3 prospects the San Diego Padres should be happy they held on to at the deadline

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The 2023 MLB trade deadline was busy. The San Diego Padres were buyers, as they acquired an established starting pitcher, two dependable bats and a reliable bullpen option. All the new additions were added without giving away the organization’s top prospects.

The Friars do not have the deepest farm system in baseball, especially after clearing out the talent pool to acquire Juan Soto and Josh Bell from the Washington Nationals last August. But the organization is not devoid of talent. And no question Dylan Lesko, Ethan Salas and Robbie Snelling could have been associated with any potential blockbuster trades at the deadline.

Let's take a look at why these three prospects remained in the Padres organization after the trade deadline:

San Diego Padres prospect: RHP Dylan Lesko

There might not have been a Friars pitching prospect who did more to boost his stock than Dylan Lesko this season.

Lesko was projected to be one of the top prep pitchers of his draft class. He was the first junior to win the Gatorade Player of the Year award in 2021. But Lesko needed Tommy John surgery that prematurely ended his senior season. Suddenly, an unknown factor about his health allowed Lesko to fall into the Padres arms as the 15th overall pick in last summer’s Major League Baseball draft.

Currently, he is ranked the No. 3 prospect in the Padres minor league system by MLB.com, and his trajectory through the organization is on pace for the majors in a few seasons. The 19-year-old made his pro debut in the Arizona rookie league this June. Lesko needed only four starts before earning a promotion to Single-A Lake Elsinore. The move did raise some eyebrows due to his high ERA (10.80).

He is honing his craft, as Lesko is trying to gain more velocity on his fastball, refine his above-average curveball and throw a dazzling changeup for strikes. Still, Lesko seems to run out of gas at the 40-pitch mark of his starts. Now is the time for him to get his body ready for the rigors of pro baseball.

San Diego Padres prospect Ethan Salas / John E. Moore III/GettyImages

San Diego Padres prospect: C Ethan Salas

2023 has become the “Summer of Salas,” as the hype machine began when the Padres signed Ethan Salas as their top international free agent last January.

It seems the Friars have played their cards right. His progression through the organization has been rapid, with promising results. Salas is batting .291/.377/.531 with nine homers and 35 RBI in Single-A Lake Elsinore.

He is the type of hitter who makes solid contact at the plate, and you will marvel at his advanced knowledge of the strike zone. Plus, Salas understands when to steal a base or challenge the defense by taking the extra base. As he gets stronger and grows into his 6-foot-2 frame, Salas should hit between 20-25 homers each season.

Defensively, Salas has outstanding footwork to keep low pitches in front of him. He boasts enough arm strength to slow down an opponent’s running game on the base path.

Salas has shown superb composure for a 17-year-old player. He is a rising star who could make his major league debut before his 20th birthday.

San Diego Padres hat and glove in the dugout / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres prospect: LHP Robby Snelling

Robby Snelling has an ideal athletic build (6-foot-3, 210 pounds). He has been on everyone’s radar since his days as a high school two-sport star. Most major league teams thought the Reno, Nevada, native was heading to the University of Arizona to play football and baseball on a dual scholarship. But the Padres took a chance and drafted Snelling with the 39th overall pick last summer.

Preller offered him $3 million, and Snelling spurned the Arizona scholarship offer to sign with the Friars. He has paid early dividends on their investment, as Snelling has been dominating in his first professional season.

He has split his time between Single-A Lake Elsinore and Single-A+ Fort Wayne. Snelling is 8-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 16 combined starts. He has recorded 88 Ks in 75.1 innings as opposing teams are batting .218 against Snelling this season.

There were plenty of inquiries from opposing teams on his availability at the trade deadline. However, it quickly became apparent that the Padres would not part with Snelling in any potential deal. They project him to potentially become a future No.1 starter of their rotation.

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San Diego Padres prospect: RHP Dylan Lesko

San Diego Padres prospect: C Ethan Salas

San Diego Padres prospect: LHP Robby Snelling

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