Former Guardians draft bust resurfaces via minor league deal with the Padres 

The 2020 MLB draft was weird. Like weird weird. 

With the world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB limited the draft to just five rounds while also holding it remotely, which had become the norm for big events during COVID. 

That change in routine has resulted in being one of the more ‘meh’ drafts in recent history, as it’s only produced five All-Stars (Pete Crow-Armstrong, Garrett Crochet, Jordan Westburg, Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder). 

It’s also produced its fair share of busts — none of whom were more of a bust than Carson Tucker, who the Guardians selected with the No. 23 pick.

But just because Tucker couldn’t do anything with the Guardians doesn’t mean that his MLB career is over, as he reportedly signed a minor league deal with the San Diego Padres after spending the 2025 season playing independent ball. 

Former Guardians first round pick Carson Tucker resurfaces via minor league deal with the Padres 

Cleveland’s selection of Tucker (the younger brother of MLB infielder Cole Tucker) seemed like a win at the time given he had slashed .390/.455/.574 with 68 RBIs, 20 doubles, nine triples and five home runs in 92 games at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix. 

Tucker signed with the Guardians for an underslot value of $2 million, but had to wait until 2021 to make his organizational debut due to the minor league season being canceled in 2020. 

It didn’t take long for him to look like a bust once he hit the field. 

After going just 6-for-21 in six games in the Arizona Complex League in 2021, Tucker moved up to Single-A and consistently looked overmatched in his two seasons at the level. He ended up hitting just .164 across 73 minor league games in Cleveland’s system before being released midway through the 2024 season. 

Tucker played in 18 games with the Pioneer League’s Ogden Raptors last season, where he hit .323 (20-for-62) with one home run, one triple, three doubles, 12 RBI and six steals. 

That seemed to be enough for the Padres to consider rolling the dice on Tucker, who is set to turn 24 later this month. 

Although Tucker still has young on his side, he’ll likely start his journey with the Padres in a lower level of the minors, which means he’ll have quite an uphill climb in front of him. He’s the second former Guardians’ first-round pick to join the Padres this offseason along with Triston McKenzie. 

While the Guardians have hit on most of their first-round picks in recent years, their whiff on Tucker is going to stand out like a sore thumb, regardless of what he does in San Diego.