News, analysis and scouting reports of San Diego Padres Prospects
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Padres send Anthony Rizzo to Chicago for Andrew Cashner

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

On Friday afternoon the Padres agreed to a long-rumored deal with Chicago that sent Anthony Rizzo and Zach Cates to the Cubs for Andrew Cashner and Kyung-Min Na.

Rizzo had become somewhat of a surplus for the Padres after the acquisition of Yonder Alonso – a player they prefer as a fit with their club – but many were convinced they’d hold onto him incase the combination of Alonso and Jesus Guzman scuffled.  Unfortunately for the Padres every other team realized this surplus, degrading Rizzo’s value past a point many expected.

While he did struggle in 128 at bats in the majors last season, Rizzo is still widely regarded as a Top 50 prospect in the game.  Yet, that extended cup of coffee in San Diego did reveal a few facets of Rizzo’s game that were underdeveloped. Continue reading “Padres send Anthony Rizzo to Chicago for Andrew Cashner” »

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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 Cash in Latos for Prospect Haul

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

On Saturday the Padres agreed to a trade with the Reds that will send 24-year-old right-hander Mat Latos to Cincinnati for a four-player package that includes Edinson Volquez, Yonder Alonso, Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger.

For reactions to this trade from the MLB perspective I’ll recommend checking out the work done here, here and here.

On trading Latos:

I discussed this topic in the December Mailbag that was posted this week and came to the conclusion that this seemed like an odd time to shop him.  The only reason that you’d give up a player like Latos at this point in his career with four years of team control left is if you’re offered a package that is too good to pass up.

It’s irrelevant what sort of value fans and analysts believe Latos carries.  The fact that the Padres were concerned enough about his on-field maturity to trade a young, front-of-the-rotation starter as he enters his physical prime is a huge factor to consider.  No one is claiming that Latos is a bad person, simply that people who are privy to information we are not believe that in certain situations Latos tends to allow his emotions to alter his effectiveness.  Add that to the fact that he has missed time the last two seasons because of shoulder injury concerns and you can see how the Padres saw an opportunity they could not let slip.  While there is a good chance that Latos turns into a perennial Cy Young contender, the chance he’s the next AJ Burnett or Carlos Zambrano is just as likely.

On the players received in return: Continue reading “Padres Cash in Latos for Prospect Haul” »

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Padres Trade Schmidt to the Rockies, Lose Poreda

Posted by Jeff in Player Update | Trades - (0 Comments)

Padres trade Nick Schmidt for Huston Street

We finally can cross one item off the Player-To-Be-Named-Later tab of the Padres with Nick Schmidt officially sent to Colorado to complete the Huston Street trade.

Schmidt fills the only spot that the Padres owe, with at least two other minor leaguers heading San Diego’s way as compensation for losing Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod to the Cubs and Ryan Ludwick to the Pirates.  Both of those deals should be completed before the end of the month.

Schmidt was the Padres’ first-round draft pick in 2007 but never made it above Class A Lake Elsinore – a level he repeated three times.  An injury forced a delay to the start of his 2011 season and Schmidt never really showed great stuff throughout the season or in AFL action. Continue reading “Padres Trade Schmidt to the Rockies, Lose Poreda” »

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