Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 45 | Arm: 45 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

The son of a five-year defensive end for the Seahawks in the early 2000s, King joined the Padres as a 2022 fourth-rounder out of the Maryland high-school ranks. His career got off to a slow start with concussion and shoulder problems in 2023 and shoulder surgery delaying his start to 2024. He was limited to first-base/DH duties upon his return but got to return to the catcher position for ’25, when he got through a full season for the first time as a pro. King hit .274/.353/.384 with four homers and 21 steals in 105 games between Single-A Lake Elsinore and High-A Fort Wayne.

The most promising fact of King’s age-21 season was that he avoided the injured list for the entire summer. He even got in 17 extra games of action in the Arizona Fall League when fellow backstop Ethan Salas was a late scratch. Starting from a relaxed and open stance with the bat resting on his back shoulder, the right-handed slugger does a fine job making contact on pitches in the zone, and he won’t chase that often for his experience level. He can be vulnerable to sliders and changeups when he does expand the zone, however, and despite solid top-end exit velocities, his power primarily plays to the gaps.

King draws strong reviews for his athleticism as a catcher, and he can move better than most backstops, something that aids his work behind the plate. The shoulder issues have affected his throwing, and while he’s regained some strength, he still only caught 10 percent of attempted basestealers in the 2025 regular season and 11 percent in the AFL. After starting behind the eight ball, King needs experience, and continued time at first base (and maybe even adding some in the outfield) will help.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

King’s father played five seasons as a defensive end for the Seahawks in the early 2000s, but the younger edition is trying to make his way on the diamond. A standout as a high-schooler in Maryland, the backstop went to the Padres in the fourth round of the 2022 Draft and signed for $502,800, but it’s been a slow start to his pro career. Concussion and shoulder problems limited him to 84 plate appearances in the Arizona Complex League in 2023, and shoulder surgery delayed his start to 2024 and kept him in a first base/DH role all summer. He moved to Single-A Lake Elsinore in late July and finished with a .271/.379/.421 line and two homers in 62 games between there and the ACL.

King has always shown an ability to work a walk during his brief early looks in the Minor Leagues, and he made decent swing decisions in his first trip to the California League. He’s worked to tighten his right-handed swing heading into his second full season, and that could help him tap into the above-average raw power that made him such a promising prep prospect in the first place. There’s the potential that a healthy King could be ready to break out once he gets enough at-bats under his belt.

Staying healthy is a big issue beyond his offensive work. The Padres plan to deploy King back as a catcher, as he’d be more valuable behind the plate than at first base. He showed decent arm strength before the shoulder issues, but that will be closely monitored in his return. King will be 21 for the duration of the 2025 season.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

King’s name might look familiar to football fans from the early 2000s. His father played defensive end for the Seahawks for five seasons and finished with 12 career sacks, including six in 2000 alone. The younger King gravitated toward baseball instead as a Maryland prep standout, and the Padres selected him in the fourth round in 2022 before signing him for exact slot at $502,800. The catcher received only 84 plate appearances in the Arizona Complex League last season due to a concussion and shoulder problems, but he did slash .324/.440/.397 in that abbreviated span. He’s received more playing time in 2024, splitting the summer between the ACL and Single-A Lake Elsinore.

San Diego officials know King’s development is going to be a long-term project and consider last year’s problems speed bumps, though the shoulder issues have pushed him to first base/DH duties in 2024. The right-handed slugger showed an advanced willingness to take a walk in the ACL, and while his swing can get long, thus hurting his ability to make consistent contact, there’s still potentially above-average power in his 6-foot-3, 215-pound frame.

Perhaps not shocking given his bloodlines, King moved well for his size behind the dish when he did play there and provided a big target for his pitchers. He earned bonus points entering pro ball because of his history of already calling games as an amateur. There is arm strength here, but King was only 2-for-29 in caught-stealing attempts during his game time in the Complex League in 2023. San Diego officials continue to marvel at the physical presence King can bring to the box and the diamond, and his pop alone could make him valuable even at a less premium position.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 40

King’s father of the same name was a 22nd overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft and played five seasons as a defensive end for the Seahawks, registering six sacks in his best season in 2000. His son took to the diamond instead, and he was a standout at Calvert Hall College (Maryland) High School and in summers with the Canes National Team. The Padres grabbed King in the fourth round last July, making King the highest-selected player from his home state in the 2022 class, and they added him to their system for exact slot money at $502,800.

The right-handed slugger certainly got some of his father’s size at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and his already promising strength should help him hit for power through the pro ranks. Coming from a mid-Atlantic state, he is rawer with the bat than some of his warmer-weather counterparts, and his swing has length that might hurt his chances of making repeated contact against pro pitching.

Given his size, King provides a large target for his batterymates, and he moves better behind the plate than might be expected based on his frame alone. His above-average arm strength is likely to be his best defensive asset right away, but his experience calling his own games in high school should help ease the transition as well. Evaluators are still split on whether King can be an everyday catching presence or if he’ll profile better as a slugging-first backup, but the Padres will give him plenty of road to develop his skills through the Minors.

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 55 | Run: 40 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

King’s name might sound familiar. His dad was the 22nd overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft out of Saginaw Valley State and played five seasons with the Seahawks, notching 12 sacks in the process. His son certainly picked up his size at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds already, but he showed plenty of promise in the Maryland prep ranks at Calvert Hall College High School and in the summers with the Canes National Team. The Padres liked enough of his all-around potential to take him in the fourth round (120th overall) and sign him for exact slot at $502,800.

King already brings plenty of thunder from the right side with lots of early strength that should translate well to pro ball. It’s his best offensive asset right now since he still has some overall kinks to work out of his swing before he can be considered an all-around offensive threat at the plate, but the pop does enough to carry the profile. 

The 18-year-old catches better than many might expect for his size, moving and blocking well behind the dish, and his arm already looks above-average. He has experience calling games from high school, and that should ease his transition to the pros. There’s a chance for King to be an everyday catcher with his power and defense combination, though it might take some years of development to reach that ceiling.

Awards

CAL Post-Season All-Star

Year	Team
2025

CAL Player of the Month

Month	Team
06/2025

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	C Lamar King Jr. assigned to San Diego Padres Prospects.
	02/23/2026	C Lamar King Jr. assigned to San Diego Padres.
	10/01/2025	C Lamar King Jr. assigned to Peoria Javelinas.
	08/01/2025	C Lamar King Jr. assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from Lake Elsinore Storm.
	03/06/2025	activated C Lamar King Jr..
	07/26/2024	C Lamar King Jr. assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.
	03/11/2023	C Lamar King Jr. roster status changed by San Diego Padres.
	03/11/2023	C Lamar King Jr. assigned to San Diego Padres.
	08/09/2022	C Lamar King Jr. assigned to ACL Padres.
	08/01/2022	San Diego Padres signed C Lamar King Jr..
	07/13/2021	PG National 6 - Navy activated C Lamar King.