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.