:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/7674309/151739155.0.jpg)
Today ESPN's Keith Law released his list of Top 100 Prospects in 2013. Six Padres made the cut, but only the catcher Hedges cracked the top 50.
At this point you should be pretty familiar with these names even if you haven't seen them play. They're all names that have appeared on prospect ranking lists in the past. I believe that these prospect are the Padres future, if you teach them well and let them lead the way.
I hope this is the last of Law's lists, since it's become obvious that I have nothing more to say about them when I start referencing Whitney Houston songs.
Here's just a small snippet of what Law has to say about each player.
36. Austin Hedges
He's somewhat riskier than most of the names in the top 50, primarily because he's a "power before hit" guy right now, but the defense and the potential for 20 homers, after a year where NL catchers slugged an aggregate .401, gives Hedges at least a 3-WAR upside.
51. Max Fried
He's more of a No. 2 than a future ace, someone who'll be among the top 20 or so pitchers in his league and should be good for 200 innings a year when he matures.
54. Rymer Liriano
If his bat were slower, I'd be far more skeptical of his ability to hit enough to get his power to play, but he has the tools and athleticism to be able to adjust enough to hit in the mid-.200s and produce 25-plus homers on a regular basis.
60. Casey Kelly
There's too much raw material to write Kelly off, but he won't come close to his potential unless he learns to pitch down and perhaps switches to a two-seamer or sinker to avoid hard contact on the fastball.
70. Jedd Gyorko
Because he's blocked at third by Chase Headley, Gyorko has spent some time at second base, a position I don't think he can handle full time without hurting the club or himself. He might be waiting for an opportunity to show he can be a valuable every-day guy.
88. Joe Ross
Prior to that DL stint I had him as a future No. 2 starter, and that's still his upside if the shoulder doesn't bark a second time.