The Padres are easing Kruz Schoolcraft into pro ball, and the early plan is simple: sharpen the tools, don’t rush the arm.
San Diego took the high school left-hander for a reason. He’s a massive pitcher with a massive fastball, and the first look from his bridge league debut only added to the intrigue.
In Peoria, Schoolcraft worked with Ron Rizzi, the Padres’ senior advisor to scouting, who brings more than 50 years of experience to the table. Rizzi’s early guidance centered on one specific tweak: tightening the edges of Schoolcraft’s breaking ball, a change that could help open up the rest of his pitch mix.
That debut came against the Seattle Mariners’ Bridge League team, and Schoolcraft needed just one inning to make an impression. He threw 15 pitches, 11 for strikes, and after allowing a leadoff double to Brayden Corn, he settled in and struck out the side.
His fastball sat at 97-99 mph, according to Jesus Cano of Baseball America, while his changeup came in around 90 mph. He did not use his slider, which Cano described as more of a show pitch right now.
At 6-foot-8, Schoolcraft already brings the kind of physical presence that jumps off the page. Cano described his delivery as featuring “smooth mechanics and elite extension,” and the lefty’s changeup was viewed as one of the best in the 2025 prep class. The slider, meanwhile, has enough movement to become a plus pitch if he polishes it.
For now, the Padres are taking their time. Schoolcraft is on a structured throwing program after what Cano called a “taxing lead-up to the draft,” and he’s now in instructional league working to refine his craft.
The mindset is familiar to him, too. In high school, he said he tried to “go out there and compete.”
The jump to pro hitters is obviously a big one, and the organization is focused on development rather than shortcuts.
Cano’s reporting also touched on other Padres arms, including Carson Montgomery and undrafted free agent Brandon Langley, the Western Carolina product who pitched in the Cape Cod summer league before signing with San Diego. But Schoolcraft is the headline arm here, and this is just the first stage of a much longer process.
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