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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: 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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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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Q&A with Reds Prospect Writer Doug Gray

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

As you no doubt have heard by now, the Padres traded Mat Latos to the Reds on Saturday for a four-player package.  Doug Gray of RedsMinorLeagues.com was kind enough to answer a few questions from the Reds’ perspective.

What was your first reaction to hearing the final trade package?

My first reaction was a little different from my overall reaction, but at the end of the day I liked the deal for the Reds. My first reaction was that I am a huge fan of Latos, but that was a decent chunk of talent. My final reaction was similar. I think that both teams did well.

If another team were to have traded all of those pieces, I would say that they made a mistake even though Latos is a borderline ace-caliber pitcher today. But the Reds have the depth to make up for the guys they moved with their first base, catcher and left field options. Assuming that Latos can stay healthy and perform similar to what everyone thinks he is capable of, I think both teams can look back at this trade in 5-6 years and be very happy with it.

In your mind, who is the best prospect the Padres are receiving in return? Continue reading “Q&A with Reds Prospect Writer Doug Gray” »

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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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