Preller Pleased With Progress — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects

SAN DIEGO—It’s typical for a new front office to laud the changes it makes to a farm system. Padres general manager A.J. Preller is no different in that respect from several of his predecessors in the GM job.

As spring training began this year, Preller spoke about numerous changes he made in scouting and player development after becoming GM two seasons ago.

“I really like the direction that that’s heading in, in terms of our coaching staff, our instructional league program, our spring training program, (and) year-round development,” he told the Padres’ flagship radio station, 1090 AM.

“You see it in the bodies of the minor league players that are here at minor league minicamp. You see it in the way our system is structured, in terms of instruction. It’s something that’s going to put us in the right spot in the future.”

Preller also praised the know-how of an international department headed by Chris Kemp, who followed him over from the Texas Rangers.

“I think on the international scouting side, we’re definitely in position to go ahead and add players if we want to,” Preller said. “And that’s usually the first key to going ahead and making good decisions, is making sure you’re in a spot that you know the kids, you know the players, you have the information.

“I feel like in that spot, if we want to be aggressive, we can do it. If we want to pull back, we can do it. But at least we’re in a good spot relative to other clubs on the international scouting side.”

FATHER FIGURES

• Preller praised several Padres big leaguers who’ve become mentors to prospects at major league camp. Outfielder Matt Kemp has supported left fielder Jabari Blash, a Rule 5 draftee and former Mariners minor leaguer who’s trying to win a 25-man roster spot. John Jay has counseled Manuel Margot, 21. A fellow center fielder, Margot came over from the Red Sox in the Craig Kimbrel trade.

• Forty-three minor leaguers reported for the annual February minicamp. The group included four prospects acquired in the Kimbrel and Joaquin Benoit trades: shortstop Javier Guerra, lefthander Logan Allen, righthander Enyel De Los Santos and infielder Nelson Ward. Pitcher Austin Smith, a second-round selection last June, headed a class of 2015 draftees. Guerra, like Margot, was acquired this past offseason in the trade that sent Kimbrel to Boston.