San Diego Padres: Big Opportunity For Key Prospects In Arizona Fall League

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: Buddy Reed #23 of the San Diego Padres and the U.S. Team cannot make a catch on a home run hits a by Yusniel Diaz #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the World Team (not pictured) in the seventh inning during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: Buddy Reed #23 of the San Diego Padres and the U.S. Team cannot make a catch on a home run hits a by Yusniel Diaz #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the World Team (not pictured) in the seventh inning during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
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SAN DIEGO, CA – APRIL 3: San Diego Padres manager Andy Green talks with Ron Fowler, Executive Chairman of the San Diego Padres, before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at PETCO Park on April 3, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA – APRIL 3: San Diego Padres manager Andy Green talks with Ron Fowler, Executive Chairman of the San Diego Padres, before a baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at PETCO Park on April 3, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

A number of exciting San Diego Padres prospects will continue their seasons in the high-profile Arizona Fall League.

For those of you who love elite prospects who will one day litter the rosters of major league ballclubs, the Arizona Fall League is a lot like waking up on Christmas morning, over and over again from October 9th to November 17th. This year’s group representing the San Diego Padres will be in need of an opportunity to make a statement.

As of Thursday evening, the Padres will send Austin Allen, Hudson Potts, Buddy Reed, and Hansel Rodriguez to play for the Peoria Javelinas. San Diego will be allowed to add two more starting pitchers to the roster but will wait to decide on who they send.

The Peoria team features prospects from the Padres, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Seattle Mariners, and Tampa Bay Rays. Two big names on this year’s preliminary roster (non-Padres players) are Cristian Pache (55th ranked prospect) of the Braves and Keston Hiura (26th ranked prospect) of the Brewers.

The minor league schedule isn’t fully complete yet, however, here’s where each of the Padres’ AFL prospects has performed this season, thus far.

Catcher Austin Allen

Allen erupted to start the 2018 MiLB season, leading many writers to look at the possibility of an Allen/Austin Hedges platoon in the near future. Unfortunately for Allen, the Padres traded for top catching prospect, Francisco Mejia, at this year’s trade deadline. That didn’t stop Allen from putting up an impressive 2018 campaign.

Playing all season with the AA San Antonio Missions, Allen hit .289 with a .352 OBP and an .860 OPS. He collected 30 doubles (giving him 93 for his career) and matched his career-high in home runs with 22. Allen put up better numbers in nearly every statistical category after making the jump from High-A to Double-A in 2018, even improving his defensive skills behind the plate.

Allen is Rule-5 eligible, meaning this AFL experience could be a make-or-break opportunity for Allen and his future with the San Diego Padres.

Third baseman Hudson Potts

The Padres have been aggressive with their 2016 first-round draft pick. After hitting .281 with a .350 on-base percentage, 17 home runs, and 35 doubles for the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm, Potts was promoted to the San Antonio Missions of the Texas League. He’s just 19 years old.

Potts has struggled in his 60 at-bats with the Missions, however, let me repeat, he’s 19 years old. He may be striking out in more than 35% of his at-bats but Potts is drawing a walk in nearly 13% of his plate appearances and has two home runs, already.

Third base seems to be the one position that fans immediately look at as a position of need. Wil Myers moving to the hot corner may alleviate that need (if he sticks) but fans shouldn’t be sleeping on Hudson Potts. He will get his opportunity to stand above the rest, going up against some of the best pitching prospects in the game of baseball, down in Arizona.

The biggest thing to watch for this fall will be his strikeout rate. This isn’t a do-or-die situation for Potts, he has plenty of time to sit back and develop, however, putting up a respectable strikeout rate against elite talent will tell us a lot about Potts and his bat.

PEORIA, AZ – FEBRUARY 24: General of view action during the spring training game between the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex on February 24, 2013 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)
PEORIA, AZ – FEBRUARY 24: General of view action during the spring training game between the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Sports Complex on February 24, 2013 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images) /

You already know Buddy Reed, who needs a big AFL experience, however, have you seen Hansel Rodriguez pitch yet?

It has been quite the season for San Antonio Missions outfielder Buddy Reed. The switch-hitting, former second-round pick of the Padres participated in the MLB Future’s Game at the All-Star break and has been named to California League Mid-Season All-Star roster and the Texas League Post-Season All-Star roster. While with the Lake Elsinore Storm, Reed won two California League Player of the Week awards and one Player of the Month award (April).

Reed hit .324 in High-A, a near 100 point jump from his average in Fort Wayne last season. He was rewarded with a promotion to Double-A where he has struggled in his first 38 games. Reed is currently hitting just .152 with a .208 OBP. He has 58 strikeouts in 158 at-bats and is producing a wRC+ of nine. An unbelievable drop from his 146 mark in Lake Elsinore.

It’s clear that Reed has the athletic ability, stealing 50 bases between two minor league levels, and showcasing his speed in the outfield during this year’s Future’s Game. Reed will turn 24 when the 2019 season starts and needs a big showing in the Arizona Fall League to show he deserves to move forward within the organization.

Pitcher Hansel Rodriguez

Last on the current list is pitcher Hansel Rodriguez. Rodriguez will get a few much-needed innings in Arizona after missing most of the 2018 season with an injury. Originally acquired in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays (Melvin Upton Jr), Rodriguez put up a fantastic year in 2017 with the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

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Making 35 appearances (10 starts), Rodriguez went 7-9 with a 3.80 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and a 103/31 K/BB ratio. He allowed just 76 hits across 90 innings of work.

Once projected as a backend starter at the major league level, Rodriguez may be used strictly as a bullpen piece, moving forward. Currently with the Lake Elsinore Storm, Rodriguez has logged 12.2 innings (between Lake Elsinore and the Arizona League Padres), giving up five earned runs on three hits and six walks.

His fall season in Arizona will be about putting innings under his belt as he works towards pitching at full strength. Standing at 6’2″ and 170 pounds, Rodriguez has the frame to be a reliever with a 93-95 mph fastball and a decent changeup.

Just for fun, here’s Rodriguez pitching against Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Five Positives From The Second Half Of The Season. dark. Next

We will update when the Padres announce the final two participants in this year’s Arizona Fall League.

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