San Diego Padres Top 20 prospects for 2017: Mid-Season review

We continue our mid-season organization reviews with a look at the San Diego Padres Top 20 Prospects from the beginning of 2017. The index for other team reviews can be found here.

THIS IS A REVIEW OF THE OLD LIST.

THIS IS NOT A NEW LIST.

THESE ARE NOT NEW GRADES.

This list was originally published February 3rd, 2017.

1) Anderson Espinosa, RHP, Grade B+/A-: Age 19, signed by Red Sox out of Venezuela for $1,800,000 in 2014, traded to Padres for Drew Pomeranz last summer; has missed all of 2017 with elbow problems eventually resulting in Tommy John surgery last month.

2) Manuel Margot, OF, Grade B+: Age 22, signed by Red Sox in 2011, traded to Padres in Craig Kimbrel deal; holding his job in the majors this year with .278/.316/.424 line, 11 steals, solid defense, should continue to improve steadily.

3) Hunter Renfroe, OF, Grade B+/B: Age 25, first round pick in 2013 out of Mississippi State; hitting .233/.285/.467 with 20 homers, 22 walks, 106 strikeouts in 360 major league at-bats; this is pretty much exactly as expected.

4) Cal Quantrill, RHP, Grade B/B+: Age 22, first round pick out of Stanford in 2016 despite making comeback from Tommy John surgery, performing well enough with 3.74 ERA in 91 innings between High-A and Double-A, 89/28 K/BB, 101 hits; a bit erratic, some games he gets hit hard but he’s been dominant at times as well.

5) Adrian Morejon, LHP, Grade B/B-: Age 18, Cuban lefty signed for $11,000,000 plus another $11,000,000 in penalties, very strong so far, 3.35 ERA in 40 innings between Northwest League and Low-A, excellent 37/3 K/BB; it is early but so far he’s living up to the hype.

6) Jacob Nix, RHP, Grade B/B-: Age 21, third round pick in 2015 from IMG Academy; 4.32 ERA in 67 innings in High-A, 51/10 K/BB, 78 hits; some dominant outings and always shows good control but sometimes surprisingly hittable for a pitcher with very solid stuff and command.

Photo by Rob Tringali/Getty Images

7) Luis Urias, INF, Grade B/B-: Age 20, signed out of Mexico in 2013; hitting .318/.415/.407 in Double-A with 53 walks, 46 strikeouts in 349 at-bats; best-suited for second base in my view but high OBP/high average bat with gap power and youth is a fine combo.

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

8) Dinelson Lamet, RHP, Grade B/B-: Age 25, signed out of Dominican Republic in 2014; 5.62 ERA in 58 major league innings, 75/22 K/BB, 50 hits; very high strikeout rate a big positive, could use more consistent command but the high ERA is misleading.

9) Eric Lauer, LHP, Grade B/B-: Age 22, first round pick out of Kent State in 2016; excellent in High-A (2.79, 84/19 K/BB in 68 innings) but some rough patches in Double-A (5.73 ERA in 33 innings, 24/13 K/BB, 37 hits) but good starts, too; I trust his ability to make adjustments as needed.

10) Chris Paddack, RHP, Grade B-: Age 21, drafted by Marlins in eighth round from high school in Texas, traded to Padres last summer for Fernando Rodney; blew out elbow and had Tommy John surgery, still on recovery/rehab.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

11) Josh Naylor, 1B, Grade B-: Age 20, first round pick by Marlins in 2015 from high school in Canada, traded to Padres in Andrew Cashner deal; hitting .294/.362/.445 in 357 at-bats between High-A and Double-A, 10 homers, 37 walks, 62 strikeouts; making progress taping his power more consistently.

12) Michael Gettys, OF, Grade B-: Age 21, second round pick in 2014; hitting .263/.336/.429 with 11 homers, 17 steals, 33 walks, 142 strikeouts in 350 at-bats; always one of the toolsiest guys on the field with power/speed combo but approach remains very raw.

13) Logan Allen, LHP, Grade C+/B-: Age 20, fifth round pick in 2015 by Red Sox from IMG Academy; traded to Padres in Kimbrel deal; 2.55 ERA in 102 innings, 114/37 K/BB, 84 hits combined between Low-A and High-A, Midwest League observers were highly impressed with him before his promotion. Don’t overlook him.

14) Fernando Tatis Jr, SS, Grade C+/B-: Age 18, signed by White Sox out of Dominican Republic in 2015 for $700,000, son of Fernando Tatis; traded to Padres in James Shields deal; glowing reports and impressive performance in Low-A, hitting .266/.364/.488 with 17 homers, 27 steals, 56 walks, 113 strikeouts in 383 at-bats; power, speed, patience, and at least some chance to stay at shortstop although third is most likely destination long-term, elite prospect, now very strong B+ or A-.

15) Mason Thompson, RHP, Grade C+/B-: Age 18, drafted in third round in 2016 from high school in Texas, could have gone in first round but was recovering from Tommy John surgery; 4.67 ERA in 27 innings in Low-A, 28/12 K/BB, 23 hits; just placed on disabled list with vague “shoulder problem,” which is (potentially) scarier than Tommy John.

16) Jorge Ona, OF, Grade C+/B-: Age 20, Cuban, signed for $7,000,000 last summer; compact and strong frame at 6-0, 200; hitting .291/.364/.419 with 30 walks, 92 strikeouts in 327 at-bats in Low-A; Midwest League sources like hitting potential but want to see more game power; young enough to develop a lot of it.

17) Carlos Asuaje, INF, Grade C+: Age 25, 11^th round pick by Boston in 2013 from Nova Southeastern University in Florida; traded to Padres in Kimbrel farm restock; hitting .305/.369/.398 in 118 major league at-bats; consistently outplays his tools I don’t see any real reason why that will change, though don’t expect .300 all the time.

18) Miguel Diaz, RHP, Grade C+: Age 22, signed by the Milwaukee Brewers out of the Dominican Republic in 2011, picked by Twins in 2016 Rule 5 draft then traded to Padres; 6.82 ERA in 32 MLB innings with 25/18 K/BB, now on disabled list with “strained forearm”

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

19) Phil Maton, RHP, Grade C+: Age 24, 20^th round pick in 2015 from Louisiana Tech; 2.82 ERA in 22 major league innings, 25/2 K/BB, excellent so far and will take larger bullpen role if this continues; minor league track record implies that it will.

20) Jose Rondon, SS, Grade C+: Age 23, signed by Angels out of Venezuela in 2011, traded to Padres in Huston Street deal; hitting .289/.339/.418 in 273 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A; now on disabled list with undisclosed injury.

OTHER GRADE C+:

Austin Allen, C: Hitting .296/.362/.518 in High-A, defense has improved.
Luis Almanzar, SS: Hitting .226/.306/.311 in the Northwest League, age 17.
Pedro Avila, RHP: 4.19 ERA in 97 innings between Low-A and High-A with strong 118/27 K/BB.
Gabriel Arias, SS: Hitting .278/.323/.343 in rookie ball.
Lake Bachar, RHP: Didn’t come out of extended spring until late June but pitching well, 23/8 K/BB, 1.59 ERA in 17 innings between rookie ball and Low-A.
Chris Baker, SS: Hitting .232/.288/.348 in High-A, sleeper prospect still sleeping.
Franchy Cordero, OF: .313/.361/.581 in Triple-A, .228/.276/.424 in the majors, still young at 22.

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Allen Cordoba, INF: Rule 5 pick jumping to MLB from rookie ball, hot early but has cooled off, hitting .221/.291/.320.
Enyel De Los Santos, RHP: 4.27 ERA in 116 innings in Double-A, 106/37 K/BB.
Javier Guerra, SS: Hitting .231/.276/.365 between High-A and Double-A.
Brett Kennedy, RHP: 3.42 ERA in 113 innings in Double-A, 114/29 K/BB; another sleeper,
Reggie Lawson, RHP: 6.00 ERA in 51 innings in Low-A, 61/28 K/BB, whiffs show promise.
Walker Lockett, RHP: 4.39 ERA in 59 innings in Triple-A, 33/13 K/BB, on DL since June 2nd.
Joey Lucchesi, LHP: 2.47 ERA in 109 innings between High-A and Double-A, 119/26 K/BB, another sleeper.
Hudson Potts, 3B: .224/.264/.368 with 11 homers, 114 whiffs, 17 walks in 375 at-bats in Low-A.
Jeisson Rosario, OF: Hitting .298/.405/.375 in rookie ball, read detailed report here.
Luis Torrens, C: Rule 5 guy, hitting .184/.259/.235 in majors.
Jose Torres, LHP: 5.04 ERA in 50 major league innings, 48/13 K/BB.
Nick Torres, OF: Hitting .264/.306/.377 with eight homers, 19 walks, 90 whiffs in 348 at-bats in Double-A.

Lots to talk about in the Padres system. I will be in the comments section for discussion.