Scouting Report

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 45 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

Tom Wideman was a four-year starting center at Clemson and played basketball in multiple countries overseas, including Spain where his son Ryan was born. The younger Wideman was a standout for two years at Georgia Highlands JC but went undrafted before heading to Western Kentucky, where he was the Conference USA Player of the Year in 2025. He notched 36 extra-base hits and 45 steals in 60 games for the Hilltoppers, becoming the first Division I player to eclipse 35 and 45 in those categories since 2001. The Padres selected Wideman in the third round, signed him for below slot at $650,000 and gave him 26 games at Single-A Lake Elsinore.

Standing at 6-foot-5, Wideman was one of the most physical players in his Draft class and instantly became one of the most athletic in the San Diego system. He can show plus-plus speed and uses his size to display plus raw power from the right side. He can go and get balls in the gaps from center field with those wheels, and tellingly, the Padres only played him in the middle of the grass after the Draft. With average arm strength, he could be a fit anywhere in the outfield.

But so much will come down to his hitting mechanics and approach. Wideman chased out of the zone a ton in his one season at the Division I level, and there were only slight improvements during his time in the California League. He typically uses a giant leg kick to get going – though he’ll sometimes tamp it down – and can chop at the ball, leading to a lot of groundball contact that dulls his power. The Padres have hopes they can alter Wideman’s directionality, and there’s everyday upside if he can improve that and his selectivity. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

The son of former Clemson basketball center Tom Wideman, Ryan was born in Spain while his father was playing professionally overseas. He went undrafted despite slashing .423/.488/.724 in two seasons at Georgia Highlands JC and posted nearly as gaudy numbers this spring at Western Kentucky. The Conference USA Player of the Year, he became the first NCAA Division I player with 35 extra-base hits and 45 steals in the same season since Chris Burke (Tennessee) and Andy Cannizaro (Tulane) in 2001. The Padres took Wideman in the third round and signed him for below-slot at $650,000.

One of the toolsiest and more physical college players in this year’s Draft, Wideman is a 6-foot-5, 204-pounder with plus raw power and plus-plus speed. His reads and routes could use some polish in center field, but his quickness still allows him to chase down balls from gap to gap. He has average arm strength and is capable of playing all three outfield spots.

All that said, there's concern about Wideman's ability to handle pro pitching because his chase rates and ground-ball percentage ranked among the worst in D-I. He doesn't strike out excessively, but he struggles against velocity, rarely walks and makes a lot of suboptimal contact. A right-handed hitter with a big leg kick, he does a nice job of using the middle of the field but will have to get much more selective at the next level.

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 70 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 40

The son of former Clemson basketball center Tom Wideman, Ryan was born in Spain while his father was playing professionally overseas. He went undrafted despite slashing .423/.488/.724 in two seasons at Georgia Highlands JC and posted nearly as gaudy numbers this spring at Western Kentucky. The Conference USA Player of the Year, he became the first NCAA Division I player with 35 extra-base hits and 45 steals in the same season since Chris Burke (Tennessee) and Andy Cannizaro (Tulane) in 2001.

One of the toolsiest and more physical college players in the Draft, Wideman is a 6-foot-5, 204-pounder with plus raw power and plus-plus speed. His reads and routes could use some polish in center field, but his quickness still allows him to chase down balls from gap to gap. He has average arm strength and is capable of playing all three outfield spots.

All that said, there's concern about Wideman's ability to handle pro pitching because his chase rates and ground-ball percentage rank among the worst in D-I. He doesn't strike out excessively, but he struggles against velocity, rarely walks and makes a lot of suboptimal contact. A right-handed hitter with a big leg kick, he does a nice job of using the middle of the field but will have to get much more selective at the next level.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	03/05/2026	CF Ryan Wideman assigned to San Diego Padres Prospects.
	03/04/2026	CF Ryan Wideman assigned to San Diego Padres.
	08/06/2025	OF Ryan Wideman assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.
	08/04/2025	ACL Padres activated OF Ryan Wideman.
	07/24/2025	OF Ryan Wideman assigned to ACL Padres.
	07/24/2025	San Diego Padres signed OF Ryan Wideman.
	06/03/2025	OF Ryan Wideman assigned to College Workout.