By Bill Center

Michael Gettys

Drafting players out of high school presents a bigger gamble for Major League clubs than drafting a player who has matured with three seasons of college ball.

But three interesting outfielders in the Padres system went straight to pro ball from high school — Michael Gettys, Tre Carter and Mason House. House and Carter might still be in college while Gettys, the senior of the trio, could be leaving the Padres system next month.

A closer look at the trio in order of their drafts:

— Michael Gettys was the Padres’ second-round pick in the 2014 Draft out of Georgia’s Gainesville High. Now 23, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound Gettys is eligible for next month’s Rule 5 draft. But remember, Franmil Reyes was unselected in last year’s Rule 5 draft as outfielders are often passed over.

Gettys is formerly a Top-30 Padres prospect and was high as №10 in the organization going into the 2016 season. He is considered among the top defensive outfielders in the Padres organization with an excellent arm.

Gettys last season hit .230 with 22 doubles, three triples, 15 homers, 53 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 125 games with Double-A San Antonio. He had a .290 on-base percentage and a .399 slugging percentage for a .689 OPS. His problem continues to be contact. He had 160 strikeouts against 31 walks in 431 at-bats in 2018.

Gettys hit .254 with a .329 on-base percentage and a .431 slugging percentage for a .760 OPS with Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore in 2017 when he had 22 doubles, four triples, 17 homers, 51 RBIs and 22 steals in 116 games. But he also had 191 strikeouts in 457 at-bats.

Gettys big jump came in 2016 when he split the season almost evenly between Single-A Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore with near-identical results at both places with a combined slash line of .305/.363/.442/.804. He had 23 doubles, five triples, 12 homers, 60 RBIs and 33 steals against 146 strikeouts in 505 at-bats.

He is currently playing with Adelaide in the Australian Baseball League where he has four homers and 10 RBIs in nine games. He is hitting .314 with a .786 slugging percentage for a 1.119 OPS.

— Tre Carter, 21, was the Padres’ 11th-round pick in the 2016 Draft out of a Tennessee high school. The 6-foot-2, 181-pound center fielder is also considered one of the top defensive outfielders in the Padres’ system.

In 98 games between Short-Season Single-A Tri-City and Fort Wayne this summer, the left-handed-hitting Carter batted .211 with a .293 on-base percentage and a .600 OPS. He had seven doubles, five triples, five homers, 30 RBIs and 13 bases. Like Gettys, Carter has also struggled with contact. He struck out 99 times (while drawing 38 walks) in 370 plate appearances in 2018.

— Mason House, 20, was the Padres’ third-round pick — and the 78th player taken overall — in the 2017 draft out of Whitehouse High in Tyler, Tex. House would be in his sophomore season in college.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pounder split the 2018 season between the Arizona Rookie League and Tri-City, hitting a combined .191 with five doubles, two triples, five homers and 16 RBIs. But he also drew 22 walks in 164 plate appearances for a .311 on-base percentage.

If he clears the Rule 5 draft, Gettys figures to start the season at Triple-A El Paso or Double-A Amarillo. Carter and House are both candidates for Fort Wayne.