Padres Mock Draft Update: San Diego Keeps The Prep Run Alive at Pick 25

[Jamie Cameron]

This draft cycle, we’re going to try something new. Every few weeks, I’ll be posting an article here listing out who the Padres would select based on their position on the consensus draft board. As the consensus board is updated, the players in those spots will be adjusted and I’ll post another update.

This is not a mock draft. Rather, I’m hoping it’ll give readers an idea of the caliber of talent in each of the team’s first few picks. Additionally, it should help readers who want to dig into draft coverage a bit more get familiar with the class.

Here would be the Padres first two picks by consensus draft ranking as of 05.28.25

First Round (25th Overall): Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS, OR
Remarkably, Schoolcraft won't be the only 6'8 left-handed starting pitching prospect in this draft class. What he will be, is the most famous and highest ranked.

The pacific northwest southpaw reclassified from a stacked 2026 class to 2025 and offers an easy to fall in love with profile. While he's currently a legitimate two-way player, most evaluators prefer him as a pitcher. His arsenal has taken a step forward in recent months, particularly his secondary pitches. His fastball has been up to 97 mph from the left side, although it's a bit flat. His changeup is increasingly firm, maintaining ideal velocity separation from his fastball. There's an above average slider in the mix too, particularly tough on lefties given the angle he's coming from and how well he gets down the mound. It's a solid delivery and strike throwing operation for someone with such long limbs. There's present stuff and projection here. 

Third Round (99th Overall): Tanner Franklin, RHP, Tennessee
File Franklin's name under the 'most improved' category in 2025 after transferring from Kennesaw State to Tennessee and ironing out some of the extreme effort in his delivery.

It's a premium pitcher's frame at 6'5, 230 pounds. His fastball will sit in the mid-90s but has been as 102 mph with big riding life at the top of the zone. Franklin also offers a freakish cutter, a pitch he throws 90-92 mph, one of the hardest in college baseball and one that will appeal to pro teams. There's a slider here too, but the fastball/cutter combination are his two best pitches currently.

Franklin has struck out north of 30% of hitters in both 2024 and 2025, the real development has been the control. In his two years at Kennesaw State, he walked over 20% of hitters. As conference tournament play opens, that mark is just 5% in 2025, a truly remarkable improvement. There's still work to do on command and reliever risk in this profile, but if Franklin can continue to develop his arsenal, he has a chance to be a monster arm.

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