San Diego Padres’ Top Prospects

            The San Diego Padres spent years replenishing a depleted farm system by picking promising players in recent drafts, and bolstered their roster for the long term by signing 1B Eric Hosmer and 3B/SS Manny Machado to multi-year deals. Along with a core group of young players that includes SS Fernando Tatis Jr. and C Francisco Mejía, among others, the Padres will be a formidable team in the NL West for several years, even with stiff competition from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks. 

            Unlike the Dodgers or the Diamondbacks, the Padres have the No. 2 ranked farm system in the MLB, and the best farm system in the NL West. To accompany Hosmer, Machado, Tatis Jr., and Mejía are five Top 100 prospects who are lurking in the Padres’ farm system. And all five prospects made the Padres’ 60-man roster for the shortened 2020 season.

LHP MacKenzie Gore

            Gore, MLB’s No. 5 and San Diego’s No. 1 prospect, was a human cheat code while attending Whiteville High School in North Carolina. On his way to earning the Gatorade National Player of the Year award in 2017, Gore went 11-0 with a ridiculous 0.19 ERA and 158 strikeouts to only 5 walks over 74.1 innings pitched. The Padres then drafted Gore No. 3 overall in the 2017 draft for $6.7 million.

            The 21-year-old left-handed pitcher’s scouting grade, on a 20-80 scale, has his fastball, curveball, slider, changeup, and control graded at 60 and has an overall rating of 65. His fastball sits between 92-96 mph to accompany his mid-80s slider, low-80s changeup, and mid-70s curveball. 

            Since being drafted, Gore has performed exactly as advertised. Over his minor league career, Gore is 11-8 with a 2.56 ERA and 1.01 WHIP over 183 innings pitched. He has held opponents to a .201 batting average and has 243 strikeouts with only 53 walks.

SS CJ Abrams

            Abrams, MLB’s No. 25 and San Diego’s No. 2 prospect, was drafted No. 6 overall in 2019 out of Blessed Trinity Catholic High in Roswell, Georgia, for $5.2 million. Although he only has one season of experience, Abrams finds himself on the Padres’ 60-man roster, along with Gore, Patiño, Campusano, and Trammell. 

            Abrams, a 6-foot-2 left-handed hitting shortstop, has elite speed. His running is an 80 grade, according to his scouting report. His other attributes — hitting, 60, fielding, 55, arm, 55, power, 50 — are all considerably weaker, but still above average. Abrams’ overall grade is 55.

            Abrams’ speed and hitting ability make him a dangerous opponent to face in the batter’s box. In his first 34 games with two teams, the AZL Padres 1 and Class-A affiliate Fort Wayne TinCaps, Abrams slashed .393/.442/.662 with 13 doubles, 8 triples, 3 home runs, and 15 stolen bases. Most impressively, Abrams only struck out 14 times and walked 11 times, showing excellent plate discipline skills. 

            With the new extra innings rule being implemented for the 2020 season with a runner starting each half inning on second base, I see Abrams being used as a pinch runner in many situations while also getting the occasional start when Tatis Jr. or Machado needs some rest. 

 RHP Luis Patiño

            Patiño, MLB’s No. 27 and San Diego’s No. 3 prospect, was signed by the Padres July 2, 2016, as an international free agent out of Barranquilla, Colombia. Patiño was nothing short of a steal, as the Padres signed him for $130,000. 

            Since Patiño was signed, he has been dominant, finishing with a sub 2.60 ERA in all three seasons. Over 50 appearances, 48 as a starter and twice as a relief pitcher, Patiño has pitched 234 innings while recording 279 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .208 batting average. He is 16-13 with a career 2.25 ERA and 1.10 WHIP and is sure to be a valuable addition to the Padres’ roster.

            According to Patiño’s scouting report, his fastball is his best pitch, which is rated at 65. He sits consistently in the mid-90s, but Patiño was able to flirt with 99 mph in the 2019 season. His next best pitch is a high-80s slider, which is graded at 60. According to his scouting report, Patiño fastball-slider mixture can be catastrophic for right-handed batters, which was proven as he held them to a .163/.259/.220 slash line in the 2019 season. He struggled against left-handed batters (.262/.308/.443) but Patiño should still make an impact on the bump, even if it is only as a relief pitcher or occasional spot-starter. 

C Luis Campusano

            With Mejía and Austin Hedges as locks for a bulk of starts behind the dish, Campusano may not receive many at bats in a shortened season. Campusano, MLB’s No. 50 and San Diego’s No. 4 prospect, is a right-handed batter drafted by the Padres No. 39 overall in the 2017 Draft for $1.3 million. With each season in the minors, Campusano’s hitting ability improved. It improved so much that the 2019 season, when Campusano was 20 years old, he earned the California League’s batting title, finishing his campaign with a .325 batting average.

            Campusano has proven he can hit in the minors, but it still needs to be seen if he can replicate his success at the MLB level. Since 2017, Campusano has played 217 games while logging 816 at bats. He has a career .304/.372/.444 slash line with 46 doubles, 22 home runs, and 146 RBIs. What is most impressive, in my opinion, is his plate discipline. In his 2019 season, Campusano only struck out 57 times but also walked 52 times in 422 at bats.

            According to Campusano’s scouting report, his defensive skills don’t match his offensive abilities, but he has earned praise for his athleticism, agility, and blocking ability.

OF Taylor Trammell

            Trammell, MLB’s No. 57 and San Diego’s No. 5 prospect, is a 6-foot-2 left-handed hitting and throwing outfielder originally drafted by the Cincinnati Reds No. 35 overall in 2016. Trammell was acquired by the Padres in a 2019 three-team blockbuster trade that sent SP Trevor Bauer to the Reds, and RF Franmil Reyes, LHP Logan Allen, 3B Victor Nova, and RF Yasiel Puig to the Cleveland Indians.

            The 22-year-old prospect hasn’t completely found his stroke at the plate over his minor league career, but he has shown impressive plate discipline skills. Since 2016, Trammell has slashed .270/.363/.406, which is an above average performance to say the least. However, he struggled in 2019, slashing .234/.340/.349 between two Double-A teams. 

            According to Trammell’s scouting report, his strongest attribute is his speed, as he stole 110 out of 147 bases since 2016. His power and hitting ability are not far behind, but still need adjustments before he is ready for an everyday role. Trammell’s weakest quirk is his arm strength. He was deployed exclusively as a centerfielder since being acquired by the Padres, but his scouting report suggests he is better profiled as a corner outfielder, most likely a left fielder due to his arm strength.