The revolving door that is prospect-capital zigged and zagged once again in 2024 for the San Diego Padres. The club finally elected to acquire talent on the farm rather than exclusively jettison more out the door.
General Manager A.J. Preller has done well in evaluating amateur and minor league talent throughout his tenure with the Friars. Thus, deciding to move Juan Soto prior to the 2024 season in exchange for a Brinks truck of prospects proved fruitful.
The Padres ended up leaning heavily on players acquired from New York in their journey to the NLCS this summer. While the Yankees made the World Series with Soto on board, it remains to be seen if Preller and the Padres could have had their strong season without the players they acquired in return.
That trade, along with several other acquisitions and farm system developments, has helped position San Diego for the future.
DEVELOPMENTS
The Padres produced one of the elite rookies in baseball in 2024 in Jackson Merrill (.292/.326/.500, 5.3 fWAR), but the fun didn’t stop there for the dev train in the City of Motion.
Top international signing Leodalis De Vries, who just turned 18 in October, had a terrific first season in pro ball, despite missing time on the IL. In 75 games at Single-A Lake Elsinore, the switch-hitting shortstop batted .237/.361/.441 as one of the younger players in the circuit, outshining the Padres’ No. 1 prospect Ethan Salas.
Victor Lizarraga, 20, and Isaiah Lowe, 21, established themselves as developmental starters on their way to the same role in the majors with strong campaigns.
QUESTIONS
The 18-year-old Salas’ .206/.288/.311 slash is the first bump in the road for the juggernaut catcher prospect, but internally the club isn’t disappointed, despite the numbers, noting consistencies in process that will allow Salas to develop into a great player.
Scouts adore Salas’ bat speed and athleticism and generally believe his floor is a big-league average defender with an above-average bat, but there’s still a potential star on the way. The question now is about ETA.
The Padres lack near-ready starting pitching and some of the role decisions with their high-upside arms such as Henry Baez will be on full display in 2025.
Baez has touched the upper 90s and generates swings and misses with his four-seamer and a 77-81 mph slider with downer action. His changeup is of the firm variety thrown with a split grip but is a ways away. That and his below-average control suggest some reliever risk as he approaches the big leagues.
The Padres’ top pitching prospects — Mayfield and Bateman — appear to be at least a few years from the major leagues, and as many as four, assuming all goes well along the way.
The mound may be where even more resources are used this winter.
ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS
As is usually the case with Preller and the Friars, young, high-ceiling talent was the priority in the Draft. San Diego acquired left-handed pitcher Kash Mayfield (1) in the first round and didn’t stop there. Fellow southpaw Boston Bateman (2), as well as prep infielders Cobb Hightower (3) and Kale Fountain (5), rounded out a high-school heavy draft; a tact San Diego employs every summer.
Equipped with three fourth-round picks, the Padres selected right-handed pitchers Tyson Neighbors and Clark Candiotti, as well as Tennessee outfielder Kavares Tears all within 18 picks of each other. Neighbors could contribute as early as 2025 while Candiotti, son of 16-year big leaguer Tom Candiotti, should be a quick riser through San Diego’s system as well.
San Diego also made a couple of trades for relievers at the deadline that cost them some depth. The club sent RHP Dylan Lesko, OF Homer Bush Jr., C J.D. Gonzalez, RHP Adam Mazur, 2B Jay Beshears, LHP Robby Snelling, and 3B Graham Pauley out of town in acquiring right-handers Jason Adam and Bryan Hoenig and lefty Tanner Scott.
GRADUATIONS
Jackson Merrill, OF
Bryce Johnson, OF
Matt Waldron, RHP
Jeremiah Estrada, RHP
Randy Vasquez, RHP
Yuki Matsui, LHP
Merrill played like a star while Waldron and Estrada played key roles on the pitching staff — Waldron as a fine back-end starter, Estrada as a boost to the bullpen with huge strikeout numbers.
Matsui was a strong lefty out of the pen who dominated batters from either side of the plate.
BIG-LEAGUE RADAR (yet to debut)
Henry Baez, RHP
Victor Lizarraga, RHP
Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP
Brandon Valenzuela, C
Francis Pens, RHP
Braden Nett, RHP
Jayvien Sandridge, LHP
Tyson Neighbors, RHP
Omar Cruz, LHP
Cole Paplham, RHP
SCOUT SAYS
“It’s been an endless run of talent in and out of that place, and while it’d be easy to say it finally looks like they’re beginning to run dry, it wouldn’t be wise to make assumptions like that. Not about this group. It’s the thing A.J. (Preller) has done best and it’s kept his club in the mix for any and every player made trade-available.
“What gets left in the fog is how well and balanced they are from a development point of view. They aren’t out there out-scouting teams, they’re getting in early, signing big-time aircraft carriers of physical abilities, and then fine-tuning them into skilled players up in the big leagues.”
CHURCHILL: Padres, add pricey arms
