San Diego Padres

Track Record: Zavala was regarded as one of the best pure hitters in the 2020-21 international signing class and signed with the Padres out of Venezuela for $1.2 million. Zavala made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League after signing and did not disappoint, hitting for both average (.287) and power (25 extra-base hits in 55 games) while showing remarkable plate discipline for his age with nearly as many walks (32) as strikeouts (36).

Scouting Report: Zavala has long possessed a knack for finding the barrel with a smooth, whip-like swing. He doesn’t have the brute strength of some other teenagers, but he has added more power and loft to his swing as he’s matured physically and could wind up with average power to go with his above-average hitting ability tools. Zavala is bilingual and a heady player, leading the Padres to believe he will adjust quickly as he faces more advanced pitching. Zavala is only an average runner, but his advanced instincts help compensate for his speed and the Padres view him as a true center fielder. His above-average arm strength allows him to play all three outfield positions.

The Future: Zavala will make his U.S. debut in the Arizona Complex League in 2022. He and Victor Acosta give the Padres two, low-level prospects who could blossom into everyday regulars, if not more.

Track Record: Suarez posted 1.71 ERA in 47.1 innings in the Mexican League in 2015 but had never been part of an MLB organization when he signed with Softbank in Japan after the season. He missed all of 2017 after having Tommy John surgery and moved on to Hanshin, where he had a 1.16 ERA and 45 saves in 2021 and did not allow a home run in 62.1 innings. Suarez exercised his option to become a free agent and signed a two-year, $11 million contract with the Padres right before the lockout began in December.

Scouting Report: Suarez has an imposing presence on the mound and aggressively goes after hitters with his plus-plus fastball. His fastball lives at 96-97 mph and touches 101 with late explosion and ride, and he throws it in all quadrants of the strike zone. Suarez developed an 88-92 mph split-changeup in Japan that flashes plus and has become his go-to secondary offering. He relied on a short, tilting slider early in his career, but it’s now mostly a chase pitch. Suarez attacks the strike zone with plus control and posted a career-low walk rate of 1.2 per nine innings in 2021.

The Future: Suarez will step right into the Padres’ bullpen in 2022. He has a chance to emerge as a high-leverage option quickly.

Track Record: Kopps missed all of 2018 at Arkansas after having Tommy John surgery and struggled during the shortened 2020 season, but he rebounded with a historic season for the Razorbacks in 2021. He went 12-1 with 11 saves, 131 strikeouts and an NCAA-best 0.90 ERA in 89.2 innings as a super reliever and won the Golden Spikes Award. As a sixth-year senior who was already 24 years old, Kopps fell to the Padres in the third round of the draft. He signed for a below-slot $300,000 and finished the year in Double-A San Antonio’s bullpen.

Scouting Report: Kopps relies overwhelmingly on one pitch: a gyro-like cutter/slider in the mid-80s with downward break. He throws it nearly 75% of the time and batters still struggle to hit it even when they know it is coming. Kopps locates the pitch extremely well and batters have trouble identifying it with the way it tunnels off of his 88-92 mph fastball. Kopps occasionally mixes in a below-average curveball that sits in the mid-70s and has toyed with a fringe-average changeup, but his slider is what determines his success.

The Future: Kopps will turn 25 before Opening Day and doesn’t have much development left. He’ll likely start the year in the upper levels and could crack the Padres bullpen by the end of the season.

Track Record: Lizarraga ranked as Mexico’s best pitching prospect in the 2020-21 international class and signed with the Padres for $1 million. His advanced feel for pitching led the Padres to challenge him with an assignment to the Arizona Complex League where, at age 17, he was the second-youngest player in the circuit. Lizarraga finished the season on an impressive run—11.1 innings, one run, six walks, 18 strikeouts—after a three-week reset following two deaths in his family just days apart.

Scouting Report: Long, lean and athletic, Lizarraga is a projectable teenage righthander who is a good bet to add strength and velocity as he fills out. His fastball presently sits 90-94 mph and he pairs it with an upper-70s curveball that has average potential. He rounds out his arsenal with a fading changeup he throws with conviction and confidence to give it above-average potential. Lizarraga walked more batters than expected in his pro debut, but the Padres expect his control to improve to average in pro ball.

The Future: Lizarraga was essentially a high school junior when the Padres jumped him over the Dominican Summer League to start his career in the U.S. His career can break a lot of different ways, but his three-pitch mix gives him the foundation to stick in a starting rotation.

Track Record: Lange originally committed to Dallas Baptist as an infielder with plus-plus speed, but a huge velocity increase his senior year pushed him up draft boards as a pitcher. The Padres selected him 34th overall in 2020 and signed him for an above-slot $2 million bonus. Lange reported to the alternate training site and instructional league after he signed but was limited by shoulder fatigue. An injury again hindered him in 2021 as a knee issue limited him to just 22 innings in the Arizona Complex League in his official pro debut.

Scouting Report: Lange is a long-term project with very real but very raw arm strength. His fastball has exceptional carry and sits 95-98 mph when he’s healthy, although his balky knee sapped him of velocity over the summer. His work-in-progress secondaries include a potentially above-average slider that sits in the mid-to-high 80s and a seldomly-used change-up. Lange’s command of his secondaries have a long way to go for him to make good on the Padres’ investment. His control is well below-average overall, largely because of his inability to throw his secondary pitches for strikes.

The Future: Lange remains a lottery ticket with a wide range of potential outcomes. Getting healthy and improving his command of his secondaries are his most important steps in 2022.

Track Record: Rosario signed with the Padres for $300,000 on his 16th birthday and has generally been among the youngest players in his league every year. As such, he was overmatched in his early years, but he showed signs of life in the High-A California League in 2019 and had a breakout year at Double-A San Antonio in 2021. He led Double-A Central in doubles (31), tied for second in hits (118) and finished fifth in stolen bases (30), leading the Padres to add him to the 40-man roster after the season.

Scouting Report: Rosario is surprisingly twitchy and athletic despite his round, stocky build. He has a short, quick righthanded swing and is best when his approach is aimed at shooting balls from gap to gap. He showed off his strength gains with the first double-digit homer campaign in 2021, but he is susceptible to pulling off balls when he tries to generate power. Rosario is an above-average runner who has improved his ability to put that speed to good use on the bases. He is playable at shortstop, but his range and actions fit better at second base or even third, where he can show off his nearly plus-plus arm.

The Future: Rosario best profiles as a utility infielder. He’ll start 2022 at Triple-A El Paso.

Track Record: A two-way player at Fordham, Knehr intrigued the Padres as a pitcher and signed for $80,000 after they selected him in the 20th round in 2018. While inconsistent in his full-season, Knehr was the darling of the Padres’ 2020 instructional league and pitched his way to the majors in 2021. He appeared both in the rotation and out of the bullpen for the Padres’ injury-ravaged staff and logged a 4.97 ERA in 29 innings.

Scouting Report: Knehr packs a dangerous 1-2 punch with a high-spin, 93-95 mph fastball and an upper-80s changeup with horizontal break that has improved to become a plus pitch. He is still figuring out his mound presence and pitch usage, however. Lauded in the minors for an aggressive, bulldog mentality, Knehr spent much of his big-league time nibbling around the strike zone and was too reliant on his upper-80s cutter, the worst pitch in his arsenal. His changeup gets hit when he overcooks it, so he is working to choke off a bit more velocity. Knehr has tinkered with a curveball to add a bit more differential in his pitch speeds. His control has long been fringy.

The Future: Knehr will likely open 2022 in Triple-A El Paso’s rotation. He projects to be a long reliever or spot starter and will again be in the callup mix in 2022.

Track Record: The Padres purchased Martinez’s rights from the Mexican League’s Mexico City franchise in 2015, the same year they purchased Andres Munoz from the team. Martinez missed all of the following season after having Tommy John surgery, but he used the down time to bulk up and broke out at the Class A levels in 2019. Martinez began 2021 at Double-A San Antonio and pushed his way to Triple-A El Paso by the end of the season. He struggled with a tighter strike zone at Triple-A, but the Padres still added him to the 40-man roster after the season.

Scouting Report: Martinez officially has three pitches in his arsenal but really only throws his fastball and changeup. His four-seam fastball sits 91-92 mph and touches 95 with fade and run. He holds his velocity late in games, although his fastball command is scattered. Martinez’s main weapon is a nearly plus-plus changeup that has excellent separation from his fastball in the low 80s and has screwball-like action that dives down and away from lefties. It’s a disgusting pitch in one evaluator’s words and a true out pitch. Martinez rarely throws his below-average slider and is a reverse-splits pitcher more effective against lefties than righties.

The Future: Martinez projects to be a middle reliever with his fastball and changeup combination. His major league debut should come in 2022.

Track Record: Kerr pitched Lassen (Calif.) JC to the verge of a conference title in 2017 and followed with a star turn in the Alaska Baseball League. He led the summer league with a 1.13 ERA and finished third with 48 strikeouts while touching 93 mph from the left side, leading the Mariners to sign him as an undrafted free agent for $5,000. Kerr initially worked as a starter, but he moved to the bullpen full-time in 2021 and vaulted to Triple-A. The Padres acquired him after the season as one of two prospects for Adam Frazier.

Scouting Report: Kerr’s stuff ticked up in relief to make him one of the minors’ hardest-throwing lefthanders. His fastball averages 97 mph and touches 101 mph out a low arm slot that makes for a tough angle on hitters. The ball gets on batters quicker than they expect out of his low-effort delivery, resulting in late swings and misses. Kerr’s sweeping 80-84 mph slider flashes average with late downward bite and is effective against lefties, while his changeup is a well below-average pitch he rarely uses. Kerr is an excellent athlete who throws down vicious dunks on a basketball court, but his control is just fringy.

The Future: Kerr is on track to be a hard-throwing, lefthanded middle reliever. He should make his major league debut in 2022.

Track Record: A 35th-round pick of the Phillies out of high school, Wilson missed his freshman year at Santa Clara with a shoulder injury and his senior year after having Tommy John surgery. Granted a sixth-year of eligibility, he emerged as the Broncos’ best starter and signed with the Padres for $5,000 as an eighth-round pick in 2018. Wilson moved to the bullpen as a professional and raced to Triple-A in his first full season, but he’s since been sidetracked by injuries, including a right oblique strain and a sprained right foot in 2021. He was lights-out in 10 scoreless appearances for Escogido in the Dominican League after the season and was added to the 40-man roster.

Scouting Report: Wilson dominates on the mound when he’s healthy. His fastball sits 93-96 mph with late movement and carry at the top of the strike zone. He pairs it with an average mid-80s slider that he commands well. Both pitches get swings and misses and he relies on them heavily, but he will also flash an average changeup that neutralizes lefties. An intelligent pitcher who was working toward a masters degree in business analytics when he signed, Wilson’s ability to out-think a hitter is also a strength.

The Future: Wilson is a low-cost replacement option to fill one of multiple openings in the Padres bullpen in 2022. That’s provided he remains healthy.

Track Record: Valenzuela enjoyed a growth spurt after the Padres purchased his rights from the Mexican’s League’s Mexico City franchise for $100,000 and rose up the organizational depth chart after the Padres traded away most of their catching depth. Long thought of as a defense-first backstop, Valenzuela showed he could swing the bat too in his full-season debut in 2021. He hit .307/.389/.444 while showing increased power at Low-A Lake Elsinore and earned a late promotion to High-A Fort Wayne.

Scouting Report: As a catcher, Valenzuela is heads and shoulders above his peer group in his ability to call a game, learn hitters’ tendencies and manage a pitching staff. He has an innate ability to know who needs a pep talk and who needs a kick in the pants. He’s an elite receiver and blocker with an above-average arm. Valenzuela’s feet are not particularly quick, however, and there are questions about his conditioning. Getting in better shape could improve what he lacks in quick-twitch and help him at the plate, too. He has a strong eye for the strike zone and sprays the ball to all fields with a short, sound swing, but his bat speed is below-average and his power potential is fringy.

The Future: Valenzuela profiles nicely as a backup catcher. He’ll need to increase his bat speed to hit enough to start.

Track Record: Lightly recruited out of high school, Elliott landed at Division II Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.) and set program records for ERA, wins, strikeouts and innings pitched in a decorated four-year career. The Padres drafted him in the 10th round in 2019 and signed him for $10,000. Elliott began to receive buzz at instructional league in 2020 and had a breakout 2021 that included an immaculate inning on Opening Day at High-A Fort Wayne and a mid-season promotion to Double-A San Antonio. He made just three starts for the Missions before shoulder soreness ended his season in July.

Scouting Report: On the surface, Elliott’s four-seam fastball is a below-average pitch at 88-90 mph that he spots well to both sides of the plate. His fastball gets on hitters quickly, though, due his elite extension out of his three-quarters arm slot and plays up well beyond its velocity. Elliott uses a fastball-heavy attack and keeps hitters off balance with a low-80s, above-average changeup as his main secondary. He is working to tighten his mid-70s slider to make it an average pitch. Elliott throws plenty of strikes with above-average control, but the Padres want to see him up his tempo on the mound. They also hope he can fill out his lanky 6-foot-3 frame and unlock more velocity with more time in the gym.

The Future: Elliott’s fastball-changeup combination is effective enough to play as a bulk reliever in the majors. A bump in velocity would raise his ceiling considerably.

Track Record: The Padres purchased Contreras’ rights from the Mexican League’s Veracruz franchise for $50,000 in 2017 and quickly realized they had a steal. Contreras finished eighth in the Low-A Midwest League in strikeouts in his pro debut in 2019 and drew high praise from general manager A.J. Preller at instructional league in 2020, but he walked off the mound at the end of instructs with an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Despite not pitching in an official game in two years, Contreras was added to the 40-man roster in November.

Scouting Report: A stout, stocky righthander with an advanced feel for pitching, Contreras was trending toward becoming a back of the rotation starter before his elbow injury. He locates three pitches for strikes in his 92-95 mph fastball, average downer curveball and fading, above-average changeup in the mid 80s. While none of his pitches are plus, they all play up with how he mixes and commands them. His fastball gets carry up in the zone and his curveball breaks sharply downward, giving him the north-south profile teams covet.

The Future: Contreras was progressing through his throwing program over the winter in hopes of returning to games in 2022. He’ll be just 22 on Opening Day and has time to recapture his momentum.

Track Record: Vela drew little attention in high school and was committed to Texas-Rio Grande Valley, but the Padres took a chance on him in the 28th round in 2017. The late-blooming Vela spent his first two professional seasons in the Rookie levels and came back from the coronavirus shutdown in tip-top shape. Finally sent out to full-season ball in 2021, Vela posted a 3.90 ERA and averaged 11 strikeouts per nine innings as he climbed from Low-A to High-A.

Scouting Report: Vela’s fastball has ticked up from the added strength gains to become an above-average weapon. His four-seamer now sits 91-95 mph and plays up with carry at the top of the strike zone. His fastball command is still raw, but he gets swings and misses when he locates it. Vela’s curveball with 1-to-7 break flashes plus and is among the best curves in the system, while others prefer his deceptive, side-spinning changeup that shows above-average potential. Even with below-average control, Vela’s arsenal plays against hitters on both sides of the plate. He limited lefties to a .135 batting average and righties to a .216 average in his full-season debut.

The Future: Vela is likely to settle into a middle relief role, but the Padres are in no hurry to pigeonhole him. He’ll see Double-A San Antonio in 2022.

Track Record: Iriarte stood 6-foot-2 and weighed 160 pounds when he signed with the Padres for $75,000 in 2018 out of Venezuela. He had a growth spurt and packed on muscle after signing and now stands an imposing 6-foot-5, 200 pounds. Iriarte showed well in the Dominican Summer League after he signed and was pitching in the Arizona Complex League in 2021 when the Padres pushed him to Low-A Lake Elsinore after the Storm lost multiple players to Covid-19 protocols. Iriarte wasn’t ready for the assignment and got hit hard, but still showed enough to emerge as a sleeper.

Scouting Report: Iriarte’s fastball sat 85-87 mph when he signed but now sits 95-97 after his explosive growth spurt. His fastball plays up with carry through the top of the strike zone and his 86-87 mph changeup with late fade has the makings of a future plus pitch. Iriarte’s 83-85 mph slider could become above-average and gives him the three-pitch mix to be a starter. Iriarte’s stuff is mostly potential at this point and he is still very raw as a pitcher. He got shelled for 25 hits and 27 earned runs in nine innings at Lake Elsinore and has a long way to go. His control is fringy and needs work.

The Future: The Padres see Iriarte as a starting pitching prospect who just needs reps. His stuff could make him a hard-throwing reliever if his control doesn’t come.

Track Record: Rosier led the Southern Conference in hits and triples and tied for the conference lead in runs and RBIs as a third-year sophomore in 2021. He also enjoyed a power surge with 12 home runs after hitting just three in his first 166 collegiate plate appearances. The Mariners drafted Rosier in the 12th round and signed him for $125,000, and he quickly hit his way to Low-A Modesto in a loud pro debut. The Padres were among the teams to take notice and acquired Rosier as one of two prospects for Adam Frazier after the season.

Scouting Report: Rosier is a contact-oriented hitter with a simple approach and setup and a fluid lefthanded swing. He shows solid control of the strike zone and had nearly as many walks (18) nearly as strikeouts (22) with Modesto. Rosier’s home runs were mostly to the pull-side in college and he could develop more pop, but he’s a contact hitter first. Rosier’s plus-plus speed is his best tool. He uses it efficiently to steal bases and covers ample ground in center field. He is an above-average defender in center and has plus arm strength that keeps runners from taking extra bases.

The Future: Rosier is a solid bet to become at least an extra outfielder. He’ll make his organizational debut at High-A Fort Wayne in 2022.

Track Record: Cedeno signed with the Padres for $300,000 out of Venezuela in 2018 and quickly emerged as a favored low-level sleeper candidate. Many believed Cedeno was primed for a breakout season in 2021, but he suffered a meniscus tear before spring training and didn’t get on the field until late August. He hit .241/.354/.537 with 11 extra-base hits in 19 games in the Arizona Complex League after he returned and was a full participant in instructional league.

Scouting Report: Cedeno boasts a line-drive approach and solid bat-to-ball skills as a young switch-hitter. He’s a better hitter from the left side and does a solid job of not chasing out of the strike zone, although he swings and misses in the zone a bit much. Cedeno’s strong forearms have the Padres believing he’ll develop more power as he matures. He is an average runner with an average arm and has the potential to be an average defender across the infield. He primarily plays shortstop now but figures to settle in as a third baseman or an offensive-minded second baseman

The Future: Cedeno will still be young for the league when he makes his way to Low-A in 2022.

Track Record: Montesino signed with the Padres for $1 million out of Venezuela when the 2020-21 international signing period opened, one of four players the Padres gave a seven-figure bonus. He made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League after signing and was the Padres’ most productive hitter on the team.

Scouting Report: A left-handed hitter with a hanging leg kick, Montesino has a loose swing with good bat control and an all-fields approach. He has advanced pitch recognition for his age, giving him the early foundation to be a potentially above-average hitter. Montesino’s broad shoulders stoke belief that he will develop plus power as he matures, although that requires a lot of physical projection. Montesino is firmly a bat-first prospect. He’s a below-average runner and is likely headed to first base if he can’t improve his reads and jumps in the outfield corners. He’s less athletic than most of his peers.

The Future: The Padres see Montesino as a middle-of-the-order threat, but he will have to take care not to lose his athleticism and bat speed as he matures. He’ll make his stateside debut in 2022.

Track Record: Cleveland drafted Waldron in the 18th round in 2019 and signed him for $5,000 before trading him to the Padres in the 2020 deal that sent Mike Clevinger to San Diego. Waldron started toying with a knuckleball during 2021 spring training and the low-spin floater intrigued the Padres, who convinced him to feature the weapon. Waldron rode the knuckler to a solid early showing at High-A Fort Wayne and a promotion to Double-A San Antonio before shoulder soreness sidelined him in August. He returned in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Previously, Waldron’s repertoire was rather nondescript for a minor league righthander: a 92-94 mph fastball with a fringy slider and a fringy changeup. The introduction of his knuckleball, however, gives Waldron a chance to stand out. He throws two varieties of the floater, a low-80s one and a low-70s version. He moved to throwing his knuckleball 80% of the time as the season progressed. His control of his knuckleball is fringy, and the pitch tends to get hit as it flattens out late in games.

The Future: Waldron should return to Double-A to start 2022.