A.J. Preller made a splash a few offseasons ago when he went wild in free agency and made a ton of high-priced acquisitions and pulled off some big trades to fill out the roster. That didn’t work out too well for the major league results but it did get them started on this road of building up the farm system quite rapidly. They are routinely considered one of the top systems in the league but with the graduation of a few of the pitchers and bats, the depth has taken a bit of a hit and that’s why they aren’t quite as highly ranked as some may expect. The high-end talent is still present as well but the depth just isn’t there.
Top Prospects In The System
Pos. - LHP Ht/Wt - 6’3” 195 lbs. Bats: L Throws: L Age: 21
Level - Double-A Drafted - 2017 (1.3) ETA: 2021
Grades: Fastball: 60 Curveball: 60 Slider: 60 Changeup: 60 Control: 60
This is almost an unfair one to start with for their system as at this point it should be known the size of the man-crush I have on Gore. When he was coming out of high school in North Carolina there was talk that he could’ve been the top pick in the draft as a lefty with four plus-pitches and the frame and stuff to be an ace at the major league level. He wound up going third and falling to the Padres who got a chance to bolster their up-and-coming rotation prospects. His stuff is among the filthiest in the minors and a reason that he won Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors from MLB Pipeline. He posted a 1.69 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, and a 35.7-percent K-rate in 101 innings between HIgh-A and Double-A. Gore’s long frame and athletic delivery produce extension on his pitches that give them late life and produce defensive swings. The fastball sits at 92-96 and is his favorite pitch with the two distinct breaking pitches shifting in prominence in his repertoire following a blister issue in 2018. The curveball is a big looping pitch in the mid-70s while the slider is tight with late break in the mid-80s. The changeup is the least used pitch but has great fade and depth sitting in the mid-80s and plays well off the fastball. Gore is an absolute ace-caliber arm who will likely take charge of the rotation in 2021 and fit in well with Chris Paddack , Joey Lucchesi , and Dinelson Lamet .
Pos. - SS Ht/Wt - 6’2” 185 lbs. Bats: L Throws: R Age: 19
Level - Class-A Drafted - 2019 (1.6) ETA: 2020
Grades: Hit: 60 Power: 50 Run: 80 Arm: 55 Field: 55
It’s hard to ignore the elite speed that Abrams possesses and it certainly was for the Padres when he was on the board for them at six last June. Part of his draft profile reads: “The 18-year-old shortstop has a quick stroke from the left side of the plate which helps with his ability to get down the line even faster and don’t be surprised if drag bunting becomes a big part of his game at points. That being said though, he does have the strength and pop in his stroke to develop into a 10-15 home run hitter along with 30-plus steals. Defensively, he’s more than likely moves to second or center field rather than staying at short since his fielding actions are a bit blocky and aren’t that fluid.” That skill set made itself known in his pro debut last season as well over the course of 34 games in which he slashed .393/.436/.647 with three homers, 41 runs, 22 RBI, and 15 steals. Abrams also had 21 other extra-base hits while going from Rookie ball to Class-A. He played every game at shortstop to this point but had 11 errors in that span which highlights the defensive issues and why he may move off of shortstop. A .300 hitter with 30-plus steal potential and double-digit home run pop is what he projects as.
Pos. - RHP Ht/Wt - 6’0” 192 lbs. Bats: R Throws: R Age: 20
Level - Double-A Signed - July 2016 ETA: 2021
Grades: Fastball: 65 Slider: 60 Curveball: 50 Changeup: 50 Control: 55
Patino was an under-the-radar prospect in the foreign ranks when the Padres signed him in 2016-17 class but it didn’t take him long to start heading down the path of exciting pitching prospect. He has one of the most dominant fastball-slider combos in the minors as he possesses a mid-90s fastball that touches 99 as recently as last season and it has explosive late life with natural cutting action. The slider is a sharp, upper-80s pitch with good tilt qualifying it as a true swing-and-miss offering. The changeup is at least average at the moment and could turn above-average with a bit more focus on it and the curveball is a low-80s pitch that is more of a change-of-pace offering right now. In 2019, at Double-A, Patino fared far better against RHH as compared to LHH with a .169/.259/.220 slash line versus a .262/.308/.443 line. The changeup needs to take another step forward to give a bigger weapon against LHH and his control needs to take another step to really jump to the level we expect his stuff to take him to. Patino is still young and adjusting his delivery but when all is said and done, he should be a number two starter in a major league rotation.
Pos. - OF Ht/Wt - 6’2” 215 lbs. Bats: L Throws: L Age: 22
Level - Double-A Drafted - 2016 (CBA.35) ETA: 2021
Grades: Hit: 55 Power: 50 Run: 60 Arm: 45 Field: 55
Trammell was drafted by the Reds back in 2016 as a multi-sport athlete in the Georgia Prep ranks and then paid him an over-slot bonus to steal him away from Georgia Tech. Trammell then proved the faith the Reds had in him with the stats he continued to put up as he advanced a level a year. Since being traded to the Padres, they’ve tweaked his left-handed swing to get into a better position to drive the ball and the power started to show up at the end of his Double-A season with two homers in the last four games and then three more in the playoffs as the Sod Poodles marched to the title in the Texas League. The elite speed has also made quite the appearance in his time in the minors as he’s been successful nearly 75-percent of the time in steals attempts going 110-for-147. He also has shown a good approach at the plate with a .363 combined OBP through four years of pro ball though there is some thought that he will need to refine it a bit more if he hopes to keep it up in the upper minors and majors and allow the power to show up more in game action. He should ultimately be a left fielder given his below-average arm strength and his slightly above-average route running fits better especially if the power shows up with his bat.
Pos. - C Ht/Wt - 5’10” 215 lbs. Bats: R Throws: R Age: 21
Level - A-Advanced Drafted - 2017 (2.39) ETA: 2021
Grades: Hit: 55 Power: 55 Run: 30 Arm: 60 Field: 50
The first catcher off the board in the 2017 draft, early in the second round, was able to move up to High-A after just 38 games in the Midwest League in 2018. He played that few due to a concussion in August of that year but his age-20 season in High-A saw him garner co-MVP honors in the California League with a .325/.396/.509 slash line, 15 homers, 81 RBI, and 63 runs. The average was a full-season high and the homers and RBI are career-highs as well as the 31 doubles. The defense needs refinement though the blocking and agility are well above-average, the receiving and catch-and-throw part of the game needs work. He threw out just 22.7-percent of would-be base stealers in 2019 though he does have plus arm strength. Campusano is still a very young catching prospect and that’s a position that usually matures later than others. When all is said and done, he will be an everyday catcher who will contribute nicely on both sides of the plate as he has a very good hit tool and developing pop on the offensive side.
Prospects To Watch For
LHP Age: 20 Class-A ETA: 2023
A former Gatorade National Player of the Year in the High School ranks, he was the second-straight such player taken by the Padres when they drafted Weathers in the 2018 draft, following Gore the year before. Weathers made a strong start to his first full season in pro ball at Class-A Fort Wayne but trailed off in the second half due to fatigue. The arsenal is a good one with a low-90s fastball that has a high spin-rate leading to late riding life, a changeup which is the top offspeed option, an upper-70s curveball with good depth and break, and lastly his newly added slider that has the promise of getting to at least an average pitch. There is no true “out pitch” in the mix but the 65-grade control he possesses allows for the pitches to play up despite the lower velocity and effective mixing of the pitches keeps hitters off balance. He profiles as a number four type starter who could be a bigger strikeout guy than the stuff would suggest because of the control, much like a southpaw version of Kyle Hendricks .
OF Age: 19 Rookie (Arizona League) ETA: 2023
The lefty-hitting outfielder was drafted in the third round of last June’s draft as the Padres saw him as an athletic five-tool type player and signed him for a third-round record bonus of $3-million. The hit tool, raw power, bat speed, and advanced feel for hitting are all there for Head to be one of the more exciting prospects in the deep system but the issue is that he hasn’t faced serious competition yet in his baseball career. The high school he came from was a smaller school in Texas and then at Rookie ball there wasn't much competition either so progressing through the system might pose a challenge to him. At 6’1” and 180 pounds, he’s wiry strong and has good wrist snap in his swing which adds to the power profile, once he can add leverage into his swing. The speed tool is plus and once he learns to harness the pure speed into route running and reads both in the outfield and on the bases, he’ll be a true five-tool player. Head has perhaps the best upside of any hitting prospect in the system.
SS Age: 20 A-Advanced ETA: 2022
If Arias’ 2019 season is the start of him showing what he can do in pro ball, he’s going to be a fun one to watch over the next two years. Arias was just 19 and playing at A-Advanced Lake Elsinore for the full season and put up a .302/.339/.470 slash line and closed out with a .909 OPS in the second half while adding 17 home runs, 75 RBI, 62 runs, and eight steals to his counting stats totals. Don’t be fooled by the high average as his patience at the plate is still improving and he’ll never be a guy who takes a lot of walks (78 in 297 total minor league games as of now) but the approach is getting better leading to more contact being made. Arias defensively fits well at shortstop as he has a strong arm, quick footwork, fluid motions, and soft hands, though he likely moves to second base if Fernando Tatis Jr. stays at short long-term. He profiles as a .270 hitter with 20 home run pop and capable of stealing 10-12 bags while playing middle infield.
OF Age: 24 Triple-A ETA: 2020
Toronto signed Olivares as an international prospect in 2014 and he was then traded in 2017 in the Yangervis Solarte deal with the Padres. Olivares has flourished with the Padres hitting .283/.349/.453 in Double-A in 2019 with 18 homers, 85 runs, 77 RBI, and 35 steals. While he is on the older side for a prospect, he’s been a late bloomer of sorts but the aspects of his game we’ve expected to see are really starting to show through. He’s got the speed and arm to play all three outfield spots at the highest level but a touch more pop wouldn’t hurt. There is a bit of refinement left in his approach at the plate to really add to his on-base ability but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him as part of the outfield rotation in 2020 even in a shortened season.
LHP Age: 21 Double-A ETA: 2021
Morejon joined the Padres organization after signing for a franchise-record $11-million back in 2016 and since then has been trying to live up to the high esteem the team holds him in. The first glimpses of him in pro ball were impressive up through the first half of the 2018 season at High-A Lake Elsinore but then injuries have taken their toll on him since. Morejon has had flexor soreness, triceps discomfort, and then a shoulder impingement which cost him the second half of the 2019 campaign. When he’s healthy he has a fastball that sits 93-96 and touches higher while locating the pitch well to both sides of the dish. He compliments the pitch with two different varieties of a changeup in a standard changeup and a knuckle changeup which are both above-average if not burgeoning on plus. The biggest jump though has been in his curveball which went from average when he was signed to plus as he’s worked on repeating the arm slot and release point. The 6’0”, 175-pound frame is physically mature and if the lefty can stay healthy to get a full season’s worth of work on the mound in, he should be in the middle of the Padres rotation shortly.