Padres invite prospect-loaded list of players to big league camp

Next week, pitchers and catchers will kick off their workouts in Arizona as the San Diego Padres begin their quest for the first World Series championship in franchise history.

After a busy offseason, the Padres have their first full-squad workouts the week after next, with the first scheduled for 2/22. In addition to the full 40-man roster, San Diego extended 33 additional invites to big league camp. As expected, that list of 33 features several of the club’s top prospects – many of whom could end up playing a role for the team in 2021.

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According to MLB.com, all four of the Friars’ Top 100 prospects – MacKenzie Gore, CJ Abrams, Robert Hassell and Luis Campusano – will be at camp with the team. Only Campusano is currently on the 40-man roster, though.

Gore will likely be back with the big league club this summer. He’ll be their highest profile backup plan should anyone in the rotation hit the shelf with an injury this season. After receiving top billing on MLB Pipeline’s left-handed prospects ranking list and making his MLB debut last year, everything seems to be lining up for him to join the Padres for the long haul in the not-too-distant future.

Padres finally get back on the diamond

In the infield, Abrams will get to work alongside the Padres’ duo of Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr this spring – although most expect it to be another year or so before he hits the primetime stage in San Diego. The club is also tremendously deep up the middle, with offseason signing Ha-Seong Kim, Jake Cronenworth and Jurickson Profar all in the fold heading into 2021.

We’ve talked about it all winter long. It’s not just that the big league roster is deep. This entire organization, from top to bottom, is built out incredibly well. Even after swinging several big trades over the last eight or so months, AJ Preller’s farm system still ranks among the best in baseball. 

This spring will give Padres fans a much-needed glimpse of the minor leaguers and top prospects who saw their 2020 seasons canceled due to COVID-19. A lot of these guys will play roles for the team in the years to come and it’ll be nice to see them back on the field at camp this spring.