3 San Diego Padres prospects who should not be traded and 2 who should

Improved play of late has the San Diego Padres somewhat back in the postseason hunt, but at 44-49 there's still a ways to go. San Diego is 10.0 games back in the NL West and 7.5 back of the final Wild Card spot. It's not likely, but also not impossible.

With the Padres having so much invested into this 2023 season, even if they're 7.5 games back, there's a decent chance they buy at the deadline. They might not go all in, but prospects could be moved. If it doesn't happen this season, we know the Padres won't be giving up on 2024 and virtually any player or prospect outside of a select few will be available for A.J. Preller to wheel and deal like he loves to do.

The Padres have taken a big hit to their farm thanks to their trades to acquire players like Juan Soto and Josh Hader, but still have some guys they should not be moving. Some prospects can be traded to help this Padres team win now, but others should be off the table.

1) Padres prospect Ethan Salas should not be traded

Ethan Salas just turned 17 years old a little over one month ago. Despite that young age, he's already in Single-A playing for Lake Elsinore. Not only is he playing there, he's been raking.

In 31 games, Salas is slashing .265/.382/.496 with six home runs and 26 RBI. He's tacked on five stolen bases, and has only struck out 10 more times than he's walked which is very rare in today's game.

Salas has the ability to be a complete player, and can realistically find himself in the majors as a teenager. Oh yeah, he's a catcher too. I rarely prospect hug, but this is a talent you hold onto for dear life and watch pan out wearing your uniform.

It's impossible to not be so excited about this kid who is already showing elite plate discipline as a teenager. He won't be up for at least a couple more years, but with the ceiling this guy has, the Padres can wait.

2) Padres prospect Jackson Merrill should be traded

As much as I love Ethan Salas, he's not even the top-ranked prospect in the Padres system. Jackson Merrill is, and he's also ranked number 10 on MLB.com's top 100 list. He looks like the real deal.

Merrill is a 20-year-old who just made his Double-A debut. Prior to that, he was swinging a solid bat for High-A Fort Wayne, slashing .280/.318/.444 with 10 home runs and 33 RBI. He also stole 10 bases and was a sound defender at shortstop.

The question I have with Merrill is where will he play? The Padres have the left side of their infield locked up for many years to come with Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado. Will he play second base? Or the outfield?

Elite shortstop prospects like Merrill can net you a boatload in a trade. The Mariners got Luis Castillo out of it trading two shortstop prospects. If the Padres goal is to win now, Merrill is expendable with no place to play and being big league ready possibly next season.

It wouldn't be fun to watch this guy rake in another team's jersey, but it would all be worth it if the Padres could win it all.

3) Padres prospect Robby Snelling should not be traded

Robby Snelling is the Padres fourth-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, but there's a good chance he can pass the third guy. The southpaw began the year with Lake Elsinore and had a 1.57 ERA in 11 starts before being moved up to High-A Fort Wayne. He's allowed three runs in 10.2 innings of work in his two starts there.

Snelling was a first round pick of the Padres from last season and has been a fast riser on MLB.com's top 100 list, ranking 84th on the list right now. He will only rise on the list even more as he hasn't even turned 20 years old yet and has been pitching so well all season.

With the Padres rotation as old as it is with guys like Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove leading the way with a very real chance that Blake Snell departs this winter, the Padres will eventually need someone to develop on the pitching side of things. They can't only rely on free agents and blockbuster trades to pitch for them.

Snelling's MLB ETA is 2026 according to MLB.com but with him already approaching Double-A, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he's up sooner. I don't think he's an ace of the future or anything, but he could be a useful piece for a team that could be starved for pitching in a couple of years.

5) Padres prospect Adam Mazur should not be traded

Adam Mazur was taken in the second round by the Padres in the 2022 Draft and has developed very nicely in the San Diego system.

The right-hander was having an outstanding year for High-A Fort Wayne, posting a 2.02 ERA in 12 appearances (11 starts) and 58 innings pitched. He doesn't strike many out as his 47 strikeouts don't jump off the table, but he's walked just 10 batters all season. He's walked an absurd 1.6 batters per nine while giving up just two home runs (0.3 HR/9).

The right-hander might not have the stuff Lesko and Snelling have, but he throws hard and has a really good slider. His command sticks out, and it feels like he could be a guy to help contribute in the not-too-distant future.

Mazur doesn't have the ceiling that other Padres prospects have, which is why he's ranked sixth in the system, but no team is filled with 26 All-Stars. Mazur can be a mid-rotation guy and help the Padres win for a long time. He's a guy worth keeping around for sure.