San Diego Padres: Edward Olivares turning heads in Summer Camp

Could Edward Olivares crack the San Diego Padres Opening Day roster?

Despite a crowded outfield, Edward Olivares is making a strong case for the San Diego Padres to add him to their Opening Day roster. The 24-year-old had an impressive Spring Training, posting a .389/.421/.722 slash line with a double, triple, home run, and three RBI in 11 games.

And, by all accounts, he’s showing up for an encore in Summer Camp:

“The way he runs stands out, the way he defends all three spots,” Tingler said, via MLB.com. “His at-bats, he’s been as good as anybody at looking at pitches outside the zone. For a young kid, he hasn’t been swinging it wildly. On 2-2, 3-2 counts, he’s been disciplined, he’s drawing walks, he’s hitting the ball the other way. For those reasons, he’s going to continue to earn those opportunities.”

The former Blue Jays international free agent has taken longer than expected, spending his first three seasons in Rookie Ball. However, he performed well for Double-A Amarillo last year, hitting .283 (.801 OPS) with 25 doubles, two triples, 18 home runs, and 77 RBI in 127 games. One of the best pieces in Olivares’ arsenal is his ability to steal bases, swiping 35-of-45 bags in 2019.

He’ll likely need to continue at this torrid pace for all of the camp if he has any intention of unseating someone with a better chance at making the 30-man roster. The starting positions are locked in with Tommy Pham, Trent Grisham, and Wil Myers figuring to be regular starters. But Franchy Cordero, Josh Naylor, and Taylor Trammell all need playing time too.

Obviously, the universal DH is beneficial for the Padres, with Naylor or Myers likely to fill that role from the outfield group.