Padres Mock Draft Update: San Diego Takes the Hottest Arm in College Baseball

[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 06.28.25.

First Round (25th Overall): Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas
Wood is a right-handed starting pitching prospect from Arkansas with an undersized frame who transitioned from a hard-throwing reliever to a starter in 2025. He burst onto the scene in a big way in the College World Series. Wood threw a 19-strikeout no-hitter against Murray State and has since rocketed consistently up draft boards.

Wood's arsenal consists of a fastball that sits in the 94-96 mph range. It’s a freak pitch that averages 17 inches of IVB, over 9 inches of arm side run thrown from a 5.5 release with above average extension. You won’t be surprised to read that it was a whiff machine in 2025. It's complemented by a pair of breakers, a curveball with plenty of drop, and a solid average slider. There's also a changeup there to make up a four-pitch mix.

Wood's surface numbers don't look great in 2025 in a 37.2 inning sample, but what's under the hood looks mighty impressive. It's a 3.82 ERA with a 2.06 FIP, a 46% strikeout rate, and a measly 4.6% walk rate. Wood has a history of shoulder issues. If he remains healthy, he could be one of the fastest moving arms in this class and is starting to look like a profile who may push his way into the teens on night one.

Third Round (99th Overall): Mitch Voit, 2B, Michigan
Mitch Voit will be draft eligible as a 20-year old in 2025, coming off back-to-back seasons of strong and improving performance at the University of Michigan. Voit used to be a two-way player but since focusing solely on hitting, he's improved his approach and impact at the plate, developing into what might be an average hit/average power combo in a draft class lacking them. In 2025, Voit hit .346/.471/.668 (1.140) with 14 home runs, a 157 wRC+ while walking 15.3% of the time and managing a measly 13% strikeout rate.

There's plus speed and an above average arm in the profile, too. If Voit can maintain his improved approach as a pro, you're looking at a good athlete with defensive versatility who can pop 15-20 home runs per season while maintaining strong on base skills. That type of profile usually gets pushed up boards as we get closer to the draft.

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