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2012 Spring Training Notes: Peterson, Jones, Stokes, Liriano, Decker, Spangenberg

Posted by Jeff in Spring Training - (1 Comments)

This is the second 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.

Jace Peterson – Peterson didn’t see too much action in games while I was in Arizona.  During batting practice he showed a much quieter swing than he had featured as an amateur – a testament to Padres coaches and Peterson’s own work ethic – and had a definite athleticism to his game.

At this point the best thing for him is to get as many at bats as possible.  As has been noted before, Peterson is focusing fully on baseball for the first time in his life.  His game is raw on both sides, but the ceiling is there.  The 4.2 he ran to first on a double play was a bit lackluster, but Peterson will normally sit in the 4.0-4.1 range hitting left handed, which is above average.

I’ve heard from more than a few people in the industry who aren’t completely sold on Peterson’s baseball future, but the tools are there for him to fight his way into the Padres’ future. Continue reading “2012 Spring Training Notes: Peterson, Jones, Stokes, Liriano, Decker, Spangenberg” »

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2012 Padres Affiliate Rosters: TinCaps, Storm, Missions, Tucson Padres

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

Note: Due to injuries and last minute decisions rosters should not be considered final until April 4th

Fort Wayne TinCaps

Pitchers

John Barbato, RHP
Luis De La Cruz, RHP
Robert Eisenbach, LHP
Frank Garces, LHP
Justin Hancock, RHP
Christopher Haney, RHP
Cody Hebner, RHP
Michael Kelly, RHP
Adys Portillo, RHP
Colin Rea, RHP
Joe Ross, RHP
Daniel Sarria, RHP
Matt Stites, RHP
Matthew Wisler, RHP Continue reading “2012 Padres Affiliate Rosters: TinCaps, Storm, Missions, Tucson Padres” »

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2012 Spring Training Notes: Dore, Tate, Domoromo, Hedges

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

This is the first 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.

Jose Dore – Dore has always been a bit of a personal favorite of mine.  Great athletes with some idea of how to play baseball and great makeup don’t come along too often and the Padres have been encouraged with his progress – as slow as it has been – since he joined the organization as a 2010 draftee.

Dore’s swing is much cleaner and more organized than when he first joined the Padres.  He keeps his hands high with a quiet load that leads to a nice, balanced swing that allows Dore to square up balls and make the type of consistently hard contact his game had been missing.  Continue reading “2012 Spring Training Notes: Dore, Tate, Domoromo, Hedges” »

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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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Q&A with Padres Prospect Joe Wieland

Posted by Jeff in Player Update | Q&A - (0 Comments)

Joe Wieland came to the Padres along with Robbie Erlin in the July 31st trade that sent Mike Adams to the Texas Rangers.  Wieland finished 2011 fifth in all of the minors with a 1.97 ERA and is headed to Spring Training with an eye on making his way to San Diego sometime in 2012.  You can follow him on Twitter.

Via BBref:

Year Tm W L ERA G GS CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB SO WHIP H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9 SO/BB
2008 Rangers 5 1 1.44 13 7 0 0 43.2 32 8 7 2 8 41 0.916 6.6 0.4 1.6 8.5 5.13
2009 Hickory 4 6 5.31 19 18 0 0 83.0 102 67 49 7 24 73 1.518 11.1 0.8 2.6 7.9 3.04
2010 Hickory 7 4 3.34 15 15 2 1 89.0 84 36 33 4 15 71 1.112 8.5 0.4 1.5 7.2 4.73
2010 Bakersfield 4 3 5.19 11 10 0 0 59.0 67 36 34 6 10 62 1.305 10.2 0.9 1.5 9.5 6.20
2011 Myrtle Beach 6 3 2.10 14 13 1 1 85.2 78 23 20 7 4 96 0.957 8.2 0.7 0.4 10.1 24.00
2011 Frisco 4 0 1.23 7 7 1 1 44.0 35 9 6 2 11 36 1.045 7.2 0.4 2.2 7.4 3.27
2011 San Antonio 3 1 2.77 5 5 0 0 26.0 23 10 8 0 6 18 1.115 8.0 0.0 2.1 6.2 3.00
4 Seasons 33 18 3.28 84 75 4 3 430.1 421 189 157 28 78 397 1.160 8.8 0.6 1.6 8.3 5.09

You went through an experience this year few top prospects go through. What was it like switching organizations in the middle of the season?

It definitely was a different experience, especially with everything that had happened two days prior* to the trade. It kind of was like my first day of pro ball all over again. I had to learn everyone’s names, adjust to the new surroundings, and get settled in. I couldn’t have been more happy with everything that happened though.

*Wieland threw a no hitter against the Padres’ Double-A affiliate he would later pitch for two days before being traded

Your name was at or near the top of just about every leader board this season, what clicked in 2011 to help you take your game to the next level? Continue reading “Q&A with Padres Prospect Joe Wieland” »

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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Q&A with Padres Prospect Cory Spangenberg

Posted by Jeff in Player Update | Q&A - (2 Comments)

Cory Spangenberg was drafted by the Padres in the first round (9th overall) of the 2011 MLB Draft.  After quickly signing, Spangenberg began his season with the Eugene Emeralds where he reached base more often than not before receiving a promotion to Fort Wayne.  Spangenberg is preparing himself to head to Arizona this spring with his sights set on returning to the Tincaps to start the 2012 season.  You can also follow him on Twitter.

Via BBref:

Year Tm G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2011 Eugene 25 121 20 33 10 0 1 20 10 4 31 15 .384 .545 .535 1.080
2011 Fort Wayne 47 209 35 54 7 1 2 24 15 4 14 42 .286 .345 .365 .710
1 Season 72 330 55 87 17 1 3 44 25 8 45 57 .316 .419 .418 .837

In the last year you went from playing baseball at a Community College in Florida to being taken in the first round of the 2011 Draft, what has this ride been like for you? Continue reading “Q&A with Padres Prospect Cory Spangenberg” »

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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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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 Padres Prospect Casey McElroy

Posted by Jeff in Player Update | Q&A - (0 Comments)

Casey McElroy was drafted by the Padres in the 11th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. After successfully navigating the college-heavy Northwest League, Casey headed to the Dominican Republic to try his hand behind the plate.  We caught up with Casey as he prepares to head to his first Spring Training as a professional baseball player. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Via BBref:

Year Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2011 ARIZ 5 21 19 0 5 2 0 0 3 1 9 .263 .300 .368 .668
2011 NORW 19 84 73 11 22 6 0 2 11 10 13 .301 .381 .466 .847
1 Season 24 105 92 11 27 8 0 2 14 11 22 .293 .365 .446 .811

You had a pretty eventful 2011. What was it like to go from playing college baseball at Auburn to pro ball with other new draft picks in the Rookie Leagues? Continue reading “Q&A with Padres Prospect Casey McElroy” »