2018 Padres Prospects - Full Season Primer

Twenty-four of the Padres’ Top-30 prospects are spread across Fort Wayne, Lake Elsinore, San Antonio and El Paso. This is the first of many in a series of articles that will track the Padres’ most notable, exciting and highly-regarded minor leaguers through the 2018 campaign.

All MLB Pipeline Padres top-30 prospects will be included. In addition, there will be unranked players who are notable for their recent performances (think relief pitchers), aggressive assignments (exceptionally young compared to the competition), or their method of acquisition (international signings / high draft picks / Rule 5 selections).

MLB

Top-30 Prospects:

#9 - Joey Lucchesi (LH Starter, 24 yo)

Other Rookies:

Adam Cimber (RH Reliever, 27 yo)

Phil Maton* (RH Reliever, 25 yo) - 31 K, 8 BB in 25.1 IP at AAA in 2017

Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas

Opening Day: April 5th @ Las Vegs 51’s (Mets)

Top-30 Prospects:

#3 - Luis Urias (2B/SS, 20 yo)

#13 - Eric Lauer (LH Starter, 22 yo)

#21 - Trey Wingenter (RH Reliever, 23 yo)

Others:

Brett Kennedy (RH Starter, 23 yo) - 3.85 FIP, 3.53 K/BB in 141.0 IP in 2017

Walker Lockett* (RH Starter, 23 yo) - At least 3 GS at A, A+, AA and AAA in 2016

Colten Brewer* (RH Reliever, 25 yo) - Converted to relief in 2017: 69 K, 16 BB in 60.2 IP at AA

Eric Yardley (RH Reliever, 27 yo) - 2.78 FIP, 1.04 WHIP in 61.1 IP at AA

Javy Guerra* (SS, 22 yo) - Padres’ No. 2 prospect Pre-2016

Franmil Reyes (OF, 22 yo) - Led Padres’ minor leaguers with 25 HR, 102 RBI in 2017 at AA

Kyle McGrath* (LH Reliver, 25 yo) - 149 ERA+ in 19.0 IP for the Padres in 2017

T.J. Weir (RH Reliever, 26 yo) - 3.13 FIP, 1.09 WHIP in 2017

Double-A San Antonio Missions

Opening Day: April 5th, 2018 @ Arkansas Travelers (Mariners)

Top-30 Prospects:

#1 - Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, 19 yo)

#4 - Cal Quantril (RH Starter, 23 yo)

#8 - Logan Allen (LH Starter, 20 yo)

#16 - Josh Naylor (1B, 20yo)

#29 - Austin Allen (C, 24 yo)

#30 - Michael Gettys (CF, 22 yo)

Others:

Robert Stock (RH Reliever, 28 yo) - 100mph+ fastball during spring training

Brad Wieck* (LH Reliever, 26 yo) - 15.0 K/9 in 30.2 IP at AA in 2017

Miguel Diaz* (RH starter, 24 yo) - Rule 5 selection in 2016

Jose Castillo* (LH Reliever, 22 yo) - 0 HR, 49 K in 47.0 IP at A+ in 2017

Rowan Wick (RH Reliever, 25 yo) - 10.2 K/9 since converting to pitching in 2016

Single-A Advanced Lake Elsinore Storm

Opening Day: April 5th @ Stockton Ports (Athletic’s)

Top-30 Prospects:

#6 Adrian Morejon (LH Starter, 20 yo)

#17 Hudson Potts (3B/SS, 19 yo)

#18 Jorge Ona (OF, 21 yo)

#20 Edward Olivares (OF, 22 yo)

#26 Pedro Avila (RH Starter, 21 yo)

#28 David Bednar (RH Reliever, 23 yo)

Others:

Luis Torrens* (C, 21 yo) - Rule 5 selection in 2016

Hansel Rodriguez (RH Reliever, 21 yo) - Converted to relief in 2017: 56 K, 9 BB, 0.89 WHIP in 40.1 IP at A-Ball.

Reggie Lawson (RH Starter, 20 yo) - 2nd Round selection in 2016

Buddy Reed (OF, 22 yo) - 2nd Round selection in 2016

Ronald Bolanos (RH Starter, 21 yo) - No. 24 International prospect in 2016, signed for $2,250,000

Eguy Rosario (2B/3B, 18 yo) - Youngest player in the Midwest League in 2017

Kelvin Melean (2B/SS/3B, 19 yo) - Only 3 PA vs younger pitchers at low-A in 2017

Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Opening Day: April 5th @ Lake County Captains (Indians)

Top-30 Prospects:

#2 MacKenzie Gore (LH Starter, 19 yo)

#11 Gabriel Arias (SS, 18 yo)

#12 Esteury Ruiz (2B, 19 yo)

#15 Tirso Ornelas (OF, 18 yo)

#19 Jeisson Rosario (OF, 18 yo)

#24 Luis Campusano (C, 19 yo)

#25 Mason Thompson (RH Starter, 20 yo)

Others:

Henry Henry (RH Starter, 19 yo) - 3.26 FIP in 51.2 IP at Low-A in 2017

Justin Lopez (2B/SS, 17 yo) - Youngest player in the Northwest League in 2017

Osvaldo Hernandez (LH Starter, 19 yo) - 2.41 FIP in 27.0 IP at low-A in 2017

Jordan Guerrero (RH Reliever, 21 yo) - Led Northwest League in FIP in 2017 (min. 20 IP)

Nick Margevicius (RH Starter, 21 yo) - 32 K, 4 BB in 29.0 IP at Low-A in 2017

Juan Fernandez (C, 19 yo) - Slashed .308/.384/.513 and 38 CS% in the Arizona League in 2017

Reinaldo Ilarraza (2B/SS, 19 yo) - Only 2 PA against younger pitchers in 2017

Jack Suwinksi (OF, 19 yo) - Only 4 PA against younger pitchers in 2017

Unassigned

#5 Michel Baez (RH Starter, 22 yo) - rehabbing back injury

#14 Jacob Nix (RH Starter, 22 yo) - rehabbing leg injury

#22 Andres Munoz (RH Reliever, 19 yo)

#23 Chris Paddack (RH Starter, 22 yo)

#27 Luis Almanzar (3B/SS, 18 yo)

Blake Hunt (C, 19 yo) - 2nd Round selection in 2017

Mason House (OF, 19 yo) - 3rd Round selection in 2017

Jose Lezama (C, 20 yo) - Career 70 BB / 47 K, threw out 36% of base-runners in Rookie Ball and Low-A in 2017

Jordy Barley (SS, 18 yo) - No. 22 International prospect in 2016, signed for $1,000,000

Luis Patino (RH Starter, 18 yo) - 9.7 K/9 in 40.0 IP in Rookie Ball in 2017

Disabled List

#8 Anderson Espinoza (RH Starter, 20 yo) - Tommy John Surgery in July 2017

#10 Franchy Cordero* (OF, 23 yo)

Allen Cordoba* (UT, 22 yo) - Rule 5 selection in 2016 - Concussion

Matt Strahm* (LH Starter, 26 yo) - Royals’ No. 1 prospect pre-2017 - Knee surgery in July 2017

*Asterisk means a player is on the MLB 40-Man roster

Questions for 2018:

• Which prospect is going to do his best Tatis Jr. impersonation and catapult up the prospect rankings?
• Will MacKenzie Gore’s dominance translate to his first full-season assignment?
• How good can the on-base duo of Ornelas and Rosario (.399 and .404 OBP, respectively) be in the TinCaps outfield?
• What constitutes a good season for Anderson Espinoza and Chris Paddack in their returns from Tommy John surgery?
• Do any of the catchers (Allen, Campusano, Hunt, Torrens) look like everyday big-league options?
• How will Cal Quantril handle staying at Double-A while Eric Lauer (AAA) and Joey Lucchesi (MLB) move up the ladder?

In the comments section post:

1. The prospect that you’re most excited about not named Tatis or Gore.
2. An unranked prospect who will enter the team’s top-15 by the end of the season.
3. The prospect who will make the biggest on the Padres this season.