Donavan

Tate

Tate did not show up to camp this past February due to what was described as a personal issue, but he was apparently keeping in contact with the Padres this entire time and has now been allowed back into the organization. “I left baseball in order to gain a grasp on some personal issues in my life,” the former third overall pick wrote in a statement to the media on Tuesday.

No word on when he’ll report. Tate has largely been a bust since being selected No. 3 overall, including a series of injuries and a drug suspension. The 21-year-old actually stayed healthy for a change last season, but he batted just .226 with a .620 OPS between Class A Fort Wayne and High-A Lake Elsinore.

The No. 3 overall pick in the 2009 Draft, Tate was a flop with the Padres due to injuries, suspensions and poor play. A career .229/.334/.324 hitter with just nine homers over 1,189 plate appearances, Tate is still just 25 but hasn’t played above A-ball. Still, it’s a no-risk gamble by the Dodgers.

Tate has a scholarship waiting for him to play cornerback at North Carolina, but the Padres should be able to get him signed. Tate is a fantastic athlete, but he’s a raw product who figures to take a long time to develop. The assumption is that he’ll hit for power and turn into an excellent defensive center fielder. Still, drafting him this early is a risky move.

Tate was taken third overall in June’s first-year player draft. He committed to play football and baseball at the University of North Carolina, but hasn’t participated in football workouts this week. That’s a good sign for the Friars.

Tate, the No. 3 overall pick in June’s first-year player draft, will begin his professional career in 2010. He will be ready for spring training. The Padres, who inked Tate to a club-record $6.25 million signing bonus on August 17, decided to play it safe with him from the outset.

Tate, selected third overall, will be handed a signing bonus worth around $6 million. He was offered a scholarship to play football and baseball at the University of North Carolina next year, but will obviously turn that down.

The outfield prospect was awarded a $6.25 million bonus. The signing was announced during the Padres’ game tonight. Tate, the No. 3 overall pick, had been spotted in San Diego earlier today and was expected to sign.

This after Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus reported that there is “reason to believe Donavan Tate has signed with the Padres for $6.5 million.” Brock added that the $6.5 million mark “sounds about right from everyone I’ve talked to,” but noted that general manager Kevin Towers said it wasn’t a done deal quite yet. Tate was the No. 3 selection in June’s first-year player draft.

Tate, the No. 3 overall pick in June’s first-year player draft, has been prescribed anti-inflammatory medication. The injury isn’t serious, but the Padres have wisely decided to play it safe with the youngster. He inked a club-record $6.25 million signing bonus on August 17.