Under is an evaluation of the prospects within the farm system of the San Diego Padres. Scouting reviews had been compiled with info supplied by business sources in addition to our personal observations. That is the fourth yr we’re delineating between two anticipated reduction roles, the abbreviations for which you’ll see within the “place” column beneath: MIRP for multi-inning reduction pitchers, and SIRP for single-inning reduction pitchers. The ETAs listed typically correspond to the yr a participant needs to be added to the 40-man roster to keep away from being made eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Handbook changes are made the place they appear applicable, however we use that as a rule of thumb.
A fast overview of what FV (Future Worth) means may be discovered right here. A a lot deeper overview may be discovered right here.
All the ranked prospects beneath additionally seem on The Board, a useful resource the location presents that includes sortable scouting info for each group. It has extra particulars (and up to date TrackMan information from numerous sources) than this text and integrates each crew’s listing so readers can evaluate prospects throughout farm methods. It may be discovered right here.
Different Prospects of Observe
Grouped by kind and listed so as of choice inside every class.
Throwing Arduous
Yovanny Cruz, RHP
Miguel Mendez, RHP
Ruben Galindo, RHP
Manuel Castro, RHP
Yerry Landinez, RHP
José Geraldo, RHP
A minor league free agent signee, Cruz was injured rather a lot throughout his tenure with the Cubs. He’s nonetheless sitting 96-99 and can flash a plus changeup. A brilliant skinny A-ball starter who simply turned 22, Mendez is sitting 93-97 and can flash a very good slider. He’s wild, his fastball lacks life, and his slider is crushable when it’s not situated properly. A 6-foot-1 Colombian righty as much as 96, Galindo additionally has a reasonably good changeup. He’s labored about two innings at a outing of the bullpen for the final a number of years and is at present on the IL. A 5-foot-8 Mexican righty, Castro is having success as a reliever at Fort Wayne sitting 93-95 with a bunch of different 45 and 45-grade pitches. A transformed infielder, hitters don’t appear to see Landinez’s fastball out of hand, and although it isn’t that arduous, he’s producing a miss price north of 40%. He’s wild however fascinating to observe. Geraldo is 25 and sitting 94-97 at Fort Wayne.
Well-known Guys
Jagger Haynes, LHP
Ryan Bergert, RHP
Carson Montgomery, RHP
Haynes was San Diego’s 2020 fifth rounder, a projectable highschool lefty who didn’t pitch in an affiliated recreation till 2023 as a consequence of damage. His supply and body are nonetheless thrilling, however neither Haynes’ velo nor his command has progressed. Bergert, a former sixth spherical choose, is sitting 92-93 with uphill angle and an often good slider. Montgomery, San Diego’s eleventh rounder final yr, was a high-profile excessive schooler who went to Florida State and didn’t fairly take a leap in Tallahassee. He ran a WHIP close to 2.00 as a junior and has been damage for many of 2024.
A-Ball Hitters
Rosman Verdugo, 1B
Romeo Sanabria, 3B
Jay Beshears, 2B
Verdugo was given a reasonably aggressive project final yr as an 18-year-old assigned to full-season ball, and he didn’t carry out particularly properly. He’s again in Lake Elsinore and issues have been higher total, however he’s truly hanging out somewhat greater than in 2023 and is having arm accuracy points at third base, the place he’s taking part in extra typically due to De Vrie’s presence at quick. His zone management is nice, however for now he’s only a younger observe. A bodily 22-year-old first baseman, Sanabria slugged his means out of Elsinore earlier this yr however has began to return again right down to Earth at Fort Wayne. His hit information from the Cal League was superior, however we don’t belief that his swing will play on the higher ranges, not to mention within the large leagues. Clearing the bar at first base is tremendous laborious. Beshears transferred from Northwestern to Duke for his draft yr after which walked and slugged his means from Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne this season. He swings laborious however lacks really feel for contact, and his arm isn’t a match at shortstop.
Rookie-Stage Names to Know
Yimy Tovar, SS
Yoiber Ocopio, C/1B
Jordan Valenzuela, RHP
Tovar is a bodily DSL shortstop with a complicated bat and modest projection. Ocopio made the DSL All-Star crew final yr however has been left again there once more in 2024. He’s a stocky man with a compact swing that produces spectacular energy. Valenzuela is a 6-foot-2 righty who sits about 90 with fairly nasty pure lower. He’s obtained good arm pace and bodily projection, however is wild proper now.
System Overview
Like final yr, the Padres system has impression expertise on the prime however it thins out fairly rapidly. The crew’s potential to choose good gamers within the draft and worldwide market has stored the large league crew flush by way of promotions and trades. Jackson Merrill is already contributing to the foremost league membership at a excessive stage, and several other different groups (particularly the Nationals) are reaping the rewards of the Padres’ good draft room judgement on the again of huge trades. The Padres have been probably the most energetic groups on the commerce market in latest reminiscence and that has taken a piece out of their prospect expertise pool. It’s most likely a secure assumption that extra gamers can be on the transfer in coming weeks.
Nearly as good because the Padres’ scouting departments have been at figuring out expertise, it’s been laborious to maintain the system stocked on the tempo they’ve traded it away. The variety of Padres draft picks and signees who’ve change into related large leaguers is unbelievable proof of their proficiency within the realm, however the truth that so a lot of them play for different groups has obtained to make you jealous should you’re a Padres fan. You could possibly argue a few of these trades had been short-sighted, however a part of the explanation they really feel that means is as a result of former Padres chairman Peter Seidler handed away and the entrance workplace had no selection however to change course fairly considerably.
For the primary time shortly there are some identifiable modifications being made to pitchers within the system that appear to have improved their outcomes. Isaiah Lowe, who was already fairly good, seems to have been proactively tweaked. The truth that this occurred although he was coming off a profitable season is a sign that participant dev is beginning to get a little bit of a footing in San Diego. Dylan Lekso’s slider, some modifications to the best way Robby Snelling’s fastball works, the leap Francis Pena has made, and Tirso Ornelas’ launch angle creeping up supply additional proof that there’s good things occurring right here now when, not way back, the participant the Padres drafted or signed was normally the one they needed to roll with in a while.
Whereas this method is soundly beneath common in most respects, the explanations it turned so aren’t all dangerous. Far more than anybody ought to “Belief the Course of” they need to “Decide Good Gamers,” and the Padres have a tendency to try this. In fact, one crew’s “creativity” is one other’s “impulsivity,” and the Padres might use a Tom Hagen-type who can assist the entrance workplace rein in its occasional (however normally pricey) impulsivity.