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The youngest Padres player each season

The 2018 title is a wide-open contest.

San Diego Padres v New York Mets Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images

Earlier I was curious about the oldest Padres player each season, and while I was compiling the list for that I went ahead and noted the youngest player for each season. So, here you go:

1969-70 - Jerry Morales, 20-21

1971 - Jay Franklin, 18

1972 - Randy Elliott, 21

1973 - Bob Davis, 21

1974-75 - Jerry Turner, 20-21

1976 - Mike Champion, 21

1977 - Brian Greer, 18

1978 - Jim Beswick, 20

1979 - Greer, 20

1980 - George Stablein, 22

1981 - Doug Gwosdz, 21

1982-83 - Joe Lansford, 21-22

1984 - Carmelo Martinez, 23

1985 - Lance McCullers, 21

1986 - Benito Santiago, 21

1987 - Shawn Abner, 21

1988 - Roberto Alomar, 20

1989 - Andy Benes, 21

1990 - Rafael Valdez, 22

1991 - Ricky Bones, 22

1992 - Gary Sheffield, 23

1993-94 - Melvin Nieves, 21-22

1995 - Marc Kroon, 22

1996 - Dario Veras, 23

1997 - Derrek Lee, 21

1998 - Ben Davis, 21

1999 - Buddy Carlyle, 21

2000 - Xavier Nady, 21

2001 - Cesar Crespo, 22

2002-03 - Oliver Perez, 20-21

2004 - Justin Germano, 21

2005 - Tim Stauffer, 23

2006 - Cla Meredith, 23

2007 - Chase Headley, 23

2008 - Matt Antonelli, 23

2009-10 - Mat Latos, 21-22

2011 - Anthony Rizzo, 21

2012 - Joe Wieland, 22

2013 - Reymond Fuentes, 22

2014 - Rymer Liriano, 23

2015 - Austin Hedges, 22

2016 - Manuel Margot, 21

2017 - Luis Torrens, 20

(All of the links go to Gaslamp Ball posts. The Tim Stauffer one is especially good.)

-Franklin was one of two 18-year-olds on the 1971 Padres; the other was that year’s top overall draft pick, catcher Mike Ivie.

-Seven players have been the youngest in two seasons, with Greer the only one to do it in non-consecutive seasons; he spent all of 1978 in the minor leagues between his one game with the Padres in ‘77 and his four in ‘79 that comprised his entire big league career.

-Santiago was a September call-up in 1986, beating out a slightly older Rule-5 pick who spent all season with the big club, Bip Roberts.