2017 San Diego Padres Midseason Top 10 Prospects — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

The Padres were expected to be the worst team in the majors this season. While they haven’t been quite that bad, they remain firmly in the bottom tier of big league clubs.

Padres Midseason Top 10

1. Cal Quantrill, RHP

2. MacKenzie Gore, LHP

3. Luis Urias, 2B/SS

4. Anderson Espinoza, RHP

5. Adrian Morejon, LHP

6. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS

7. Michel Baez, RHP

8. Dinelson Lamet, RHP

9. Eric Lauer, LHP

10. Josh Naylor, 1B

Through the All-Star break the Padres had scored the majors’ fewest runs (312), had the worst run differential (minus-128), and were last in MLB in batting average (.227) and on-base percentage (.294). Their 4.64 ERA was on pace to be the franchise’s worst since moving into Petco Park in 2004.

That normally would mean the Padres are a seller as the trade deadline approaches, but they don’t have much attractive to sell beside lefthanded relievers Brad Hand and Ryan Buchter.

The Padres have taken their lumps playing a uniquely young group, and that’s where optimism for the future resides.

Six rookies have been on the Padres roster since Opening Day and received substantive playing time—Hunter Renfroe, Manuel Margot, Jose Torres and Rule 5 selections Miguel Diaz, Luis Torrens and Allen Cordoba—while Dinelson Lamet, Franchy Cordero, Carlos Asuaje and Phil Maton all received callups by mid-June. Austin Hedges and Jose Pirela are not technically rookies but are receiving their first extended playing time in the majors and have made positive impacts in spurts.

Still, it has been a struggle. Yangervis Solarte and Wil Myers are the only regulars with an OPS above .750, and righthander Trevor Cahill is the only starting pitcher with an ERA below 4.25.

The Padres are merely biding their time until this first wave of prospects adjusts to the majors and the next wave is ready to ascend. They do have prospects sprinkled from Triple-A down to the lowest rungs of the minors, where last year’s massive international spending spree could pay off early next decade.

Until these minor leaguers are big league ready, it does not figure to get any better for a franchise headed for its eighth straight losing season.

1. Cal Quantrill, RHP
Double-A San Antonio
Age: 22

Quantrill has quieted any concerns about lingering effects of his Tommy John surgery that cost him most of 2015 and 2016 at Stanford. The 6-foot-2 righthander has bulked up, streamlined his mechanics and been exceptionally durable in his first full season, holding his 93-95 mph fastball velocity into late innings and finishing his outings strong. His changeup flattens out at times and his slider and curveball remain works in progress, but all have developed enough to be viable weapons. Quantrill’s fiery, competitive demeanor draws positive reviews, giving him the total package of a potential top-of-the-rotation starter.

2. MacKenzie Gore, LHP
Rookie-Level Arizona
Age: 18

The Padres drafted Gore third overall and were one of many clubs who felt he was the top player in the class. Lithe, athletic and projectable, Gore has front-of-the-rotation potential with a fastball up to 96 mph, a potentially plus curveball and changeup and a usable slider, all of which play up with a sky-high leg kick that adds deception. Gore signed for $6.7 million and has reported to the AZL to begin his pro career.

3. Luis Urias, 2B/SS
Double-A San Antonio
Age: 20

Urias has played shortstop more than his natural second base this season and held his own, securing balls reliably and showing above-average to plus arm strength. Offensively Urias on pace for his third straight season with a batting average above .300, an on-base percentage over .400, and more walks than strikeouts.

4. Anderson Espinoza, RHP
Disabled List
Age: 19

Espinoza began the season on the disabled list with forearm tightness and his rehab a month later was shut down due to elbow soreness. His MRI came back clean and he began playing catch again in June at the Padres’ complex in Arizona. He is up to 120 feet, but has no set timetable to return to game action.

5. Adrian Morejon, LHP
Short-season Tri-City
Age: 18

Shoulder soreness slowed Morejon in extended spring training but he recovered in time to be the Opening Day starter at Tri-City. He is showing a low-90s fastball that touches 95 while flashing above-average on his two changeups and curveball, although all are inconsistent. Refining those offspeed pitches is Morejon’s next step in development.

6. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS
Low Class A Fort Wayne
Age: 18

Tatis is on track for a 20-20 season while playing highlight-reel defense with a cannon arm at shortstop. His performance is all the more impressive considering he could be a high school senior. The knock evaluators have on Tatis is his inability to connect on average or better breaking balls, but he has improved as the year has gone on.

7. Michel Baez, RHP
Low Class A Fort Wayne
Age: 21

The hulking 6-foot-8, 220-pound Cuban was the star of extended spring training and has dominated since a promotion to Fort Wayne, pitching 18 innings with five hits and one run allowed, two walks and 24 strikeouts. Baez sits 94-95 mph and reaches 98 with his fastball out of an athletic delivery and flashes an above-average slider. His slider, promising changeup and developing curveball need consistency, but he is on the right path.

8. Dinelson Lamet, RHP
San Diego
Age: 25

Lamet threw his changeup extensively at Triple-A El Paso early in the season in an attempt to make it a viable third pitch alongside his plus fastball and slider. He succeeded and has since risen to San Diego, where he is averaging 12.4 strikeouts-per-nine innings in the rotation but been hampered by inconsistent command.

9. Eric Lauer, LHP
Double-A San Antonio
Age: 22

Lauer’s fastball sits just 87-91 mph, but he can run it up to 94 and spot it at will. His elite fastball command on both sides of the plate, improving slider and above-average changeup had Lauer contending for California League ERA title before a promotion to Double-A.

10. Josh Naylor, 1B
Double-A San Antonio
Age: 20

Naylor hit five home runs in April before a Lauer pickoff throw hit him in the face and broke his right cheekbone, sending Naylor to the disabled listed for two weeks. Naylor hit only three home runs in two months after he returned, but he controlled the strike zone and made frequent contact enough to earn a promotion to Double-A.

RISING

• LHP Joey Lucchesi mixed a funky windup with above-average stuff to dominate the California League, ascend to Double-A, and become one of the Padres’ top pitching prospects.

• LHP Logan Allen rebounded from last year’s elbow soreness, improved his changeup and smoothed out his delivery, all resulting in a 2.11 ERA at low Class A Fort Wayne before being promoted.

• OF Franchy Cordero carried last season’s breakout campaign forward and earned his first big league callup, where he impressed with his speed, power and even center-field defense, meaning he’s finally found a defensive home.

FALLING

• RHP Jacob Nix fills up the zone with three potential above-average pitches but leaves too many over the plate, resulting in a high opponent average and not enough swings and misses on a consistent basis.

• OF Michael Gettys regressed into his bad offensive habits—poor pitch selection, lunging swings, losing his rhythm and balance—and struck out 127 times in 81 games at high Class A Lake Elsinore.

• SS Javier Guerra hit .226 in his second try at Lake Elsinore with a strikeout rate (30.3 percent) not much better than last year’s disastrous campaign

HURTING

• Espinoza has a chance to return to the mound in August if there are no more setbacks in his rehab.

• RHP Chris Paddack is throwing bullpens at 65-70 percent in his rehab from last August’s Tommy John surgery. Fall instructs are his most likely return to the mound, but pitching before the end of this season is not out of the question.

• RHP Jean Cosme had Tommy John surgery in May and is out 12-15 months.

GRADUATING

• OFs Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe were the Opening Day starters in center field and right field, respectively, and have remained in the majors, although both have spent time on the DL.

• LHP Jose Torres has settled into middle relief role and is 5-2, 4.67 with 44 strikeouts and 12 walks in 44.1 innings.

• OF/SS Allen Cordoba has stuck on the Padres roster as Rule 5 pick making the jump from Rookie ball straight to the majors.