San Diego Padres Hot Talent Lava Ranked The Hottest In MLB

MLB Pipeline has finished releasing their Top 30 Prospects lists for all 30 MLB franchises. Coming in at number one on that list was the San Diego Padres.

It’s official. The San Diego Padres #HotTalentLava is hottest of them all! MLB Pipeline has ranked the Friars’ farm system as the best in all of baseball.

That talent has been on display early and often this spring. Infielder Luis Urias is 4-9 (.444) through the first two weeks of action. All four hits have been doubles. He’s also added three walks and two runs scored to his resume.

Outfielder Franchy Cordero has been one of the biggest highlights of spring. Currently hitting .385, Cordero has added two home runs (one in-the-park), two doubles, and three runs driven in. He’s going to force manager Andy Green to make a very tough decision in the upcoming weeks.

Fans can view the entire Top 30 list with tool grades and short breakdowns of each prospect here. Let’s dive into the list by looking at some of the biggest surprises, including who is and who isn’t on this list, who is ranked higher/lower than anticipated, and who will more than likely graduate from this list in 2018.

Nothing but major league talent for the San Diego Padres in Top 10.

There aren’t any surprises within the top 10.

1. SS Fernando Tatis Jr
2. LHP Mackenzie Gore
3. IF Luis Urias
4. RHP Cal Quantrill
5. RHP Michel Baez
6. LHP Adrian Morejon
7. RHP Anderson Espinoza
8. LHP Logan Allen
9. LHP Joey Lucchesi
10. OF Franchy Cordero

You can’t go wrong at the top spot. Whether you believe Tatis should claim the top spot or Gore, it doesn’t matter. This is really a 1A and 1B ranking with these two guys. Tatis appears well on his way to reaching the majors in September and jumps from the four spot (2017) to the top spot after an explosive 2017 campaign.

One pleasant surprise within this top 10 is Cordero. After claiming Rookie of the Year and MVP titles in the Dominican Winter League, Cordero has refused to cool off through the early part of spring training. He’s showing better patience at the plate, solid contact, and elite power and speed.

I don’t expect Cordero to remain on the updated version of this list come mid-season. He’s making a very persuasive case to make the big league ballclub out of spring training.

A pair of young outfielders cracks the Top 20 for the San Diego Padres.

11. SS Gabriel Arias

12. 2B Esteury Ruiz (up 18 spots)

13. LHP Eric Lauer

14. RHP Jacob Nix

15. OF Tirso Ornelas

16. 1B Josh Naylor

17. 3B Hudson Potts

18. OF Jorge Ona

19. OF Jeisson Rosario

20. OF Edward Olivares

Last season, Ornelas wasn’t among the Top 30 prospects for the Padres. The 17-year-old left-handed outfielder dominated the Arizona League in his stateside debut.

Over 53 games, Ornelas slashed .276/.399/.408 and added three home runs, 11 doubles, and three triples. He projects as a power-hitting corner outfielder at the major league level. Ornelas showed an impeccable eye for a teenager making his debut. He drew 40 walks in 196 at-bats. He, along with Arias, will be two of the most intriguing prospects to watch in 2018.

Rounding out the Top 20 is newly acquired outfielder, Edward Olivares. We highlighted Olivares after the Padres sent Yangervis Solarte to Toronto in exchange for the 21-year-old. He’s been described as a sleeper prospect after being overshadowed by Bo Bichette and others in the Toronto system. In any other farm system, Olivares is a potential Top 10/15 prospect. He will again be overshadowed by the likes of Tatis, Urias, and Gore, but keep a close eye on his progression now that he’s fully healthy.

Power relievers highlight the back end of the San Diego Padres Top 30 list.

21. RHP Trey Wingenter

22. RHP Andres Munoz

23. RHP Chris Paddack

24. C Luis Campusano

25. RHP Mason Thompson

26. RHP Pedro Avila

27. IF Luis Almanzar

28. RHP David Bednar

29. C Austin Allen

30. OF Michael Gettys

Despite not playing in 2017, Chris Paddack jumps four spots to 23rd on this list. A strikeout pitcher with an outstanding ability to miss bats, the Padres will slowly work Paddack from injury this season.

Making one of the biggest jumps in the rankings is relief pitcher, Trey Wingenter. Kyle Glaser of Baseball America highlighted Wingenter as a prospect to watch during his  Baseball America Top 30 Padres podcast back in January. I fully expect Wingenter to find his way into the Padres’ bullpen before too much longer.

Also making their Top 30 debuts are RHP Andres Munoz (.181 opponents’ BA over 24 games in short-season and Low-A), RHP Pedro Avila (170/33 K/BB ratio, 3.70 ERA for Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne), and RHP David Bednar (11 saves, 2.64 ERA, and 81/20 K/BB ratio with Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne).

Top name missing from this list?

There are plenty of names MLB Pipeline could have added, however, there is one name that I’m surprised is not on this list. Outfielder Mason House fell off after ending 2017 at number 22.

House played 39 games in the Arizona League, hitting .293 with a .354 on-base percentage. Some evaluators, including John Sickels of MinorLeagueBall.com, give the 19-year-old a 60-grade on his power and speed.

The outfield may be the deepest position in this farm system, so cracking the Top 30 is extremely difficult. As I mentioned, there are a number of prospects who have major league tools, not on the Top 30 list.

What do you think? Any names you wanted to see in the Top 30 that aren’t there?

Next: Padres Have Every Reason To Be Confident

Keep trusting the process Padres’ fans. The first wave of this talented system is quickly making their case for a big-league call-up. The next few years are going to be a lot of fun!