San Diego Padres Have a Glut of Talent, a Good Problem to Have

Whenever there’s any controversy over who’s making the team, as opposed to things being clear-cut from the opening of camp, it’s a good position to be in. The San Diego Padres are in this predicament right now.

AJ Preller is constructing a monster, Dr. Frankenstein-style. The San Diego Padres were winning at the rebuilding game before they went out and added Eric Hosmer this past offseason. The Friars’ talent-cup is pouring over at a number of positions.

Players like Hunter Renfroe, and Cory Spangenberg who are fighting for simply a roster spot on this team, would be shoe-in Opening Day bench players, or more, with a dozen other ballclubs.

Franchy Cordero and Manuel Margot are both MLB-ready and look to roam the Petco Park outfield-grass, and beautifully, for the next half-dozen years or so.

Nearly all of the Pads young pitching prospects are blossoming into bonafide MLB-level talent, which is a rare feat in itself. The credit for that and the many other instances of the Padres developing remarkable talent comes down to good drafting, naturally.

Eric Lauer was just sent to minor-league camp yesterday, but him and Joey Lucchesi, figure to make their MLB-debuts later this season, if not much sooner in Lucchesi’s case.

San Diego Padres have more blue-chip prospects coming down the line

On the horizon, the Padres have stud hurlers like Michael Baez, Cal Quantrill, MacKenzie Gore, Adrain Morejon, and Jacob Nix, as well as many others, coming through the pipeline.

More from Friars on Base

• Jurickson Profar free agency update likely rules out Padres reunion
• Fernando Tatis Jr. may not take to outfield move after Xander Bogaerts addition
• Padres News: Fernando Tatis Jr. trade rumors, Seth Lugo chase, Manny Machado
• Padres barely missed out on high-end veteran starting pitcher
• This veteran DH target seems ideal for contending Padres roster

Position players like Luis Urias, Fernando Tatis, Jr., Gabriel Arias, and Josh Naylor, just to name a few, figure to populate this Friars lineup for years to come.

Whether Wil Myers or Eric Hosmer are here for five years or ten, the influx of talent that will be trickling (at times gushing) onto this team from its farm system will be significant.

When Eric Hosmer is 35-years-old and Josh Naylor is chomping at the bit to take his spot, he’ll be well prepared, no doubt.

By the time Jeisson Rosario or Michael Gettys (sooner, for sure), get here, not only will the Friars have a better idea of what they have, exactly, in Franchy Cordero and Manuel Margot, they’ll have even more players (pitchers and position guys), ready to make the jump into the big leagues.

Next: Expect a Lot of This for the Padres in 2018

And the cycle repeats itself. Funny business, this game of baseball.