Padres take Donavan Tate with first pick

June 10, 10:52 PMSan Diego Padres ExaminerJudson Green

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Donavan Tate was considered the draft's best athlete.

As Bud Selig walked to the podium and announced the Washington Nationals were on the clock, it struck me how much he sounds like an alien learning English on the fly. The mask-that-doesn't-fit-too-well look doesn't help either. It's also worth mentioning that he pronounced the ck in clock like he was trying to dislodge something from his throat. "The Washington Nationals are on the clocgh."

Watching is somewhat difficult. The MLB amateur draft is terribly dull. At best, a pick will draw a few cheers to complement the scattered applause, but hand-clapping is usually all one can expect. Even the montages for the players and the draft are lame.

The first three picks went as expected. Flamethrower Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State, dubbed by some scouts the best prospect ever, went to the Nationals. The Seattle Mariners took North Carolina star Dustin Ackley, considered the best hitter in the draft. And the Padres went with the best all-around athlete in the draft, multi-sport star Donavan Tate, from Cartersville High School in Cartersville, GA.

Tate, not to be confused with actor Tate Donovan, is a five tool player, always an attractive prospect for teams. He's also a talented enough football player to get an offer to play both sports at North Carolina.

Indeed, this is the only baggage of sorts that Tate carries. He is humble, polite, has no attitude problems, no history of trouble. In addition to the athleticism, his intangibles are off the charts. He is described as very mature. Watching high school pitcher Zack Wheeler, who went sixth overall to the San Francisco Giants, get interviewed made me realize the trick to distinguish high school players from collegians. When high schoolers are interviewed, they typically look and sound like they're about to cry. They take deep breaths every few words, almost to the point of hyperventilating. Their eyes are widened and look frightened - the deer in the headlights look. It's natural for a person that young to be nervous upon realizing he is about to be thrust into a difficult and often cutthroat business, and Wheeler's interview does not mean he won't succeed. But the intangibles and maturity Tate brings will go a long way toward helping him make that transition.

As baggage goes, though, that UNC option that could drive Tate's price up more than the Padres would like. They're confident it won't be a big problem. As Kevin Towers said, "From everything we've gathered, baseball is Donavan's love more than football," according to a story by Bill Center for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

However, agent Scott Boras is still expected to use this kind of leverage in negotiations with the Padres. The team has the counter that Tate may never have the option to make this kind of money right off the bat, but it seems likely Tate's signing bonus will drop much below the $6 million Boras is reportedly seeking, if at all. The idea of the Padres not signing Tate, given their situation, is rather absurd. They'll suck it up, and pay what they need to get him to work as soon as possible.

Grady Fuson reportedly believes that at best, Tate could be a great five tool player for the Padres, a superstar for years, while the worst case comp for Tate is Mike Cameron, a low batting average, good power, high strikeout player with brilliant defensive skills. This is preposterous, of course. There's simply no such thing as a draft pick whose worst case comp is an All-Star. But it does tell us something. Scouts say that Tate has superior range and arm, and Fuson's comparisons may indicate that he sees in Tate a player who could be a truly great defensive center fielder. The scouting report says his hitting needs some work, but assuming he makes it to the majors, we could see a player whose worst case scenario is a below average hitter who is still a help to the team by being such a great fielder. That's something to be happy about. Because it means that the Padres have a good chance at getting something out of this pick, even if Tate doesn't reach his potential, which Fuson is very high on.

“We are excited to have the player who we feel has the biggest upside in the draft," he said, according to Center's story.

It's possible. While high schoolers are typically the higher risk players, they are often higher reward as well, because their youth gives them more time to develop. The two best college players were off the board when the Padres were up. Mock drafts were banking on the Padres to take Tate. He was considered the best high school athlete in the draft, and the team had been criticized for its lack of athletic talent. He was a good fit for the team, and the best talent available. There are no guarantees in the draft, but the Padres made the sensible decision with this pick.