Padres may have stashed a 2026 rotation sleeper with their latest 40-man move

The San Diego Padres were rather quiet during MLB's rostering deadline on Nov. 18, protecting two prospects from Rule 5 Draft eligibility while showing shocking restraint from jumping in on the trading frenzy.

Truthfully, beyond re-signing Kyle Hart to a one-year deal, the Friars have been surprisingly willing to be patient this offseason. That could yield some dividends down the line, or it could be a result of the franchise's impending sale.

Regardless, one of the two prospects the Padres added to their 40-man roster was Miguel Mendez (reliever Garrett Hawkins was the other), a starting pitcher with impressive pedigree after a breakout 2025 campaign.

The 23-year-old right-hander only made it to Double-A in 2025, but given the state of the major-league rotation right now, he could factor into Craig Stammen's plans at some point in 2026.

Miguel Mendez could be Padres' unsung pitching hero in 2026

Now, putting this kind of pressure on a guy who has thrown all of 22 1/3 innings at Double-A is a dubious proposition at best, though Mendez has the goods to live up to the hype.

The Padres' No. 2 overall prospect according to FanGraphs, Mendez paired a 3.22 ERA and 3.86 FIP with a 29.4% strikeout rate and .208 batting average allowed in 95 innings this year across three levels.

He began the campaign with Single-A Lake Elsinore, where he had stalled for a number of years. He got a quick promotion to High-A early in 2025, and that's when he finally blossomed.

In Fort Wayne, he recorded a 1.32 ERA and 3.33 FIP in 61 1/3 innings. Most importantly, he allowed just three home runs in those frames, good for a HR/9 of just 0.44. He struck out 28.6% of hitters at the level and was generally just dominant.

Admittedly, he did struggle in Double-A to conclude his season. His 8.06 ERA and 5.91 FIP were the results of an inflated walk rate (15.9%), but his raw stuff is so flashy that he can be forgiven for trying to live on the edges against better competition.

With a proper offseason of development, Mendez could get another quick promotion to Triple-A in 2026. At that point, he could be next in line for a shot at a rotation job with the Padres, especially if Kyle Hart falters early on.

As things stand, Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, and Randy Vásquez are the top three starting pitching options in San Diego next year. Though an outside addition will obviously need to be made to bolster that group, don't be surprised if Mendez is pitching in important spots down the stretch in 2026.