Padres make first cuts of spring

The Padres have made their first cuts from the Major League camp. Thirteen players have been assigned to the minor league camp, which opens up tomorrow. None of the players are currently on the 40-man roster, and all had slim chances of making the big league roster come opening day, but they’re all interesting players in their own rights. Here are the players who were cut and some thoughts about each:

Position Players

Photo by Kent Horner/Getty Images

• Alex Dickerson proved that he is in fact capable of baseball exercises after missing most of the last two seasons due to a variety of injuries. He went 1-for-4 with a single, mostly in pinch hitting appearances, but he did appear in the outfield for one game.
• Seth Mejias-Brean had a chance at seeing MLB time at third base this season until Manny Machado walked in the door. The 27-year-old journeyman signed with the Padres as a minor league free agent this offseason. He went 0-for-3 with a walk and three K’s and played 12.2 innings at third base this spring.
• Esteban Quiroz probably had the best chances of anyone not named Ty France to see MLB time at third base this year, but like Mejias-Brean, that window of opportunity closed when #13 arrived. Acquired from the Red Sox for reliever Colten Brewer this offseason, Quiroz is a versatile infielder with a reputation as a very good contact hitter. Quiroz went 3-for-11 with a double and is currently 5th among all Padres with 28.2 innings played in the field this spring. The team clearly wanted to take a good look at him, so don’t be surprised to see him get called up if a need arises.
• Buddy Reed showed well in his first Major League spring training, stealing five bases and going 2-for-6 at the plate while logging 17 innings in centerfield. Listed at 17th on MLB Pipeline’s Padres Top 30 list, Reed is likely headed to AA Amarillo this season.
• Jacob Scavuzzo was signed as a minor league free agent this offseason after being in the Dodgers system since the 2012 draft. The 6’4” corner outfielder posesses light-tower power, but he didn’t show any in his six hitless appearances. Expect to see the 25-year-old post silly slugging numbers in the PCL.

Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images

• Boog Powell is a 26-year-old outfielder who came to the team as a minor league free agent this offseason with 59 games of major league service in 2017 & 2018. He can play all three outfield positions and has hit well in the upper minors in recent years. He went 0-for-5 at the plate and played 17.2 innings in the field this spring. No, he’s not related to Orioles great Boog Powell, but he did get a chance to meet his namesake.
• Allen Craig has fallen far from the three-year stretch that earned him an All-Star bid in 2013 and is entering his second year in the Padres organization. Primarily a first baseman, Craig spent all of last year in El Paso and is likely to do the same this year. Craig went 1-for-9 at the plate and played 25.2 innings at first base this spring, keeping the bag warm for Eric Hosmer.

Pitchers

• T.J. Weir was drafted by the Padres in 2014 and this was his first invite to Major League spring training camp. The 6’0” righty split time between AA & AAA last year and should man the bullpen in El Paso this year. He came in to relieve Chris Paddack yesterday and got torched for six earned runs of his own as well as allowing the two runners he inherited to score.
• Ryan Bollinger was signed as a minor league free agent this offseason after spending time in the Phillies, White Sox, and Yankees organizations since the 2009 draft. The 28-year-old righty has worked as a starter for most of his career but found success as a reliever int he Australian League this offseason. In three innings pitched across three games, Bollinger gave up four earned runs on two walks and six hits including one home run.
• Eric Stout was signed as a minor league free agent this offseason. The 6’3” lefty was drafted by the Royals in 2014 and made his MLB debut last season. His spring training line is similar to Bollinger’s, giving up four runs on eight hits including one home run in three innings of work across three games.
• Jerry Keel was drafted by the Padres in 2015 and this was his first invite to Major League spring training. The 6’6” lefty has worked primarily as a starter but made his only appearance in relief this spring. In that one game he pitched 1.2 innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) on four hits and one walk against one strikeout.

Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

• Kyle McGrath has bounced around the Padres farm system since being drafted in 2014, making MLB appearances in 2017 & 2018. A lefty with a funky extreme over-the-top delivery, McGrath pitched 2.2 innings across three games this spring, giving up two earned runs on four hits and two walks with one strikeout.
• David Bednar was drafted by the Padres in 2016 and spent all the 2018 season in advanced single-A Lake Elsinore. The 6’1” righty reliever pitched two scoreless innings across two appearances, giving up only one hit and no walks while striking out two batters.

As noted above, the full minor league spring training camp starts tomorrow, although 54 players were invited to participate in a minicamp that opened back on February 20th. There are now 59 players remaining in the Padres’ Major League camp. Some top prospects like Fernando Tatis Jr and Chris Paddack are still in camp fighting for a roster spot, while others like Nick Margevicius and Hudson Potts remain to soak in the experience and learn what it takes to compete at the game’s highest level. Teams regularly add minor leaguers to their rosters prior to spring training games, so this probably isn’t the last we’ll see from the list of guys sent down today.