3 Padres prospects who must step up after AJ Preller's trade deadline moves

The San Diego Padres were aggressive at this year's MLB trade deadline. But if you've been part of the Friar faithful for any length of time, you know that this is nothing new when it comes to how Padres President of Baseball Operations AJ Preller operates.

The Friars' top decision-maker executed some big moves once again at the trade deadline with an emphasis on beefing up San Diego's bullpen. Tanner Scott and Jason Adam were seen as two of the best relievers available this summer, and Preller spared no expense when it came to meeting the high cost necessary to land both pitchers.

But Preller's exploits certainly weakened the Padres farm system (again), and there are a handful of young players in San Diego's pipeline who'll need to step up. Which three prospects are under the most pressure to perform?

Leodalis De Vries, Padres SS prospect

Leodalis De Vries was said to be off limits at this year's trade deadline. Now he has to prove that the faith Preller has in him is justified. The Padres were rumored to be interested in trading for Chicago White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet, but ultimately failed in their pursuit. Was that because Preller and Co. refused to include De Vries as part of the return?

If so, then De Vries has some big-time pressure attached to his production. Crochet was the most sought after player at the trade deadline, but rather than chase the White Sox left-hander, the Padres settled for Martin Pérez. It's up to De Vries, over the next couple of seasons, to show Preller that he made the right decision not to part ways with the uber-talented shortstop.

Ryan Bergert, Padres RHP prospect

The Padres said goodbye to Dylan Lesko and Robby Snelling at the trade deadline. Earlier this season, in order to land Dylan Cease, the Friars parted company with Drew Thorpe. That means it's Ryan Bergert's time to shine.

Bergert was a sixth-round pick, but he wasn't paid like it. Bergert was taken with the 190th selection and received a $500,000 signing bonus, which was equivalent to the 115th pick. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery prior to the 2021 MLB Draft, but the Friars still had a high grade on him and showed confidence by paying him like a fourth-rounder.

It's now time, especially with Bergert eligble for the Rule 5 Draft this winter, for him to provide a return on the Padres' investment. The 24-year-old has been underwhelming so far this season with an ERA above 6.00 at Double-A and only 48 punchouts in 55-plus innings of work. The clock is ticking on Bergert.

Ethan Salas, Padres C prospect

The pressure isn't fully ratcheted up on Ethan Salas just yet, but it's going to be. A bit of grace should be afforded to an 18-year-old who's also playing, arguably, the most difficult position on the diamond. But when you're drawing comparisons to Juan Soto, the expectations will be through the roof.

Fair or not, that's where Salas finds himself, and his struggles this season have surely raised a few eyebrows throughout the Padres organization. Maybe San Diego's brass went too hard too quickly by advancing him up through the minor leagues ranks at the end of last season, but the expectations are sky-high for the teenage backstop, and the Padres need him to deliver.

Much like the aforementioned De Vries, Salas was untouchable at the MLB trade deadline. He too will need to prove his worth, and hitting .158/.179/.263 over his last 10 games is not going to inspire a lot of confidence. Pressure and time makes diamonds, and Padres hope that their patience with Salas pays off.

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