San Diego Padres: Lucchesi And Lauer Are Here, Who’s Next?

Anderson Espinosa No. 5 Padres Pitching Prospect, ETA 2020, Age: 20

Acquired by the Padres in the messy Drew Pomeranz trade with the Red Sox in 2016, Anderson Espinosa will spend the entire year rehabbing due to having Tommy John surgery in June of 2017.

He has yet to throw a pitch for the Padres with any affiliated teams, but the stuff is there for this young man.

Espinosa’s arsenal includes a heavy fastball that has the ability to hit 100 MPH, a respectable changeup, and a work in progress curveball.

Once the Padres’ number one pitching prospect, Anderson Espinoza’s biggest question mark is his health.

He has all the makings to become a front of the line starter, but depending on how he responds from surgery will determine what adjustments he will have to make to get back to pitching at a high level.

Adrian Morejon No. 4 Padres Pitching Prospect, ETA 2020 Age: 19

After having a very successful amateur career pitching Cuba, the Padres signed Adrian Morejon for a franchise-record $11 million in 2016.

Morejon certainly has the ability to live up to his big bonus due to the fact all of his pitches project to be above-average. His fastball already sits at 96 MPH and with only being 6’0″ ft, 175 pounds, there is still room to grow physically

Last year was Morejon’s first year in pro-ball and pitched in Low-A. He was able to compile a 3-4 record to go with a 3.86 ERA in 63 innings.

This year Morejon will find himself pitching in High-A Lake Elsinore. In three starts so far this year, Morejon has struggled. He has an ERA over 5.00, but he is still very young and only in his second full year of pro-ball.

Morejon currently projects mostly as a number-two starter in a rotation, but depending if he can constantly repeat his delivery and display being able to attack the strike zone could perhaps show he is capable of being a number-one guy.