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Players You’re Intrigued By But Know Little About

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Player Update | San Antonio Missions | Scouting Reports | Tucson Padres - (0 Comments)

Earlier this week I sent out a message on Twitter asking for followers to send suggestions of guys they were intrigued by, but knew little about.  While the following seven guys aren’t necessarily the best prospects in the Padres’ system, each offers enough upside that they deserve some attention.

Henry Charles – Charles is in his first season of stateside baseball after spending all of last year in the Dominican Summer League.  Although his AZL line of .254/.336/.336 isn’t overly impressive, he has the tools to be a solid regular in an outfield corner.  His speed precludes him from playing in center field, but Charles may be able to stick in right with his above average arm.  Charles isn’t an extremely physical player at the moment but should fill out his 6-foot-3 frame over the coming years.  He’s got a solid approach at the plate and a pretty clean swing making him an intriguing option as a breakout player in 2013 or 2014, which is part of the reason I thought he deserved a spot in the Top 25. Continue reading “Players You’re Intrigued By But Know Little About” »

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Top 25 Padres Prospects – Midseason 2012

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Player Update | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (14 Comments)

This is a list of the best prospects in the Padres’ organization.  To be eligible for this list a player must still posses their rookie status.  Prospects are ranked both by their ultimate potential and the likelihood that they will reach that potential.  The easiest way to understand the rankings is to consider what order players would be selected in if the entire organization were eligible for a draft.  Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) for each prospect is when they would reach the majors if they are able to reach their potential.

If you have any questions or comments about the list, send Jeff a message or post a question to the Padres Prospects Facebook Page.

Updated: July 2012

*Yasmani Grandal, Yonder Alonso, Alexi Amarista, Anthony Bass and Joe Wieland were not eligible for this list due to their big league status*

1) Rymer Liriano – With the graduations of Grandal and Alonso, Liriano is able to reclaim his spot as the Padres’ top prospect.  A surprising midseason promotion to Double A offered a new challenge for the 21 year old who still has 20/20 potential with plus defense in right field. ETA: Late 2013

2) Keyvius Sampson – Although his stat line looks less than dominant, Sampson has had a huge year for the progression of his career.  The Padres elected to skip the 21-year-old Florida native over High A as a way to jump start his advancement through the organization after he came to camp this Spring with an improved curveball.  ETA: Late 2013

3) Jedd Gyorko – Gyorko has seen his stock rise as much as any Padres prospect this season after putting up huge numbers in San Antonio and Tucson, and a call up appears more imminent than ever.  Still, baring a trade or injury Gyorko is unlikely to see action until later in the season even with his newfound versatility as a serviceable second baseman.  ETA: 2012

4) Max Fried – Fried is making his first appearance in the Padres’ Top 25 after being selected eighth overall in the 2012 MLB Draft.  Fried is scheduled to throw about 20 innings this season in the Arizona League before his preparation for 2013 will begin.  The 18-year-old lefty offers top-of-the-rotation upside and may be benefiting in these rankings from limited play thus far.  ETA: Late 2015

5) Austin Hedges – It’s tough to say enough about how impressive Hedges’ 2012 campaign has been thus far as he’s managed to keep a respectable batting average, show an excellent approach and hit for a surprising amount of power in his first full season of professional baseball while playing elite defense behind the plate.  Hedges’ bat is much more advanced than most scouts had come to believe which could shorten his development time in a big way.  ETA: Late 2014 Continue reading “Top 25 Padres Prospects – Midseason 2012” »

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Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: April 17, 2012

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (7 Comments)

Star Performer:

Rico Noel, CF (High-A Lake Elsinore) – Noel’s production this season has to be a very pleasant surprise to the Padres after tasking him with learning how to switch hit this last offseason.  He was 12-for-32 heading into Monday’s game with seven steals in as many attempts and hitting a robust .370 against righties in 27 at bats.  Noel is never going to be a big power guy, but with his speed and contact skills you’d like to see a few more extra-base hits.  With an insane 91.5% career steal rate even if Noel is limited to singles you’re almost guaranteed to see him on second soon enough.

Rock Steady:

Jace Peterson, SS (Low-A Fort Wayne) – It’s been a great stretch for Peterson so far hitting leadoff for the TinCaps.  With three doubles, a triple and a homerun Peterson has shown a strong bat to go with his three steals.  Defensive production is still a concern as he continues to show plus tools in his arm and glove, but at this point he hasn’t been able to put them together.

Casey Kelly, RHP (Triple-A Tucson) – Kelly’s season was off to a fantastic start – 2.25 ERA in 12 innings pitched – before news came down before his start on Monday that he was headed to the 7-day disabled list with a sore elbow.  At last check there was no definitive word on exactly what plagued Kelly or a firm time table. Continue reading “Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: April 17, 2012” »

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Padres Prospect Mailbag: 2012 Spring Training Part 1

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Mailbag | Player Update | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (1 Comments)

Some questions have been slightly edited to be shorter and more direct. If you have a question for the next Padres Prospect Mailbag that will be posted later in Spring Training, shoot us an email: mailbag@padresprospects.com

Do the Padres really expect the hit tool to develop with Austin Hedges?  3MIL even for a Gold Glove-type catcher seems a little excessive given concerns about his hitting – Gabe

In short, yes.  Hedges is a great example of a player in the draft who caused many teams to have differing opinions.  While there was absolutely no one denying his defensive prowess, the combination of Hedges’ high school team almost never holding batting practice sessions that were open to scouts and media members and opponents constantly pitching around him led to few teams having much experience watching Hedges’ bat in action.

Luckily for the Padres, Jaron Madison and his team were able to get more good looks of Hedges than just about any other team in the league.  Like with any player there’s no guarantee that Hedges will mature and progress to the point of reaching the majors, but you can be sure that no team in the league – not just the budget-minded Padres – would be willing to spend $3 million on a player they didn’t feel had a great chance of turning into a star.

It’s also important to remember just how low the hitting bar is at catcher in modern-day baseball.  Outside of 2010, MLB catchers have produced the worst offensive output of any position in baseball every year since 2000.  The Padres don’t need Hedges to post an .800 OPS to be a star with his defensive tools.  Though should he get to that point – which a few key people in the organization believe he can – you’re looking at a perennial All Star.

There’s been a lot of talk about breakout players for 2012, but who do you think is going to slide a bit on lists? – Angel Continue reading “Padres Prospect Mailbag: 2012 Spring Training Part 1” »

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Top 25 Padres Prospects – Preseason 2012

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Player Update | San Antonio Missions | Scouting Reports | Tucson Padres - (12 Comments)

This is a list of the best prospects in the Padres’ organization.  To be eligible for this list a player must still posses their rookie status.  Prospects are ranked both by their ultimate potential and the likelihood that they will reach that potential.  The easiest way to understand the rankings is to consider what order players would be selected in if the entire organization were eligible for a draft.  Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) for each prospect is when they would reach the majors if they are able to reach their potential.

If you have any questions or comments about the list, send Jeff a message or post a question to the Padres Prospects Facebook Page.

Updated: February 2012

1) Yasmani Grandal – In his first full season as a professional, Grandal firmly established himself as a legitimate two-way catcher.  He has taken some heat for his receiving skills, but Grandal has enough athleticism and plus arm strength to at least be average defensively down the road.  Combine that with a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat and you’ve got the most intriguing player in a deep Padres system.  ETA: Late 2012

2) Yonder Alonso – Alonso earns the nod over players with higher ceilings below him because of his mix of upside and low bust potential.  With a patient approach and the ability to use all fields Alonso doesn’t quite fit the mold of the traditional first-base masher but should provide the Padres with above average production at the position for years to come. ETA: 2012 Opening Day Continue reading “Top 25 Padres Prospects – Preseason 2012” »

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Padres Prospect Mailbag: January

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Mailbag | Player Update | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (0 Comments)

Some questions have been slightly edited to be shorter and more direct. If you have a question for the next Padres Prospect Mailbag, shoot us an email: mailbag@padresprospects.com

What can we expect from Kyle Blanks moving forward? Has he reached his ceiling? – Chelsea

While I’m not 100% sure what Blanks’ future holds I think it’s safe to say that he hasn’t reached his ceiling.  Blanks showed throughout his time in the minors that, if nothing else, he would offer an above average power stroke and the ability to get on base.  But, what we’ve seen over three injury-riddled seasons is a player who has struggled to translate offensively while providing more than expected defensively:

Year G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2009 54 172 148 24 37 9 0 10 22 1 1 18 55 .250 .355 .514 .868
2010 33 120 102 14 16 6 1 3 15 1 0 15 46 .157 .283 .324 .607
2011 55 190 170 21 39 7 1 7 26 2 0 16 51 .229 .300 .406 .706

The Padres have made it completely clear that they have all but cooled on Blanks with the acquisition of Carlos Quentin and the further diminishment of Blanks’ role with the club – not to mention Yonder Alonso and Jesus Guzman likely taking just about every at bat this season at first base.

2012 likely means a return to Tucson for Blanks where he will take over Anthony Rizzo’s vacated roster spot and hope for an opportunity with the big club or trade to a less crowded situation.  In a neutral environment it’s not out of the question to think that Blanks could post a .250/.350/.475 line while playing solid defense in either left field or at first base where that line would be far less valuable.

I’m not going to ask for your top 10, because the system is so deep.  What does your top 15 prospect look like after the Latos trade? – Dustin Continue reading “Padres Prospect Mailbag: January” »

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Q&A with Baseball America Associate Editor Matt Eddy

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Player Update | Q&A | San Antonio Missions | Trades | Tucson Padres - (0 Comments)

Matt Eddy is an Associate Editor at Baseball America who has covered the Padres’ minor league system since the 2006 off season.  He was kind enough to chat with us about BA’s recently released Padres Top 10 Prospect list.  You can also see full writeups on the Padres’ Top 30 prospects in BA’s Prospect Handbook.  Be sure to follow Matt on Twitter.

Where would the prospects acquired in the Mat Latos trade rank in the Padres’ farm system?

The Mat Latos trade with the Reds changed the Padres prospect landscape. San Diego can plug in first baseman Yonder Alonso at first base right away, and he fits with the organization’s emphasis on on-base skills and a line-to-line hitting approach—particularly when it comes to lefty bats like Alonso. He would challenge Anthony Rizzo for top prospect in the system honors.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal will spend the bulk of 2012 in Triple-A if all goes according to plan, though he could share time with either Nick Hundley or John Baker in 2013. Catchers who provide offensive value are so rare that Grandal might slot in at No. 5 on our list, after Cory Spangenberg and ahead of Austin Hedges.

Right-handed reliever Brad Boxberger probably would not crack the Top 10, though like Alonso he is big league-ready.

Who are the prospects in your Top 10 who scouts continually gave glowing reviews? Continue reading “Q&A with Baseball America Associate Editor Matt Eddy” »

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Padres Prospect Mailbag: December

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Mailbag | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (0 Comments)

Some questions have been slightly edited to be shorter and more direct. If you have a question for the next Padres Prospect Mailbag, shoot us an email: mailbag@padresprospects.com

The Rays just locked up Matt Moore.  When are the Padres going to do this with one of their young players and show the fans that they are serious about winning? – Steve

There are two things to consider here: 1) both Moore and the Rays are taking on a significant amount of risk in this move 2) the Padres lack the type of talent that you would consider giving this type of contract.

To the first point – Yes, this deal (much like the one given to Evan Longoria) looks fantastic on paper.  The Rays just assured themselves what many pundits believe to be a premier, front-of-the-rotation starter through his age-30 season for a maximum cost of $40 million.  To make this deal even sweeter for the club if Moore blows out his arm in his first start of 2012 they have only guaranteed him $14 million!  But even $14 million for a club like the Rays that operates on razor thin margins is a significant commitment considering the attrition rate of young pitchers.

For Moore, his risk is tied to the fact that he may just live up to expectations meaning that he will lose out on tens of million of dollars in potential earnings through arbitration and his first few years of free agency.  On the other hand, as mentioned above he could suffer a career ending injury next season but still have a nice $14 million cushion to help out him and his family.

To the second point – When teams begin discussing offering contracts to players with less than two years of service time the first question that is asked is: “What do we believe this player will become?”

While the Padres currently have one of the top farm systems in the league, they simply lack the elite level talent – top three to five in all of baseball – that you’d consider guaranteeing more the five years to before seeing any sort of production.

What do you make of this whole Drew Cumberland situation? – Tim Continue reading “Padres Prospect Mailbag: December” »

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Padres Organizational Audit: Third Base

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Organizational Audit | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (3 Comments)

Over the next few weeks we’ll be taking a look how the Padres’ organizational talent stacks up position-by-position.  Anyone included on a roster of any of the US affiliates will be listed.  Be sure to check out the entire Organizational Audit series.

Major League Situation –

Chase Headley

Coming off of a 2010 campaign were he graded out as one of the top third basemen in the league, Headley fought through a tough, injury filled 2011.  While he was long considered the third baseman of the future by the Kevin Towers led Padres regime, Headley is entering his second year of arbitration and should receive a healthy raise, which may cause San Diego to think twice about his value to the team with the positional depth at third in the minors.

James Darnell

It’s impossible to take too much from Darnell’s performance after being called up.  18 games is far from a sample size, but he was able to show that he can hit with a good approach against advanced pitching and that he will not be able to cut it at third base.  While that may not seem like a good thing for Darnell, it actually means that he should get more playing time with the left field position currently in a state of flux in San Diego.

Top Prospect – Continue reading “Padres Organizational Audit: Third Base” »

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Padres Organizational Audit: Shortstop

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Organizational Audit | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (0 Comments)

Over the next few weeks we’ll be taking a look how the Padres’ organizational talent stacks up position-by-position.  Anyone included on a roster of any of the US affiliates will be listed.  Be sure to check out the entire Organizational Audit series.

Major League Situation –

Jason Bartlett

Bartlett was half of the duo – along with Orlando Hudson – brought in last offseason to help solidify the middle infield positions in San Diego.  After an All Star campaign in 2009 and a disappointing 2010 Bartlett scuffled with the Padres to the tune of a .245/.308/.307 slash line, making him one of the few players to have an on-base percentage higher than his slugging percentage.  The Padres have $7 million committed to Bartlett – covering his 2012-guaranteed salary and a 2013 buyout – and a $5.5 million club option for ‘13.

Alberto Gonzalez

Obtained just three days before Opening Day last March, Gonzalez offered San Diego a very versatile player who is able play average to above average defense at every infield position.  Unfortunately Gonzalez offers little with the bat – a career .262 wOBA – so all of his value lies in his defensive flexibility.  He is a second-year arbitration eligible player this offseason but shouldn’t receive a huge salary increase.

Andy Parrino

Parrino has been an invaluable asset to the Padres since coming into the organization in 2007.  In 2011 Parrino was Tucson’s shortstop and second baseman until Beemer Weems suffered a season-ending injury and Parrino was asked to be a utility player in San Antonio to hold down the defense on the prospect-rich team.  Accepting this demotion earned Parrino much praise within the organization and propelled him to a late-season cup of coffee in San Diego.  Although it was clear Parrino’s bat wasn’t ready, the patience he showed at the plate and defensive versatility in the field may have earned in him a spot on the 2012 big league roster.

Top Prospect – Continue reading “Padres Organizational Audit: Shortstop” »

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