Underrated Padres prospect named one of hottest pitchers across the minor leagues

Padres fans might want to start keeping an eye on 22-year-old right-hander Tyson Neighbors. The 2024 fourth-round draft pick was just named as one of the hottest pitching prospects by MLB.com, so Friars fans should add him to the list of guys to monitor.

With four reliable pitches, Neighbors could see himself jumping from being ranked No. 15 in the San Diego minors to a spot much higher soon. He has a fastball reaching the mid-90s, a steady mix of a buckling slider and curveball, and an accurate cutter -- a steady arsenal that could see him rise through the minor league levels a couple of times in 2025.

Neighbors was a reliever at Kansas State, and his success out of the bullpen as professional pitcher has been seamless so far. He adjusted to MiLB life last year, but only tossed 4 2/3 innings.

So really, this is his first true minor league season. Through 14 appearances - entering May 29 - Neighbors has struck out 33 batters in 18 innings, walking just six batters and scattering 10 hits.

With a 0.890 WHIP and a .167 batting average against, Neighbors has also recorded three saves. Of his 14 outings, he has logged multiple strikeouts in 12 of them. Judging by these numbers, Neighbors might deserve to be somewhere higher in the Top 30 prospects ranking within the Padres farm. There are eight other pitchers ahead of him right now, including six right-handers.

It's still early into his pro career, but Neighbors is proving to be an arm with legit MLB stuff, and national media is starting to take notice. He may be in High-A now, but if Neighbors continues to dominate, he could be in the big leagues in just one year. As a polished college reliever, it's not as far-fetched as we may think.