Take a chance on Donovan Tate

[rico43]

I don't consider myself a bleeding heart and the statistics offer little support to my proposal, but I kinda wish the Braves would take a chance on former No. 3 overall pick and Padres' problem child Donovan Tate and bring him to camp as a minor league free agent.

Yes, he had drug problems. Yes, he tore his Achilles. Yes, he hit only .211 in 2015. But here is the argument: Tate showed enough as a Cartersville, Ga., prep player to acquire the largest signing bonus ever by the Padres ($6.25 million, thanks, Scott Boras). A series of wrong decisions kept his career at a standstill, but he clearly was not emotionally ready to become a pro player out of high school.

Now, he's 25 and just finished his first full season without an injury problem. He has had, since becoming a pro, a stress fracture in his pubic bone (ouch), a sports hernia, a shoulder injury, a knee injury, a wrist injury and he even missed a month with a intestinal problem. He missed most of 2013 and all of 2014 with his Achilles injury. All in the past, thank goodness for him.

He was considered the player with the highest upside of any player in the draft in 2009. The Padres called him "A freak." His father, of course, was UGa and NFL running back Lars Tate. He has not been a discipline problem of late, and he still wants to prove himself.

He may have been one of the best prep players Georgia has ever seen. And frankly, this would seem to be the perfect time to allow him to try to win a job in the organization. My gut tells me he has something left to offer. But then, I don't know nearly as much about baseball as some of you.

[zbhargrove]

I don't see what it could hurt. If there is even a semblance of a chance the light bulb could come on now that he's matured and healthy, it could be a lightning in a bottle chance. I would love to see him get the chance as I'm from Cartersville... it used to be an event going to watch him play baseball and football. Dude was just a crazy athlete.

[Deester11]

I don't see what it could hurt. If there is even a semblance of a chance the light bulb could come on now that he's matured and healthy, it could be a lightning in a bottle chance. I would love to see him get the chance as I'm from Cartersville... it used to be an event going to watch him play baseball and football. Dude was just a crazy athlete.

ZB, wow. My parents live in C'ville. I graduated from Cass. Small world. You probably know my whole sports fam. Ronnie Brown, Keith Henderson, Lavette, V. Beasley(Adairsville) ...there is definitely talent in C'ville and Tate was just gifted. Wouldn't hurt to try but in baseball he always gave me Lombard jitters. He flashed a little bit so you never know.

[Julio3000]

Interesting suggestion. I'd buy.

[zitothebrave]

I'd sign him, but he's almost certainly not gonna amount to anything. He's 24 and hasn't been to AA. Which wouldn't be bad if he had 1 year in the minors because he was an older college player, but for a prep school kid, that's not good. He's struck out way too much and doesn't have the power to make up for that K rate. He needs someone to just try to retool him entirely. If he has **** pitch recognition have him swing through the ball and try to be a power player. From what I remember of him in the draft he has really raw potential and that includes power.

[GovClintonTyree]

I'd sign him, but he's almost certainly not gonna amount to anything. He's 24 and hasn't been to AA. Which wouldn't be bad if he had 1 year in the minors because he was an older college player, but for a prep school kid, that's not good. He's struck out way too much and doesn't have the power to make up for that K rate. He needs someone to just try to retool him entirely. If he has **** pitch recognition have him swing through the ball and try to be a power player. From what I remember of him in the draft he has really raw potential and that includes power.

I never understand this kind of analysis. He's 20-something and not at the level he should be. If he had injuries, went to college, burned a couple years on drugs, of course he's not going to match up with the usual age. Doesn't mean he can't be a productive ML player, just later and not as long.

But then, if he had a stress fracture in his pubic bone, it can't have been a totally wasted five years. At least he was laying some pipe.

[nsacpi]

I never understand this kind of analysis. He's 20-something and not at the level he should be. If he had injuries, went to college, burned a couple years on drugs, of course he's not going to match up with the usual age. Doesn't mean he can't be a productive ML player, just later and not as long.

But then, if he had a stress fracture in his pubic bone, it can't have been a totally wasted five years. At least he was laying some pipe.

The Evan Gattis route to the major leagues.

[bravesfanMatt]

I never understand this kind of analysis. He's 20-something and not at the level he should be. If he had injuries, went to college, burned a couple years on drugs, of course he's not going to match up with the usual age. Doesn't mean he can't be a productive ML player, just later and not as long.

But then, if he had a stress fracture in his pubic bone, it can't have been a totally wasted five years. At least he was laying some pipe.

LOL.. you know the pubic bone usually refers to the Pubis... which is more like your butt.. So any pipe laying would have been in reverse..

[The Chosen One]

Good thing our front office is laying pipe. It will make zeets happy we'll have a pipeline of young kids coming through the organization.

[GovClintonTyree]

LOL.. you know the pubic bone usually refers to the Pubis... which is more like your butt.. So any pipe laying would have been in reverse..

[cajunrevenge]

Tate was **** from the beginning. I would sign him but I wouldnt trade anything for him. I was praying we didnt waste our draft pick on him at the time.

[gilesfan]

People correctly pointed out at the time how awful that selection was. Was drafted because he was a good athlete, not because he was a good baseball player.

[emk418]

Teoscar Hernandez was left unprotected. Would LOVE to take a shot on him

[mqt]

A guy whose calling card was his athleticism that tore his Achilles? Dude is probably toast, but I wouldn't complain if we gave him a minor league deal.

[gamecock4braves]

[zitothebrave]

I never understand this kind of analysis. He's 20-something and not at the level he should be. If he had injuries, went to college, burned a couple years on drugs, of course he's not going to match up with the usual age. Doesn't mean he can't be a productive ML player, just later and not as long.

But then, if he had a stress fracture in his pubic bone, it can't have been a totally wasted five years. At least he was laying some pipe.

The reason is if he went to school he'd have less professional time. As a HS kid (especially a first rounder) you're on a path to the majors that's typically 5-6 years at the most. As a college player it's 2-3.

The number of guys who were drafted out of prep school and didn't make it to AA before 25 and amounted to anything is pretty slim. Even if we look at Josh Hamilton who was out of baseball for 3-4 years, he made his way to AA at 20.

[BRule]

Sure, why not? He would probably hit 3rd for us.

[mqt]

The reason is if he went to school he'd have less professional time. As a HS kid (especially a first rounder) you're on a path to the majors that's typically 5-6 years at the most. As a college player it's 2-3.

The number of guys who were drafted out of prep school and didn't make it to AA before 25 and amounted to anything is pretty slim. Even if we look at Josh Hamilton who was out of baseball for 3-4 years, he made his way to AA at 20.

Yeah, it's not just that he's older, it's that he has a lot of time in a professional system and still hasn't been able to make it any further than he has. It doesn't inspire any confidence in his ability to turn things around if he hasn't yet. If he were fresh out of school and was at this point, he would have a better argument because he was still not in a professional system with all the benefits that come with it.

[rico43]

The Dodgers are also expected to sign outfielder Donavan Tate, Baseball America’s John Manuel tweets. Tate, now 25, has struggled to establish himself since the Padres drafted him with the third overall pick in 2009. In 2015, he hit .211/.290/.334 for Class A+ Lake Elsinore.