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The next position in our Organizational Depth Chart is Second Base. The players in this list are the ones that we believe the team would install as the starter should the players ahead of him go down. Feel free to comment below and let’s talk about this list!
#1 – Jedd Gyorko (2013 – MLB: .249/.301/.444, 23 HR, 63 RBI, 1 SB, 486 at-bats; .992 Fld%, 4.26 RF/G – 125 games, 114 starts*) Jedd Gyorko is the no doubt, absolute, 100% starter. There is no room for debate there. There is some debate about whether or not he is the no doubt, absolute, 100% starter at Second Base. Gyorko came up as a Third Baseman and it would appear that his bat belongs to a Third Baseman. He doesn’t have much speed, in case you couldn’t tell by his one stolen base. That being said, the Padres have a Third Baseman, for at least one more season, who happens to be the “Face of the Franchise”. Gyorko will definitely be at Second for the Padres in 2014. Next year, he may be number one on this list at a different position, but that remains to be seen. No matter where he plays, the Padres are glad to have him in the lineup.
#2 – Jonathan Galvez (2013 – AAA: .278/.342/.385, 6 HR, 51 RBI, 22 SB, 486 at-bats; .959 Fld%, 4.07 RF/G – 112 games, 74 starts*) I don’t know what’s going to happen with Chase Headley. I would like to think that Headley will come out and perform like he did during August and September of 2012, but this time do it all season. If that doesn’t happen, I think he will be gone. If that happens, it could open the door for Galvez, with Gyorko moving to Third Base. Galvez has a career minor league slash line of .280/.368/.424 with 44 HR, 279 RBI and 111 SB in 6 seasons. He is exactly what you want in a Second Baseman. He just needs a place to play.
#3 – Logan Forsythe (2013 – MLB: .214/.281/.332, 6 HR, 19 RBI, 6 SB, 243 at-bats; .988 Fld%, 4.65 RF/G – 75 games, 31 starts*) This year there will be a pretty big battle for the utility infielder spot in camp. Forsythe has 2B, 3B, SS and OF for the Padres. He is a valuable asset as a utility man but, he would only be called on to be the starting Second Baseman full time if things got really bad. Also, he still has minor league options and may end up heading to AAA El Paso to work full time as an outfielder thanks to El Paso’s already full infield.
#4 – Cory Spangenberg (2013 – AA: .289/.331/.366, 2 HR, 20 RBI, 19 SB, 287 at-bats; .988 Fld%, 4.45 RF/G – 76 games, 75 starts*) Spangenberg is the Second Baseman of the future for the Padres, if he learns to be a little more discerning at the plate. His defense is improving constantly. His career minor league average is .291 and he is a doubles machine. Because of the crowded infield in El Paso, he will most likely head back to AA San Antonio to continue to work on his defense and wait for a spot to open up in San Diego.
#5 – Maxx Tissenbaum (2013 – A: .277/.365/.359, 2 HR, 49 RBI, 4 SB, 415 at-bats; .967 Fld%, 4.14 RF/G – 111 games, 92 starts*) Maxx is a left-handed hitting Second Baseman who was drafted out of Stony Brook in 2012. His college slash was .362/.427/.516. The power may have dissipated a little with the switch to wood bats but, Tissenbaum is still hitting for a very good average (.282) and still has a decent OBP (.375). He spent all of 2013 and Class A Fort Wayne while blogging about his season over at Jewish Baseball News. Hopefully Maxx can get another writing gig this year, whether he’s in A ball again or maybe even AA. Hey Maxx, if you need another job, we are always looking for writers!
We’ve got a few Second Basemen of the future to look forward to here. Who do you consider to be the future for the Padres? Let’s talk about it in the comment section! Stay tuned for more of our Organizational Depth Chart series.
Links to previous Organizational Depth Charts:
*All fielding statistics are based on the number of games played at right field. The offensive statistics are based on all at-bats during the season.
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