A.J. Preller's high praise hints a Padres prospect is primed for a 2026 breakout

There are surprisingly still a few elite-level prospects left within the San Diego Padres' organization. President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller is no stranger to trading away his best young talent, but there are a few potential players on the precipice of making the big leagues.

Ranked No. 5 in San Diego's farm, 23-year-old right-handed pitcher Miguel Mendez had an incredible 2025 season, logging 118 strikeouts across three levels in 95 innings. He finished off with Double-A San Antonio, where he showed some glimpses of stardom.

Preller has taken notice of Mendez, and he believes that the prospect can give depth to the Padres in the very near future. He just has one tweak to fix, but he is almost there.

Miguel Mendez has A.J. Preller believing that he can be a valuable addition to Padres' depth

“He’s somebody that if he’s able to take another step from a development standpoint this year, like he did last year, he’ll be somebody at some point that could put himself in position for Petco," Preller said in an MLB.com article.

Mendez can rear back on his fastball and reach the upper 90s, which combines well with an electric slider that has exceptional horizontal break. His one issue is his command. Mendez walked 17 batters in 22.1 innings in Double-A, which is a tad too inflated.

However, he should start the 2026 season in Double-A, rather than moving around the country a few times as he's still developing. If the Padres allow him to settle in with one team, and he shows improvement with his command, then we could potentially see Mendez at the big league level soon.

With the losses of Robert Suarez and Dylan Cease, there is an opportunity for Mendez to fill in as a starter or reliever. That's good news for Mendez. He'll take whatever spot is empty, and from there, can showcase his above-average arsenal. Just get the walks down.