Re-Ranking the Padres' farm system after 2025 trade deadline madness

In 2021, Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead wore a shirt at the team’s Super Bowl parade with the saying “f**k them picks,” written on it, a quote that referenced the fact that the team had not picked in the first round since 2016. You are probably wondering why this quote is relevant to the San Diego Padres or baseball in general. But when you look at what A.J. Preller has done in the final 48 hours leading up to the trade deadline, you can see why that quote has relevance. The team’s president of baseball operations traded away 13 of the team's prospects across five different trades.

The most notable transaction that turned a lot of heads was when the Padres acquired Mason Miller from the Athletics. However, they gave up an absolute haul to get him — most notably, MLB’s No. 3 overall prospect, Leo De Vries.

With a farm system that has seen a lot of change over the past week, who are the new “top dogs” coming up in the future that should have the Friar Faithful excited?

Re-Ranking the Padres' farm system after 2025 trade deadline

No. 1 Ethan Salas (Catcher)

The now 19-year-old catching prospect drew a lot of hype when the Padres signed him in 2023. The prodigy made an instant impact when he arrived at Single-A in 2023, slashing .267/.350/.487 with an OPS of .837 and a wRC+ of 123. Salas was doing this all at the age of 17. The sky was the limit for the prospect who was quickly making his way up the rankings in the Padres’ farm system.

However, fast forward to 2025—Salas is now 19 and has seen a major decrease in production, now slashing .188/.325/.219 with an OPS of .544. While there is time for the youngster to turn it around, he’s not getting any younger, and the leash begins to shorten. It’s something to keep an eye on when evaluating the farm system. But we do see a positive turnaround happening for the franchise’s catcher of the near future.

No. 2 Kash Mayfield (LHP)

A pitcher who could be making some noise in the Padres’ farm system is Kash Mayfield, a southpaw expected to arrive in the big leagues around 2028. At 20 years of age, we have already started to see what he can become. In 40 innings pitched in Single-A, he has posted an ERA of 3.12 with a K/9 rate of 13.3.

With Michael King becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027, Mayfield could be the perfect option to come up and replace him if he chooses to sign elsewhere. The young left-hander has time to further tailor his game, making him a highly touted prospect.

No. 3 Humberto Cruz (RHP)

Even younger than Salas, at 18 years old, Cruz signed with the Padres as an international free agent from Mexico back in 2023. The right-hander has a very basic pitch repertoire: a fastball, slider, and changeup. In 2025, the fastball has topped out at 97 mph while averaging around 94 mph in velocity.

While Cruz has had his growing pains since making his debut in the minors, he is still very young and has a lot of room to grow as a baseball player. In 15.1 innings of work in Single-A, he has posted an ERA of 4.70 with a very high ground ball rate.

MLB Pipeline doesn’t expect him to be at the big-league level until 2029, which gives him plenty of time to develop into his full potential. This means that when he gets his stuff figured out, he is going to be very fun to watch.

No. 4 Miguel Mendez (RHP)

Mendez, in all likelihood, will make it to the big leagues before any of the three ranked above him. The 23-year-old right-hander has been in the minor leagues since 2021; he only started to get it together in 2025. However, this year he has really started to develop, posting an ERA of 1.73 across High-A and Double-A in 72 innings of work.

Expected to arrive in the bigs as soon as next season, Mendez could immediately be slated into the starting rotation. With Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek being dealt at the trade deadline, and Dylan Cease expected to walk in free agency, the call-up seems like it could be coming very soon. We can almost guarantee you a promotion to Triple-A this season is on the horizon.

No. 5 Bradgley Rodríguez (RHP)

Rodríguez has already made an appearance at the big-league stage this season, where he pitched 1.2 innings and allowed only one baserunner. In Triple-A this season, he has posted an ERA of 3.38 in only five innings of work, so he hasn’t been at that level for too long. If he continues to put up solid numbers at the Triple-A level, we can expect a recall to the big league squad down the stretch of the season.

The outlook moving forward…

When evaluating the Padres’ farm system, it is pitching to get excited about between now and 2030. A plethora of game-changing arms are on the horizon, and it is definitely something to look forward to. But does that really excuse the fact that the front office chose to deal 14 different minor leaguers at the deadline?

While it is a slight overpay, San Diego now has the best bullpen depth in the league. Five innings of Jeremiah Estrada, Adrián Morejón, Jason Adam, Robert Suarez, and now Mason Miller are going to be brutal for opposing teams to face. On top of that, you found an above-average bat to play left field in Ramón Laureano, who doesn’t hit free agency until after next season.

The Padres are now more in their championship window than they ever have been; they are going for it all. A.J. Preller sold out at the deadline, acquiring big-name players like Mason Miller and Ryan O’Hearn at the expense of the farm system. So when we mentioned Les Snead’s mentality earlier, it is the same for Preller: F**k them prospects! It will be interesting to see how the final two months of the season play out for the Padres as they sit only three games back of the Dodgers for the division.