San Diego Padres: Preseason Top 30 Prospects going into 2020

San Diego Padres Prospects # 10-6

10) Gabriel Arias, SS, Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles, 2022. (NR)

Arias, one of the top prospects in the 2016-17 international class, received $1.9 million as the Padres blew past their spending pool during the signing period. At age 17, he was promoted to Class A Fort Wayne and held his own.  Arias remained with Fort Wayne for the entirety of the ’18 season, and he slumped to a .654 OPS. However, he might have finally had the year the front office was hoping for in 2019, breaking out with a .302 batting average to go along with 17 home runs and 77 RBI.

9) Owen Miller, SS, Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, 2021. (15) 

Miller made his professional debut with Class A Short-Season Tri-City, and he tore through the league with a .335 batting average and .835 OPS. He was promoted to Class A Fort Wayne for its run to the playoffs, and he starred there, too, upping his average to .336 and his OPS to .846. He then skipped High-A ball altogether in 2019 and was on the Amarillo Championship team hitting .290 with 13 HR and 68 RBI. Miller is in spring training with the big league club to begin the 2020 season but more than likely start the year in Triple-A.

8) Edward Olivares, OF, Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, 2020-21. (18)

Signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2014, Olivares produced mixed results early in his career. The Padres’ took note of a solid 2017 campaign, in which Olivares finally tapped into his power and launched 17 home runs between Class A and Class A Advanced. They acquired him in a trade for Yangervis Solarte the following January. He had another outstanding year last season posting a line of .283 18 HR 77 RBI while stealing 35 bases too. His power-speed combo is unmatched by few in the deep San Diego Padres system.

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7) Adrian Morejon, LHP, Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles, 2020-21. (17)

Morejon signed with the Padres for a franchise-record $11 million the day after he was declared a free agent. He made an impressive stateside debut the next year, then took a big step forward in 2018 with a dominant first half at Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore that earned him All-Star honors in the California League. He made only two starts during the second half, though, as the left-hander missed time due to flexor soreness and then triceps discomfort. Morejon made his Major league debut for the Padres at the end of 2019 before being shut down to injury once again.

6) Michel Baez, RHP, Double-A Amarillo sod Poodles, 2020-21. (16)

The Padres landed Baez during their 2016 international bonus-pool-shattering spending spree, signing the then-20-year-old Cuban righty for $3 million in December.  Behind a combination of physicality and stuff, he continued to climb the ladder in 2018, beginning the season in the Class A California League and then earning a promotion to Double-A at age 22. Was promoted to the Padres on July 21st last year and in 24 games more than held his own going 1-1 in 24 games with an ERA of 3.03 while striking out 28 batters in 29.1 innings.