San Diego Padres: Tonight’s Glimpse Into The (Near?) Future.

Ready for even more baseball in your life? Four San Diego Padres minor league affiliates will kick off their 2018 seasons today on MiLB Opening Day!

We’re now one week into the Major League Baseball season and our San Diego Padres are off to a1-5 start. The slow start on the field has been compounded by a series of unfortunate, and possibly extremely serious, injuries to a few of the team’s best players.

The Padres have been eerily quietly on the injury to starting pitcher Dinelson Lamet. Friar faithful have been impatiently waiting to hear an official diagnosis, however, the news may come as a sharp blow to the gut. Without official word from the organization, rumors have swirled around from a minor elbow issue that will keep him away for a few weeks to the very real possibility of Tommy John surgery.

There’s also star outfielder, Wil Myers. Myers was placed on the 10-day disabled list before yesterday’s loss to the Rockies with an elbow injury.

Padres’ fans need a breath of fresh air. Lucky for us, Major League Baseball’s top farm system begin their 2018 campaigns tonight! All four minor league affiliates start on the road, ready to debut rosters full of unbelievable talent.

Tonight’s must watch, the El Paso Chihuahuas.

There’s no way to sugarcoat the Padres starting rotation, it’s been underwhelming. Clayton Richard pitched like Clayton Richard in his second start of the year after an impressive Opening Day stint. Luis Perdomo couldn’t hit the strike zone and Bryan Mitchell failed to record a strike out.

Fret not, Padres fans. Taking the mound for the El Paso Chihuahuas tonight is LHP Eric Lauer. Lauer, 22, has quickly risen through the farm system since becoming a first-round pick of the Padres in 2016.

He has a career 3.05 ERA, 169/45 K/BB ratio, and 1.21 WHIP in 31 minor league starts. Possessing a plus-slider and impeccable command with his low-90s fastball, the left-handed Lauer has been viewed as one of the most polished pitching prospects since joining the system in 2016.

Many believed that it would be Lauer, not Lucchesi, to reach the majors first. Lucchesi made his big league debut, starting the second game of the season, however, Lauer will not be far behind. Don’t be surprised to see Lauer pitching at Petco Park before the All-Star break, if he looks good in El Paso.

Joining Lauer on the field tonight, second baseman Luis Urias. Urias is coming off a successful spring training, hitting five doubles and drawing five walks in 28 at-bats. His plus-plus hit tool is well documented, along with his plus-fielding and arm.

Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser believes Urias is a future batting title champion. Not only has he hit .310 over the course of his minor league career, he’s reached base at a .396 clip. He has 153 walks and just 135 strikeouts in 1,306 at-bats. Do we really need to say anything more?

Next: Two Prospects To Watch In Lake Elsinore

Eric Lauer, Luis Urias, and the rest of the El Paso Chihuahuas will take the field at 7:00 pm PT tonight against the Las Vegas 51s (NY Mets affiliate). The 51s will send Corey Oswalt to the mound.