Padres’ 3 biggest surprises through the first week of spring training games

Though spring training is a time for superstars to slowly get back into the swing of playing baseball everyday, it is also a proving ground for dozens of other players. It's a time when positional battles are won and lost, when prospects offer the organization a sneak peek into their progress, and when worries already start mounting.

At the San Diego Padres' camp, three players have punched above their weight one week into spring games, signaling improvements that were perhaps unexpected.

Mason McCoy, Kyle Hart, and Alek Jacob have all impressed a few contests into the spring schedule, which suggests that they are gunning for spots on the Opening Day roster.

Mason McCoy, Kyle Hart, Alek Jacob have impressed at Padres' spring training

McCoy, prominently known for his speed, might just be more than a punch-runner in 2026 if he continues to light it up on both sides of the ball. A career .181 hitter in the big leagues, McCoy is 3-for-8 this spring with a double and triple, producing three RBIs. He's also showing that he would be a tremendous backup defensive option.

Kyle Hart, who was optioned five times (?!?!) in 2025 by the Padres, is trying to stick as a legitimate MLB arm. Manager Craig Stammen believes he can help San Diego out in more ways than one, and Hart has backed up the coach's sentiment. In two strong outings, Hart has thrown three scoreless innings while striking out two batters.

It's a small sample size, but Hart had gotten dinged multiple times in short outings in 2025. In 20 appearances, he allowed multiple runs eight times. He seems to be settled in following a promising first impression.

And then there is Alek Jacob, who is headed off the World Baseball Classic soon to represent Team Italy. But before his international departure, Jacob has ramped his velocity up to 88 MPH, which is about three MPH faster than normal. He has five strikeouts in two scoreless innings behind 12 total swing-and-misses. On February 25, he set the Angels down in order, striking out Jorge Soler, Jo Adell, and Josh Lowe — all legit MLB starters.

So, things are looking up for these three Padres players. A hot start doesn't always translate into a spot on the Opening Day roster, but they have each put themselves in position to continue battling for it.