The San Diego Padres selected shortstop C.J. Abrams from Blessed Trinity High School (Ga.) with the sixth overall pick in MLB’s 2019 First-Year Player Draft, executive vice president/general manager A.J. Preller and director of amateur scouting Mark Conner announced on June 3.
Recommended by Padres area scout Tyler Stubblefield, Abrams, 18, led Blessed Trinity High (31-9) to the Class AAAA semifinals this past season, hitting .431 with three home runs, 42 runs scored, 27 RBI and a .723 SLG. A 2018 Perfect Game All-American Classic team member and a 2018 Under Armour All-American Game invitee, the 6-2, 182-pound left-handed hitter is the nation’s second-ranked prep prospect byBaseball America and Perfect Game. The senior shortstop also slashed .297/.395/.324 in nine games for USA Baseball’s 18U National Team this past fall.
The Padres will make two more selections tonight with the 48th and 73rd overall selections. The draft will continue tomorrow at 10:05 a.m. with rounds 3-10 and will conclude on Wednesday, June 5, with rounds 11-40.