This outfield twist could spell trouble for a longtime Padres roster hopeful

Aside from having the league’s strongest bullpen, another aspect of the Padres roster that doesn’t go unnoticed is the elite outfield depth that they have.

From Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, and Ramón Laureano as the starters, to Nick Castellanos and Bryce Johnson filling in solid bench roles, this unit as a whole makes the offense that much more potent.

However, this depth comes at a cost for some prospects looking to make their debut, and Tirso Ornelas was one of them. The Padres waived the 25-year-old prospect on February 17 after failing to find a spot for him on the roster. He recently cleared waivers a couple of days ago.

Jase Bowen may be quietly winning a Padres outfield battle Tirso Ornelas needed

Ornelas’ exit led to more opportunities for others, such as Jase Bowen who is slashing .281/.343/.563 in spring training. Bowen also provides excellent outfield defense, which makes him all the more valuable. These factores make it obvious why the Padres chose to latch on to other players, and move off of Ornelas.

Jase Bowen, who is also 25-years-old, is having an excellent spring, and is outperforming the team’s spring training home run leader, Nick Schnell. With excellent bat-to-ball skills and the ability to flash the leather when needed, it would not be a surprise if Bowen passes Schnell in A.J. Preller and Craig Stammen’s watch list.

The Padres already have excellent outfield defense, headlined by platiunum glove award winner, Fernando Tatis Jr. Not to mention the fact that Jackson Merrill in centerfield presents the speed and glove skills.

The Padres have 11 spring training games left, and these next two weeks will be very telling of who this new staff likes, as well as who needs more time in the minor leagues to develop.

We’re excited to see the decisions made by this new staff, and are confident that the right decisions will be made.