Top draft picks and their small sample sizes

The 2019 MLB draft is in the rear-view mirror and some of the players are starting their careers. There is no better way to create a dumb amount of excitement than with small sample sizes, so here we are.

Luckily, there are wonderful people out there who have video of some of these players as well. Shout out to Fangraphs Prospects, PadresPHX, and John Millan for the videos!

So, here we go. Some here are some highlights from the exceedingly small sample sizes of some of the top 2019 San Diego Padre draftees. Please freak out accordingly.

Disclaimer: This is just a way-too-early check in. Any claims to call people up are purely exaggerated.

CJ Abrams

Best to start with round one, right? Guys, Abrams is good. His numbers so far? Also good. The fact that he isn’t already in the majors is an outrage!...Okay, so I also know how to exaggerate. But he is showing exactly what made him a top talent in this draft.

Glance at the numbers through first eight games: .486 BA, 3 doubles, 1 triples, 1 HR, 3 SB

Speed and power were the name of his game. Through eight games, he is showing it. Also, look how pretty this swing is!

Joshua Mears

What was known about Mears was his swing will need work. However, his natural raw power will be worth the patience it will take to get there. That is being made very clear early on.

Glance at the numbers through first eight games: .219 BA, 7 H, 4 SB, 0 XBH

No power quite yet, but he is a physical presence. That is underselling it. He is showing some decent speed early on as well stealing bases. As he gets more comfortable the power should start to show through. He is hitting the ball hard.

Logan Driscoll

The first two started in the Arizona League. Driscoll is playing or the Tri-City Dust Devils. The first two were drafted out of high school. He was not. This makes sense. Driscoll has also played in less games.

Glance at the numbers through four games: .231 BA, 2 doubles, 1 RBI

Not a lot to go on here, but from an advanced hitter you would expect more than a 4/0 K/BB ratio. Frankly, it was clearly a wasted pick and he should be cut immediately (see disclaimer). He will be fine, he is a very solid player behind the dish.

I could not find any video of him hitting professionally, but here he is a video of him catching a first pitch at Petco Park.

Hudson Head

Admittedly, I was not very high on Head when the Padres picked him. There was a lot I didn’t like about his swing. Things are different now. Maybe it’s just the uniform, maybe I am just insane...my money is on the latter.

Glance a the numbers through three games: .364 BA, 2 doubles, 1 triple, 1 SB

Three games, guys. What are we waiting on? Look at those numbers. For real though, his swing looks good in the video below. It’s a long road, and I am not the highest on him still, but this swing is better than I originally thought.

Matt Brash

The first in a long line of pitchers. Brash did take awhile to get comfortable and move up in the system. He started with the AZL Padres and it took him a whole inning of work to be called up to Fort Wayne. To be far, it was a scoreless inning where he struck out two and gave up a hit.

Glance at the numbers through two appearances: AZL, 1.0 IP, 1 H, 2 K...Tin Caps, 1 IP 2 H 1 ER, 1 K

I can’t find video, but to be fair at the pace he is going it is hard to find him. Two innings and two teams is a pretty solid ratio. Though hard to keep up.

Chris Lincoln

I like Lincoln a lot as a relief option for the future. He has some electricity in both his arm and his movement. He has made his debut in the AZL, but that is it so far.

Glance at the numbers through one appearance: 1 IP, 1 GS, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

According to Padres Farm on Twitter, he was hitting 94 in his debut.

Connor Lehmann

Lehmann has thrown three innings for the Dust Devils and it went well. There is a lot to like from his 6’7” frame.

Glance at the numbers through two appearances: 3 IP, 1 GS, 0.00 ERA, 2 BB, 2 K

There is video for Lehmann thanks to John Millan. He is big and it is fun.

This concludes a quick glance at some of the top draft picks. It is exciting for these young players to start their career. So, are we all on the same page? Let’s overreact over a SMALL sample size.