3 biggest questions for San Diego Padres during spring training

How will the outfield shake out?

The Padres are pretty set on the infield and behind the plate, but I think what most people want to know is how the outfield will take shape.

Left field is secured by Tommy Pham, but who plays center and right is still anyone’s guess.

In all, there could be eight players in spring training battling for time in those final two outfield spots.

That list includes Trent Grisham, Franchy Cordero, Josh Naylor, Wil Myers, Edward Olivares, Taylor Trammell, Abraham Almonte, and Juan Lagares.

Those first four are the favorites to make the team. Myers is virtually a lock to make the team unless he’s traded, and it would be very surprising if Grisham and Cordero don’t make the Opening Day roster.

Olivares and Trammell are unlikely unless they just kill it in spring training. But even then, they’re probably still going to get more time in the minors.

Almonte and Lagares are the wild cards here. They both have had Major League success in the past.

Lagares was brought in to battle for the center field position, which is what I’m most interested in.

Cordero and Grisham have the inside track on winning the job, but they’ll have to prove in spring training that they can handle the position.

There are also rumors that Tatis could get some reps in center this Spring.

While I think that’s more for future flexibility, it is something to keep an eye on in spring training.

Unless another big move happens during spring training, which is possible, these are the outfielders we’ll have going into the season.

And how they perform in spring training will determine who at least starts the season in the Padres outfield.

Can somebody supplant Profar at second base?

Jurickson Profar is making this team, that is for certain. But can one of the young guys impress enough during spring training to push him for playing time?

That’s something I’ve been pushing all offseason because I’m not counting on a big bounce-back season from Profar like some are.

And I really like some of the internal candidates the Padres have.

Jake Cronenworth is a very intriguing player who has received a lot of praise since being traded to the Padres this offseason.

He hit .334 at Triple-A last year in 344 at-bats with 10 home runs, so he’s likely ready for his big league debut. And he grades out very well at shortstop, which could be another reason why the Padres could be getting Tatis comfortable in center.

Not saying Cronenworth would push Tatis out of shortstop, but it could be another way to get Cronenworth in the  lineup every now and then if he hits like some are expecting.

Ty France and Greg Garcia both return and have been solid in the past when covering second base.

As for the non-roster guys, I’m excited to see what Owen Miller and Esteban Quiroz do in spring training.

Quiroz had a big winter playing for the Mexican national team and in the Mexican Winter League.

While Profar will definitely start the season getting most of the reps at second base for the Padres, there is still a battle with the rest of the players to prove if one of them can become the second baseman of the future in San Diego.

Can a young arm win a rotation spot

We know the top four in the starting rotation are pretty much a lock with Chris Paddack, Garrett Richards, Dinelson Lamet, Zach Davies.

And I really think the final spot will come down to Joey Lucchesi and Cal Quantrill with Lucchesi being the overwhelming favorite at the moment.

But I think what we all really want to know, and what we’ll be keeping our eye on in spring training, is if one of the younger guys can show enough to break through into the rotation.

Of course, the big names here are MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino. I think Patino is going back to the minors no matter what, and I think Gore would have to dominant over five starts like Paddack did last Spring to even have a chance.

But I might be even more curious to see how Adrian Morejon and Michel Baez perform in spring training as both are expected to be stretched back out as starters.

Both were babied a bit in 2019, and for good reason, but both also still have the potential to be mid-rotation starters.

And we all know the Padres are going to need more than six starters throughout the season.

Hopefully Morejon and Baez can at least prove that they’re capable of coming in and making a spot start if they need to.

Jerad Eickhoff was also brought on as a non-roster invitee and he’s had success at the big league level in the past.

San Diego really needs all seven of these starters (after the top four) to prove they’re capable of handling a start every now-and-then.

With all of the young guys we have, it’s going to take 8-10 starters to get through the season.

They had 16 players make at least one start last season and seven players make 12 starts or more.

Finding that starting pitcher depth, and good starting pitching depth, in spring training will be crucial.

What will you be keeping an eye one during spring training? Let us know in the comments below and check back throughout spring training as we update these questions.