San Diego Padres: Two To Watch For Fort Wayne TinCaps

One is a college pitcher while the other is a toolsy-outfielder out of high school, and both are looking to break out in 2018.

Nick Margevicius won’t light up a radar gun or blow away hitters with his high velocity, however, he does possess impeccable command on the mound.

A seventh-round pick in last year’s draft, Margevicius tossed 48 innings between the Arizona League and Tri-City (Northwest League) in his MiLB debut. In Tri-City, Margevicius worked a 1.24 ERA, giving up just 20 hits and four walks in 29 innings. Between both levels, he combined for a 62/8 K/BB ratio, .214 opponents’ batting average, and a 0.98 WHIP.

The 6’5″ left-handed pitcher routinely worked deep into games during his college career. He has a chance to stick as a starter as he moves up through the system, but projects more as a relief option at the big league level. One of the deciding factors in that projection is whether he can develop a third major-league pitch.

Margevicius is a three-pitch pitcher who works his fastball at 90-91 mph. His ability to command the pitch and work both sides of the plate effectively led to a strikeout rate of just under 33% in both short-season and Arizona League ball.

The key to 2018 will be incorporating his curveball into the mix. Adding in the breaking pitch will be critical in continuing to miss bats and keeping more advanced hitters off-balance.

Tre Carter is one of the best athletes in the San Diego Padres farm system.

Tre Carter, an 11th round pick in 2016 out of Soddy-Daisy HS in Tennessee, fits the mold of the toolsy-outfielder that the Padres continue to stockpile in their system.

The left-handed hitting center fielder showcased blazing speed and some pop in 2017 with the Tri-City Dust Devils. He appeared in 68 games, compiling six doubles, 11 triples, three home runs, and 16 stolen bases. Like many other prospects who profile similar to Carter, he strikes out a lot. Last season, Carter struck out in just under 33% of his at-bats while working a .230 batting average and .303 on-base percentage.

What separates Carter from his peers is his athleticism. Take a look at this opposite-field triple from last season.

That’s another reason why Tre Carter is a prospect to watch in 2018 for Fort Wayne, his ability to hit the ball to every part of the ballpark. Here is his spray chart from 2017, courtesy of Daren Wilman’s MLBfarm.com data set. If you take a look at where he placed his base-hits, you can see just how well Carter can place a baseball anywhere on the field.

Next: Padres Look To Rebound Against Colorado Rockies

Fort Wayne, Indiana will be one of the most exciting and intriguing cities on the minor league baseball circuit this season. With seven Top 30 prospects, including the 19th best prospect in all of baseball (Mackenzie Gore), the TinCaps will have roll out a quality product on the field every single night. They begin their season Thursday night against the Lake County Captains, the Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.