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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 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 Prospect Rap Sheet: May 4, 2012

Posted by Jeff in Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Player Update | Prospect Rap Sheet | San Antonio Missions - (0 Comments)

Star Performer:

Jedd Gyorko, INF (Double-A San Antonio) – After an abysmal start to the season Gyorko has been on fire since April 26th hitting .351 with two home runs and two doubles.  He’s also logged 11 games through Thursday at second base for San Antonio and initial reports have been encouraging.  Gyorko has assisted in turning four double plays while committing just one error.  While errors don’t tell the whole story, evaluators have been encouraged by Gyorko’s ability to make most standard plays at second, yet doubt still lingers he can make the tougher plays necessary to stick at the position in the big leagues.  Even if Gyorko is able to stick at second for the next few years it seems clear he’ll be moved off second as his body continues to mature. Continue reading “Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: May 4, 2012” »

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Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: April 27, 2012

Posted by Jeff in Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Player Update | Prospect Rap Sheet | San Antonio Missions - (3 Comments)

Stats for High-A hitters are as of play Wednesday.

Star Performer:

Adys Portillo, RHP (Low-A Fort Wayne) – Walks are still a constant struggle for Portillo with 12 already in just 20.1 innings pitched, but his other peripherals have been much better.  So far he’s only allowed nine hits and a single homerun.  TinCap coaches have been encouraging Portillo to just let his fastball rip right down the middle of the zone so his approach will need some refinement before he’s able to really take off.

Rock Steady:

Frank Garces, LHP (Low-A Fort Wayne) – Garces has been on a tear since opening the season for the TinCaps.  In his Saturday start Garces went eight strong innings while allowing just six base runners and threw five solid innings on Thursday.  The 5’11” lefty has a devastating curveball when he’s on, but with his inconsistent control things can get ugly fast. Continue reading “Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: April 27, 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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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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Top 25 Padres Prospects – Post Season 2011

Posted by Jeff in Scouting Reports - (12 Comments)

This is a list of the best prospects in the Padres’ organization.  To be eligible for this list a player must be currently in the minors or temporarily filling a roster spot on the Major League club.  Prospects are ranked both by their ultimate potential and the likelihood that they will reach that potential.  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 disagree with a ranking or an evaluation that is fine.  You could ask 10 experts to submit a list of top prospects and no two would be the same.  Disparity among the evaluations is what makes them interesting!

If you have any questions or comments about the list, send Jeff a message.

1) Keyvius Sampson – Sampson had the most dominant season of any starting-pitching prospect in the Padres’ system.  In his age-20 season, Sampson struck out just under 11 batters per nine while allowing just 81 hits in 118 innings pitched.  The control still needs fine tuning – 3.7 BB/9 – but with the amount of production he is providing at such a young age you’ll take a rough area to his game.  ETA: Late 2013

2) Rymer Liriano – If Liriano played center field he would be considered a legit five-tool future star.  With 20/20 projections placed on his power and speed combined with a plus arm and a hit tool that grades out to at least average, Liriano provides the Padres with a right fielder of the future to dream on.  ETA: Late 2014/Early 2015

3) Robbie Erlin – A 1.38 ERA and 10.7 K/9 rate in 26 innings after joining the Padres’ organization showed what Erlin is capable of accomplishing when left alone to pitch.  He made 16 starts – and 17 appearances – in Double-A this season, but likely will be assigned to San Antonio in 2012 because of the hitting environment in Tucson.  ETA: Late 2012

4) Austin Hedges – Hedges is the crown jewel of the Padres’ 2011 draft class that cost the organization a cool $11,020,600.  While most see him as a defense-first catcher with a passable bat, Hedges has the ability to be much more than that if given the time to develop.  Catchers with an All Star ceiling don’t come around too often so expect the Padres to put a lot of time into Hedges.  ETA: Late 2014/Early 2015

5) Casey Kelly – Many are quick to judge that 2011 was a disappointing year for Kelly.  While the home/road splits are concerning, when you dive deeper you see that luck can go a long way in explaining why his box score numbers don’t look great: (BABIP – HR/FB – K/BB – FIP) Home – .269 – 7.3% – 2.25 – 3.68 Road .378 – 7.7% – 2.31 – 3.52.  ETA: 2013 Continue reading “Top 25 Padres Prospects – Post Season 2011” »

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2011 Padres Prospects Post Season All Star Team

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)

Catcher – Jason Hagerty

After a breakout 2010 campaign that saw Hagerty’s presence atop a few notable Padres Top Prospect lists – 12 at Baseball Prospects, 10 at Baseball America – he did little to upset San Diego fans with a .311/.386/.518 triple slash in 68 games with the Lake Elsinore Storm.  While he did struggle during most of his time in San Antonio, Hagerty continued to show solid secondary skills and improvements on the defensive end.

G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
104 443 68 110 31 3 9 65 3 3 40 102 .284 .363 .450 .812

First Base – Anthony Rizzo

Pacific Coast League aided or not, Rizzo had an amazing offensive season in 2011.  While his early-season cup of coffee with the Padres disappointed many, Rizzo did a lot this year to prove that he has fully recovered from the chemotherapy treatments that caused him to miss chunks of 2008 and 2009.  Rizzo finished sixth in the PCL in RBI and eighth in home runs while playing around 30-40 games less than the rest of his competition.  In addition, the 22-year-old lefty finished second in the league with a 1.056 OPS.

G PA R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
93 413 64 118 34 1 26 101 7 6 43 89 .331 .404 .652 1.056

Honorable Mention: Connor Powers

Second Base – Vincent Belnome Continue reading “2011 Padres Prospects Post Season All Star Team” »

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Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: August 17, 2011

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

Star Performer:

Keyvius Sampson, RHP (Low-A Fort Wayne) – Sampson is leaving little doubt that he is ready for more difficult competition.  The 2009 4th-round pick has been a force in his last seven outings: 36.1 IP 0.76 ERA 17 H 3 ER 44 K.  The only thing holding him back from a promotion may be the fact that Sampson has already surpassed his career high in innings by 56.2.

Rock Steady:

Robbie Erlin, LHP (Double-A San Antonio) – Erlin caused a major freak out this week in the Padres-fan social media community when he was pulled after just two innings in his Monday start.  It was all part of a plan the San Diego front office has put in place to limit Erlin, Wieland, and Kelly’s innings pitched this season.  Erlin has thrown 135.1 innings this year, 114.2 was his previous career high in 2010.

Rico Noel, CF (Low-A Fort Wayne) – Noel is absolutely on fire.  With six multi-hit games in his last 10 and six stolen bases during that same period, he is beginning to turn more than a few heads in the Midwest League.

Miles Mikolas, RHP (Double-A San Antonio) – Armed with a low-90s fastball and a curveball that sits 78-80, the 6’5” 2009 7th-round pick by the Padres offers a great blend of size and arm strength.  He’s only given up five home runs in 196.1 innings pitched in his pro career, a mark complimented by his 4.76 strikeout per walk rate in his three seasons.  Mikolas hasn’t allowed a run in his last 12 appearances – 13IP – and may get promoted to Triple-A if the Tucson Padres’ bullpen is raided by roster expansion.

Juan Oramas, LHP (Double-A San Antonio) – Two-straight quality starts and the stuff is still plenty filthy.  He seems to be too hittable given the quality of his pitches, but at 21 in Double-A he is young enough to believe the Padres have something special here.

Joe Wieland, RHP (Double-A San Antonio) – It was a very un-Wieland-like outing for the righty this week.  He struck out just two batters and allowed six hits in five innings.  Wieland even hit a batter for good measure.  It was a positive note to see that he was able to pitch well without his best stuff.

Yoan Alcantara, OF (AZL Padres) – This is Alcantara’s second appearance in this category, this time because of a nine-game hitting streak that was snapped on Monday that saw him post a .432/.447/.865 slash line with three home runs, three triples and 15 RBI. Continue reading “Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: August 17, 2011” »

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Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: August 9, 2011

Posted by Jeff in AZL Padres | Eugene Emeralds | Fort Wayne Tin Caps | Lake Elsinore Storm | Player Update | Prospect Rap Sheet | San Antonio Missions | Tucson Padres - (2 Comments)

Star Performer:

Robbie Erlin, LHP (Double-A San Antonio) – Since joining the Padres Organization all Erlin has done is dominate: 12 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 15 K.  Diving deeper into Erlin’s performance you see that he has retired all 12 left-handed batters and maintained his plus-plus command he showed while with the Rangers.  Could he be inspired by his #1 ranking in the Padres Prospects Top-25?  Probably not.  Erlin’s previous career high in innings was 114.2 in 2010, so don’t be surprised to see shorter outings down the stretch for the 20-year-old.

Rock Steady:

Rymer Liriano, RF (Low-A Fort Wayne) – He was the Padres Prospects Player of the Month in July, and a .318/.370/.455 line in 7 August games isn’t going to disappoint anyone.  Liriano is beginning to be pitched around by teams, so don’t be surprised to see his numbers take a dip.  Also, a .395 BABIP is never a sign of completely sustainable play.

Rico Noel, CF (Low-A Fort Wayne) –With an absurd 94.4% steal success rate, he possess game-changing speed and he obviously knows how to use it.  As a point of reference, 36.2% of the time Noel reaches base he steals a bag.

Kevin Quackenbush, RHP (Low-A Fort Wayne) – 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 10 K since being promoted to the Tin Caps to give him a season line that includes a 0.35 ERA in 27.1 IP since being selected in June’s draft.

Keyvius Sampson, LHP RHP (Low-A Fort Wayne) – Continue reading “Padres Prospect Rap Sheet: August 9, 2011” »

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