By Matt Eddy
December 6, 2007

Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2008.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Chase Headley, 3b 2. Matt Antonelli, 2b 3. Matt Latos, rhp 4. Wade LeBlanc, lhp 5. Drew Miller, rhp 6. Steve Garrison, lhp 7. Will Inman, rhp 8. Cedric Hunter, of 9. Nick Schmidt, lhp 10. Kyle Blanks, 1b

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Chase Headley Best Power Hitter Kyle Blanks Best Strike-Zone Discipline Matt Antonelli Fastest Baserunner Luis Durango Best Athlete Matt Antonelli Best Fastball Matt Latos Best Curveball Drew Miller Best Slider Mike Ekstrom Best Changeup Wade LeBlanc Best Control Josh Geer Best Defensive Catcher Jose Lobaton Best Defensive Infielder Jesus Lopez Best Infield Arm Jesus Lopez Best Defensive Outfielder Drew Macias Best Outfield Arm Drew Macias

PROJECTED 2011 LINEUP

Catcher Mitch Canham First Base Adrian Gonzalez Second Base Matt Antonelli Third Base Chase Headley Shortstop Khalil Greene Left Field Kevin Kouzmanhoff Center Field Drew Cumberland Right Field Cedric Hunter No. 1 Starter Jake Peavy No. 2 Starter Chris Young No. 3 Starter Matt Latos No. 4 Starter Wade LeBlanc No. 5 Starter Drew Miller Closer Heath Bell

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2007 1998 Matt Clement, rhp Red Sox 1999 Matt Clement, rhp Red Sox 2000 Sean Burroughs, 3b Mariners 2001 Sean Burroughs, 3b Mariners 2002 Sean Burroughs, 3b Mariners 2003 Xavier Nady, of Pirates 2004 Josh Barfield, 2b Indians 2005 Josh Barfield, 2b Indians 2006 Cesar Carrillo, rhp Padres 2007 Cedric Hunter, of Padres

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Year Player, Position 2007 1998 Sean Burroughs, 3b Marines 1999 Vince Faison, of Athletics 2000 Mark Phillips, lhp Out of baseball 2001 Jake Gautreau, 2b Mets 2002 Khalil Greene, ss Padres 2003 Tim Stauffer, rhp Padres 2004 Matt Bush, ss Padres 2005 Cesar Carrillo, rhp Padres 2006 Matt Antonelli, 3b Padres 2007 Nick Schmidt, lhp Padres

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Matt Bush, 2004 $3,150,000 Mark Phillips, 2000 $2,200,000 Sean Burroughs, 1998 $2,100,000 Jake Gartreau, 2001 $1,875,000 Matt Antonelli, 2006 $1,575,000

PADRES LINKS

Padres' Team Page Padres Top 10 Scouting Reports  Last Year's Padres Top 10 Prospects 2007 Draft: Padres (Basic Database) 2007 Draft: Padres  (Advanced Database) 2007 Draft Report Cards: National League  Complete Index of Top 10 Prospects Pre-Order the 2008 Prospect Handbook

Though the Padres came up one game short of qualifying for the playoffs on the heels of two consecutive division titles, the organization enjoyed perhaps its most productive season, all things considered, in the last three.

Under first-year manager Bud Black, San Diego won 89 games, its most since the 1998 pennant winners won 98, but ran out of steam in September, when Chris Young went 0-3, 6.27 while battling a sore back and Milton Bradley and Mike Cameron were lost to injury with a week left in the season. The Padres still controlled their playoff destiny with three games to play, but lost all three, the last one a one-game wild-card playoff at Colorado.

Jake Peavy remained the ace of the pitching staff, winning his first Cy Young Award as well as the National League pitching triple crown. And in another constant, general manager Kevin Towers' shrewd trading acumen made a big impact.

One year after scoring big with trades for Adrian Gonzalez, Young and Cameron, Towers acquired Kevin Kouzmanoff from the Indians in exchange for Josh Barfield, who ultimately lost his job to rookie Asdrubal Cabrera. Kouzmanoff hit 18 homers as a rookie. Towers also added bullpen depth by shipping Ben Johnson to the Mets as part of a trade for Heath Bell, who led all major league relievers in innings (94) and strikeouts (102).

In late June, Towers picked up Bradley for the low cost of Triple-A righthander Andrew Brown, and Bradley jump-started the offense while healthy. He also made in-season trades for Michael Barrett and Scott Hairston, which paid modest dividends and cost San Diego little in terms of established talent.

On the minor league side, Double-A San Antonio and high Class A Lake Elsinore made deep playoff runs with teams stocked with prospects from the 2005 and 2006 drafts, the Padres' first two under vice president of scouting and farm director Grady Fuson. Of the eight drafted players on this Top 10 list, only first baseman Kyle Blanks (No. 10) was selected before Fuson arrived. San Antonio, BA's Minor League Team of the Year, won the Texas League title, led by the system's two best prospects, third baseman Chase Headley and second baseman Matt Antonelli.

Taking advantage of baseball's modified compensation system where Type B free agents no longer cost signing clubs a draft pick, Towers wasn't shy about offering arbitration and reaped seven extra picks for the loss of five players. With eight of the top 87 picks in the 2007 draft, the Padres primarily selected established college talent, like lefthanders Nick Schmidt and Cory Luebke, outfielder Kellen Kulbacki and catcher Mitch Canham.

San Diego also scored by landing the top player from baseball's final class of draft-and-follows. After signing for $1.25 million, righthander Matt Latos ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the short-season Northwest League. When bullpen stalwart Scott Linebrink started to slip, Towers shrewdly traded him to the Brewers for lefty Steve Garrison and righty Will Inman, both of whom cracked this Top 10 list, and lefty Joe Thatcher, who had a 1.29 ERA in 22 big league games. The Padres also were active in Latin America, handing out six-figure bonuses to a pair of Dominicans, shortstop Jonathan Spraut ($750,000) and outfielder Rymer Liriano ($300,000).

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