San Diego Padres: Margot Excels in AFL, Poised for Breakout 2017

Of all the players to get excited about for the San Diego Padres, Manuel Margot may be the most promising. He has been tearing it up in the Arizona Fall League, and could easily break out in 2017.

The Arizona Fall League has now concluded, and there is good news for the San Diego Padres. Manuel Margot, the 22-year-old prospect in San Diego’s outfield, appears to be on track for a surprising 2017.

In the Arizona Fall League, Margot has shown a lot of promise. As expected, the young outfielder’s speed has propelled his game to a whole new level. Unlike many anticipated, the native of the Dominican Republic has found a little bit of power as well.

Over 24 games this fall, Margot has gradually improved, getting hot in the final week. During his seven game hitting streak, the top Padres’ outfield prospect has connected on two long balls. He’s also swiped seven bases during his time in the AFL, showcasing his blazing speed.

All in all, Margot hit .286, not quite as high as fans may be looking for in their future superstar. But this was a small sample size, as everything seems to have been in Margot’s young career. Plus, seeing what the young outfielder can do to help San Diego in the future beyond batting average was more important. The conclusion fans ought to come to is an encouraging one.

After playing just ten games and logging only 37 plate appearances at the major league level, it is still unknown whether or not Margot’s diverse skill set will translate to baseball’s biggest stage. However, fans can have confidence after seeing what their future star can do in the AFL.

High Expectations

As the organization’s second ranked prospect, Margot is certainly facing high expectations entering what is expected to be his first full major league season. Fortunately, Margot still has time to develop.

Fans may be pleasantly surprised though with what San Diego’s center fielder can do in his first true season. With the pressure shared by some of the other young players including Hunter Renfore and Ryan Schimpf, Margot will have an opportunity to get his feet wet in the majors before the club finds themselves in contention. This will ultimately benefit a Padres team that may be very dangerous in several years.

But not matter how he performs, having Margot hit near the top of the order and play center field every day would be a welcomed sight. This would foreshadow what the Padres hope to see in the future.

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A break out year still seems possible though. With Margot now stealing bases and hitting home runs, he could become more than a player that hits for average. The 22-year-old could become a complete player, if he continues the pace of development he is currently following.

Fans should remember, Margot was not long ago playing rookie ball in the Boston Red Sox organization. He didn’t reach AAA until 2016, the same seasons in which he scratched the surface of the major leagues as a September call up. The pace Margot is developing at is staggering, and his AFL performance only furthers this trend.

Next: New Uniforms for 2017 Released

The question remains whether or not all of this will translate to the major league level, of course. Only time will tell. But as far as potential goes, Margot has a lot more than most give him credit for. Fans should expect a possible break out year in 2016.