Homer Bush Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

AB	38
AVG	.237
OBP	.293
SLG	.237
HR	0

Full name Homer Bush Jr.
Born 10/13/2001 in Toronto, ON, Canada
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Grand Canyon
Drafted in the 4th round (128th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2023 (signed for $511,600).

View Draft Report

School: Grand Canyon Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade:50/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 50. Power: 30. Run: 60. Field: 55. Arm: 50.

Bush Jr. is the son of seven-year big leaguer Homer Bush Sr. and brings both standout athleticism and big league bloodlines to the table. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound outfielder was a pick-to-click for many scouts in 2023 and he put together his best offensive season yet. Bush Jr. hit .370/.478/.500, and while he only homered twice, he added 19 doubles and cut his strikeout rate from 29.9% to 9.2%. Bush Jr. has a developing offensive approach with solid bat-to-ball skills, though he will need to add a significant amount of strength to his lean and wiry frame before he’s able to have anything more than 30-grade power. He’s a contact hitter who managed a 17% miss rate in 2023 and has extremely modest average and top-end exit velocities. He instead uses his plus running speed out of the box to pressure infield defenses and turn gapped singles into doubles. Bush improved his baserunning in 2023 as well, and went 25-for-31 (80.6%) in stolen base attempts. He should become an above-average defender in center field and has improved with his route-running and instincts. Bush has just average arm strength and will need to stick in center field to profile as an everyday player given his limited raw power.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: The son of former Padres prospect and longtime major leaguer Homer Bush, the younger Bush was limited by a hamstring injury in high school and the coronavirus pandemic in college at Grand Canyon. With scouts flocking to see GCU shortstop and eventual first-round pick Jacob Wilson, Bush hit .370/.478/.500 while showing the elite athleticism to become a top draft prospect himself. The Padres drafted him in the fourth round and signed him for $511,600. Bush moved quickly in his pro debut and finished the year on Double-A San Antonio’s postseason roster.

Scouting Report: Bush is an 80-grade runner whose game revolves around his legs. He puts balls in play with a quick, level swing and uses his legs to beat out grounders and stretch singles into doubles. The Padres have asked him to improve his bunting to give him another weapon. Bush has a good sense of the strike zone and walked nearly as often as he struck out after being drafted. He hit just four home runs in three years in college, but the Padres believe he could reach double-digit home runs as he learns to backspin balls. Bush’s defense in center field is raw, but his speed allows him to outrun his mistakes and gives him a chance to be an above-average center fielder. He has exceptional makeup that provides optimism he’ll get the most from his abilities.

The Future: Bush has the potential to challenge for an everyday job as the Padres center fielder. He’ll open 2024 back at Double-A.

Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 80 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45

Draft Prospects

School: Grand Canyon Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade:50/Extreme
Tools:Hit: 50. Power: 30. Run: 60. Field: 55. Arm: 50.

Bush Jr. is the son of seven-year big leaguer Homer Bush Sr. and brings both standout athleticism and big league bloodlines to the table. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound outfielder was a pick-to-click for many scouts in 2023 and he put together his best offensive season yet. Bush Jr. hit .370/.478/.500, and while he only homered twice, he added 19 doubles and cut his strikeout rate from 29.9% to 9.2%. Bush Jr. has a developing offensive approach with solid bat-to-ball skills, though he will need to add a significant amount of strength to his lean and wiry frame before he’s able to have anything more than 30-grade power. He’s a contact hitter who managed a 17% miss rate in 2023 and has extremely modest average and top-end exit velocities. He instead uses his plus running speed out of the box to pressure infield defenses and turn gapped singles into doubles. Bush improved his baserunning in 2023 as well, and went 25-for-31 (80.6%) in stolen base attempts. He should become an above-average defender in center field and has improved with his route-running and instincts. Bush has just average arm strength and will need to stick in center field to profile as an everyday player given his limited raw power.