News, analysis and scouting reports of San Diego Padres Prospects
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Posted by Jeff in Scouting Reports - (0 Comments)

As most of you have noticed posts have been, um, sparse. Fear not, simply head over to the recently created Padres Public to see continued coverage of the Padres’ minor league system from yours truly as well as a Hall of Fame caliber lineup of Padres bloggers, including Ducksnorts, Woe Doctor!, RJs Fro, The Sacrifice Bunt and many more!

You may see an occasional post on this site, but for active coverage head over to the Padres Prospects page on Padres Public.

As always we are always available via Twitter and Email.

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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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Padres Prospects First Half Review

Posted by Jeff in Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | MLB Draft | Organizational Audit | Player Update | San Antonio Missions | Scouting Reports | Tucson Padres - (4 Comments)

And just like that, the first half of the minor league season is over.  It seems like just yesterday we were reporting from Spring Training and getting excited over the aggressive promotions of Edinson Rincon and Keyvius Sampson, yet here we are 90 days later with a half-season of games to look back on.

Injuries have become the calling card of 2012 on both the MLB and MiLB sides with 13 prospects from our Preseason Top 25 spending time on the disabled list.  Luckily, few of those seem very serious but the Padres seem set on letting guys like Joe Ross, Casey Kelly, Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland take a very slow road back to live action.

Tucson Padres

Position prospects on the Tucson Padres shined offensively with Yasmani Grandal (.335/.443/.521) and the early-season promotion Jedd Gyorko (.341/.383/.592) leading the way.  Grandal has hit his way into an extended look in San Diego replacing a slumping Nick Hundley and Gyorko is expected to join him sometime in the near future. Continue reading “Padres Prospects First Half Review” »

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Padres Sign Dominican Third Baseman Carlos Belen

Posted by Jeff in Player Update | Scouting Reports - (3 Comments)

The Padres made a splash on Day 1 of the 2012 international signing period, inking 6-foot-2 third baseman Carlos Belen to a $1 million deal.  Baseball America ranked Belen eighth among international prospects, citing his advanced bat as the reason behind his high ranking.

Belen features a short swing not often seen in players his own age or experience level and projects to hit for average and power down the road.  Defensively, the evaluations of Belen range from above average potential to near guarantees he’ll move off the position.  Belen does feature above average arm strength but his footwork and instincts at the position are very much on the raw end – even for a 16-year-old prospect.  Continue reading “Padres Sign Dominican Third Baseman Carlos Belen” »

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Padres Grab Eflin, Jankowski and Weickel in Draft’s Supplemental Round

Posted by Jeff in MLB Draft | Player Update | Scouting Reports - (2 Comments)

The Rule 4 Draft is a beautiful blend of art, science and intestinal fortitude.  Every year General Managers, assistants, Scouting Directors and scouts put their job on the line in an effort to find their organization’s next wave of talent.

This year Chad MacDonald, Jaron Madison and Co. are putting their reputations on the line with a $9.9 million budget in their back pocket.  So what does just under 10 million dollars buy you these days?

To lead things off the Padres drafted Max Fried at seven.

San Diego’s next selection was right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin at 33.  Eflin was ranked 31st on Baseball America’s Top 500, 26th in Baseball Prospectus’ Top 30 and 14th on ESPN’s Top 100.

Eflin is a 6-foot-5, 205-pound pitcher out of Hagerty High School in Florida.  His velocity ticked up this spring to the mid-90s and there is a chance that he has enough projectability left in his frame to see another uptick. Continue reading “Padres Grab Eflin, Jankowski and Weickel in Draft’s Supplemental Round” »

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Padres Grab Max Fried with 2012 First Round Draft Pick

Posted by Jeff in MLB Draft | Player Update | Scouting Reports - (4 Comments)

Finally, the speculation can end.  With their first pick of the 2012 MLB Draft the San Diego Padres selected high school left hander Max Fried.

Fried is a Southern California native who was considered by many to be the top high school pitcher in the entire draft.

His arsenal is led by a fastball that sits in the upper 80s to lower 90s with arm-side run, but Fried has shown the ability to hit 95 at times when he needs it.  Fried’s changeup is a work in progress but some see it has his best offering in the future as he already shows great arm speed and more run than fade with the pitch.  Fried has a curveball that will sit in the mid-70s with sharp downward break that some evaluators see as a potential 70 pitch if he’s able to remain consistent with the offering. Continue reading “Padres Grab Max Fried with 2012 First Round Draft Pick” »

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2012 MLB Draft Scouting Reports: Nick Williams, Stryker Trahan, Ty Buttrey

Posted by Chase in MLB Draft | Player Update | Scouting Reports - (3 Comments)

Nick Williams – OF

What to Love: Nick Williams is yet another strong and dynamic outfielder out of the state of Texas.  Equipped with some top-notch tools, including plus-plus speed and impressive arm-strength, Williams has everything he needs to become a defensive force in centerfield, where many project him to remain during his professional career.  Included in Williams’ toolbox is some intriguing hitting ability, especially to the opposite field, and considerable power potential.  Though he won’t ever hit 40 home runs, doubt digit bombs should be well within reach for Williams in the future.  Williams’ speed also makes him a threat on the base paths, giving the Texan future 15-15 potential down the road if things break right.  For what it’s worth, Williams also plays the game with a great attitude and always seems to have a smile on his face on the field, evoking makeup comparisons to a young Ken Griffey, Jr. Continue reading “2012 MLB Draft Scouting Reports: Nick Williams, Stryker Trahan, Ty Buttrey” »

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2012 MLB Draft Scouting Reports: Carlos Correa, Gavin Cecchini, Courtney Hawkins

Posted by Chase in MLB Draft | Scouting Reports - (4 Comments)

Carlos Correa – SS

What to Love:  When Jeff and I visited the practice field preceding the Perfect Game All-American Game last summer, there was one player that we agreed was the most impressive prospect of the bunch.  His name: Carlos Correa.  It’s not often you see a shortstop with a refined line drive approach, strong defensive skills and enough power potential to raise an eyebrow, yet that’s exactly what Correa represents.  This native of Puerto Rico may be the most impressive high school position prospect this side of Byron Buxton.  Though just about every tool in his game is impressive, it’s Correa’s bat that makes him special.  Correa takes a very direct route to the ball, using his quick hands to stroke liners all over the field.  He’s not an uber power prospect by any means, but Correa’s power with wood is already materializing and there’s plenty more to dream on for the future.  Correa’s actions in the infield are excellent and are only outdone by his arm-strength, allowing him to have tremendous defensive upside no matter what position he ends up at. Continue reading “2012 MLB Draft Scouting Reports: Carlos Correa, Gavin Cecchini, Courtney Hawkins” »

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2012 MLB Draft Scouting Reports: Lucas Giolito, Max Fried, Joey Gallo

Posted by Chase in MLB Draft | Scouting Reports - (2 Comments)

Lucas Giolito – RHP

What to Love:  We’ll start this series with one of the biggest high school pitching prospects in this year’s draft: Lucas Giolito.  This Southern California native combines a great frame and a fluid delivery with some of the best stuff in the draft class, including a fastball that has touched 100 MPH, a strong power curve and a changeup that has shown potential.  At 6’6 220 lbs, Giolito will be able to add some weight to his somewhat wiry frame, which should allow him to add velocity to his already impressive arsenal.  Giolito has also been able to leverage his size and his over-the-top delivery to create tremendous downhill plane on his pitches, leaving scouts seeing plenty of strikeouts and groundballs in his future.  Needless to say, this right-hander has seemingly limitless potential.

What to Loath:  There has only been one wart on Giolito’s scouting report, and it’s a big one: injury risk.  After some monster early showcase performances (including one at the 2011 Area Code games, where the exclusive video below was filmed), Giolito went down with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament and did not throw another pitch during the remainder of the high school season.  While no surgery will be required in his recovery, any potential damage to the UCL in a pitcher’s throwing elbow will understandably be cause for serious concern.  With a commitment to UCLA, Giolito also has the leverage of a strong college program to bring to the negotiating table.  The right-hander could forego a professional career for another three years if the opportunity to prove his health and get a quality education are worth more to him than the contract he’s offered out of high school. Continue reading “2012 MLB Draft Scouting Reports: Lucas Giolito, Max Fried, Joey Gallo” »

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2012 Spring Training Notes: Ross, Wisler, Barbato, Jackson, Paz, De Paula, Reyes, Hebner

Posted by Jeff in Scouting Reports - (1 Comments)

This is the third installment of our 2012 Spring Training Notebook, which chronicles time spent on the backfields in Arizona watching Padres prospects.  Check back for more notes and observations on top players and batting practice, game and bullpen videos still to come.

Joe Ross – Ross has been the talk of spring so far among scouts and coaches.  Everyone who has worked with him is quick to point out his fantastic makeup and excellent rapport with the coaching staff and his teammates – one reason why the Padres weren’t hesitant to send Ross directly to the Midwest League to start his career.

His fastball has sat comfortably in the 93-95 range, topping out at 96 in each outing.  He’s got great feel for both his 12-to-6 curveball and fading changeup, throwing both for strikes to right and left-handed batters.

Ross’ delivery is very smooth and his arm action is clean.  He has more than enough athleticism to repeat his delivery over extended outings and already commands his pitches well.

Padres coaches were working with Ross to extend out the release point on his curveball to give it more bite during a bullpen session as he has a tendency to throw it more for called strikes than a swinging out pitch.

Ross has a well-proportioned frame that should allow him to draw more strength in his leg drive as he matures, removing any unnecessary stress from his arm. Continue reading “2012 Spring Training Notes: Ross, Wisler, Barbato, Jackson, Paz, De Paula, Reyes, Hebner” »