3 Underrated Padres Draft Picks Who Can Rise Quickly Through the Farm System

[Gottie Chavez]

With the goal of competing for a World Series every season in a tough National League division, the San Diego Padres have aggressively used their prospects to acquire established MLB talent. As a result, the Friars entered the pre-draft period with MLB Pipeline's lowest-ranked farm system, and to help replenish it, they used the 2026 MLB Draft to target polished college talent. Of their 21 picks, 17 came from the college ranks.

With more experienced prospects now entering the organization, here are three underrated draft picks who could move quickly through the Padres' farm system.

Joe Tiroly, 2B Virginia, Round 7, Pick No. 215

Heading into the draft, Tiroly was ranked as the 99th prospect by Baseball America and 147th by MLB Pipeline, yet the Padres were able to get him with the 215th overall pick. Transferring to Virginia in his junior season, Tiroly quickly proved that the increase in talent from a tougher conference wouldn’t slow him down, a trait that will benefit him in the minors. He finished the season leading the Cavaliers with 16 home runs and 66 RBIs while slashing .319/.408/.576 with a .984 OPS.

Throughout his collegiate career, Tiroly displayed consistent power. His average exit velocity and elite pull-air rate both ranked among the top percentiles in college baseball. He also hit double-digit home runs and had an on-base percentage north of .400 in each of three collegiate seasons while producing a barrel rate that ranked among the top 20% of college hitters.

Tiroly also brings defensive versatility to the field. While he primarily played second base during his junior season, his arm strength and experience playing third base give him the flexibility to contribute defensively. Combined with his polished offensive profile, Tiroly has the traits of a prospect who can move quickly through the minors.

Rob Evans, SP Miami, Round 12, Pick No. 365

After an underwhelming junior season in which he worked primarily out of the bullpen and posted a 4.70 ERA over 15.1 innings, Evans returned to the rotation for his senior year and revived his draft stock. He finished as Miami’s ace, compiling a 10-3 record with a 3.29 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 87.2 innings. Evans was reliable for the team all year, pitching at least five innings in 13 of his 16 appearances and holding opponents to a .210 batting average.

Evans is coming to San Diego with a fastball that he consistently throws in the low-to-mid 90s and has topped out at 96 mph. Rather than overpowering hitters, he relies on deception, featuring a low three-quarters arm angle and a sweeping slider in the low 80s that keeps hitters off balance. While Evans may not possess the upside of a frontline starter, his experience as both a starter and relief pitcher will be valuable in his journey through the minor leagues.

Ryan Kucherak, SS Northwestern, Round 15, Pick No. 445

Kucherak offers one of the more intriguing power-speed combinations in the Padres’ draft class. After breaking out during his sophomore year, he used his junior season to show teams that his development is still moving upward. He hit .295/.390/.521, with 10 home runs and led the team with 11 stolen bases after having only three stolen bases in his previous two seasons combined. His 10 home runs also made him the first Northwestern player since Stephen Hrustich, in 2021-2022, to record double-digit home runs in consecutive seasons. He continued to show off his power at the MLB combine, where he hit multiple balls over a 105 mph exit velocity.

Kucherak also made strides defensively. After committing 11 errors during his sophomore season, he cut that number to seven as a junior while continuing to display his reliability, missing only one game in two seasons. With improvements on both sides of the ball and elite athleticism, Kucherak has the profile of a prospect who could climb through the farm system faster than those chosen ahead of him.

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