San Diego Padres: 2017 final edition of top 30 prospects

With the minor league season now all but a distant memory and the major league regular season ending Sunday, let us take a look at the San Diego Padres top 30 prospects, final edition.

The 2017 season for the Padres has been very unexpected to say the least. Lots of ups, PLENTY of downs and a better record than most had predicted. Although the last two weeks or so is what most in the industry had anticipated.

The youngsters had plenty of growing pains but now can look ahead to bigger and better things. The everyday lineup as well as the pitching rotation and bullpen look to have plenty of capable major leaguers, and perhaps even a few future all-stars.

With the likes of Manuel Margot, Austin Hedges, Hunter Renfroe, and Carlos Asuaje all making valuable contributions on the everyday lineup side of things. And Dinelson Lamet, Luis Perdomo, Jose Torres, and Phil Maton contributing on the pitching side.

One thing all the above mentioned names have in common. All of them once resided on past Padre top 30 prospects lists. If A.J. Preller and company can get anywhere next to eight players off of the list complied below, the Padre future is very bright.

This list will have plenty of familiar names on it for sure, but will also have some surprises. You will see more relief options than normal prospects list usually have too.

I value statistics more than other publications out there. This wonderful game of baseball that we all love has always been about the numbers. If you don’t have them, you don’t make it in this game.

With that being said, here is my final edition in 2017 of the club’s top 30 prospects. It will have the player name, place he plays, affiliate in which he finished the year, and his estimated time of arrival to the major leagues.

1) Mackenzie Gore, LH SP, Arizona Rookie league, ETA 2020. The 2017 first round pick showed why he was the number three overall in this past years draft. Should headline a deep Low-A Fort Wayne rotation next season.

2) Fernando Tatis Jr. ,SS, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2019. Padres may have finally found their Shortstop of the future. Could be a consensus top 10 prospect come the spring if he has a great Dominican Winter league season.

3) Joey Lucchesi, LH SP, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. 2016 fourth rounder has been better than the two first round picks from the same draft class.

4) Michel Baez, RH SP, Low-A Fort Wayne Tin Caps, ETA 2019-20. 2016 international class signee had a great state side début. Could move quickly through the system.

5) Luis Urias, 2B, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. Best pure hitter in the system. Could see time with the big league club in 2018.

6) Eric Lauer, LH SP, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. 2016 first rounder had a great full season début. Could see the majors in the second half of 2018.

7) Cal Quantrill, RH SP, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. Son of former major leaguer Paul Quantrill. Futures games participant this past summer.

8) Franchy Cordero, CF, AAA-El Paso Chihuahuas, ETA 2018. Power-Speed combo is very intriguing. Should be in a very crowded outfield mix during the spring.

9) Logan Allen, LH SP, High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, ETA 2019-20. Midwest league All-Star. Promoted to the California league after dominating Low-A ball.

10) Josh Naylor, 1B, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2019-20. Futures game participant for the international team two years in a row. Cal league all-star before his promotion to the Texas league.

11) Enyel De Los Santos, RH SP, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2019. Acquired in the trade for Joaquin Benoit after the 2015 season. Very consistent first year in the Texas league.

12) Adrian Morejon, LH SP, Low-A Fort Wayne Tin Caps, ETA 2019-20. The jewel of the 2016 international class. Had a good start in his stateside début.

13) Chris Paddack, RH SP, Low-A Fort Wayne Tin Caps, ETA 2019-20. Acquired for Fernando Rodney at the 2016 trade deadline. Had video game type numbers before Tommy John surgery.

14) Anderson Espinoza, RH SP, High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, ETA 2019-20. Padres number one prospect heading in to the 2017 season. Will more than likely miss two full years of development due to the Tommy John curse of the franchise.

15) Austin Allen, C, High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, ETA 2019-20. Padres best catching prospect. Bat first catcher, could move thru the system quickly. 20 homer season in 2017.

16) Brett Kennedy, RH SP, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. Was the Missions most consistent starter in 2017. Led the Friars system in wins this year.

17) Christian Villanueva, 3B, AAA-El Paso Chihuahuas, ETA 2018. Career minor leaguer put up good numbers in his first taste of the big leagues during his September call-up.

18) Franmil Reyes, RF, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. Led the Padres minor league system in Home runs and runs batted in this season.

19) Hudson Potts, 3B, Low-A First Wayne Tin Caps, ETA 2019-20. 2016 first round pick had a wonderful full season début. Had a 20 home-run season while help leading the Tin Caps to the championship game.

20) Pedro Avila, RH SP, Low-A Fort Wayne Tin Caps, ETA 2019-20. Acquired for Derek Norris before the season. Had a breakout season with the Tin Caps after starting the year slowly with Lake Elsinore. Led the organization in strikeouts this past year.

21) Kyle McGrath, LH RP, San Diego Padres, ETA 2018. Career ERA under 2.00 in the minors. Should be among the relief options entering spring training for next years bullpen.

22) Adam Cimber, RH RP, AAA-El Paso Chihuahuas, ETA 2018. Was by far the teams most consistent relief option this season. Should be in the bullpen mix too come the spring.

23) Trey Wingenter, RH RP, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. Will be among the many relief options heading into next spring. Had a 20 Save year for the Missions this season.

24) Jacob Nix, RH SP, AAA-El Paso Chihuahuas, ETA 2018-19. Started the year in High-A ball with the Storm and finished the year starting a playoff game with El Paso. Could be in any rotation from High-A Lake Elsinore thru AAA-El Paso.

25) Michael Gettys, CF, AA-San Antonio Missions, ETA 2019-20. Played the entire regular season with Lake Elsinore. Was added to the Missions roster for their playoff run. Another Power-Speed combo player.

26) Jorge Ona, RF, Low-A Fort Wayne Tin Caps, ETA 2022-21. His game played well in his first taste of professional ball. Received the second biggest international signing bonus in team history in 2016.

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27) Nick Margevicius, LH SP, Short Season Try-City Dust Devil’s, ETA 2020-21. Drafted in the seventh round in 2017. Had a sub 2.00 ERA in his brief beginning with the organization.

28) Esteury Ruiz, 2B, Arizona Rookie league, ETA 2021-22. Acquired in the trade with the Royals right before the trade deadline this past year. Won the Arizona Rookie league Batting title.

29) Luis Campusano, C, Arizona Rookie league, ETA 2021. 2017 second round pick had a very successful introduction to pro ball. Good defensively and offensively.

30) T.J. Weir, RH RP, San Antonio Missions, ETA 2018-19. Another of the very good relief prospects in the organization. Could see time in a Friar uniform come next season.

Next: Potential in September Call-ups

You definitely see a lot of familiar names, but you also see some unfamiliarity as well. At last count, there are four different names in this edition than my original top thirty list.

The Friar Faithful have a hopeful future with the deep, deep farm system acquired within the last two years. This list clearly shows just how hopeful we can be.

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