OF Ethan Skender (28), who has feel for hitting.

THE ONE WHO GOT AWAY: SS Grae Kessinger (26), grandson of ex-big leaguer Don Kessinger, flirted with signing before heading to Mississippi, where his father played and grandfather coached.