A List of Padres Prospects Who Had a Slow April
[Photo by John Moore/Amarillo Sod Poodles]
Taking a look at some of the San Diego Padres prospects who struggled in April.
Not all lava is created equal.
Some San Diego Padres prospects struggled in April. It is normal for a few guys to start the season slowly. Hopefully, for the Padres, these men get themselves in order and can contribute in the 2019 season.
Let’s take a look at some of the significant name prospects that have made this list.
Offensive Players
Hudson Potts– .194/.262/.327Â (.588 OPS) 3 HR, 10 RBI, 8 BB, 36 K
Potts is still the youngest position player in the Texas League. His youth is showing as 36 strikeouts in 98 at-bats are horrendous. The infielder has spent some time at second base this season since the Padres have Manny Machado under contract for the next ten years. The power is still showing for Potts, and he is healthy. Expect him to pick it up soon. He needs to improve on pitch recognition and lay off bad pitches. If he can be more patient in the batter’s box, Potts has all the tools to be very special.
Buddy Reed– .195/.268/.327Â (.682 OPS)Â 6 HR, 15 RBI, 6 BB, 25 K
The switch-hitting outfielder started strong in Amarillo but has struggled of late. He is still not walking much, and the swing and miss in his approach are still issues. Reed has shown great power, hitting six homers for the Sod Poodles. The speedy outfielder is still quite raw, but the skill is there. He may stay the whole year in Double-A to gain experience. Reed is 24 and still has the potential to be an everyday player in the major leagues.
Luis Almanzar– .212/.316/.364Â (.679 OPS) 3 HR, 13 RBI, 10 BB, 28 K
This 19-year-old Dominican infielder seems like he has been in the system forever. He was supposed to be one of the better prospects from the 2016-17 international class in which the Padres spent a record amount of money. He fizzled in his first showing in the States but looked better this spring. He is showing power, but still has a lot of swing and miss in his bat. There are also questions if he can stay at shortstop in the upper minors.
Jeisson Rosario– .175/.316/.206Â (.522 OPS)Â 0 HR, 4 RBI, 20 BB, 36 K
Rosario has a knack for getting on base but has very little power. He is striking out more than usual this year in the California League but is still only 19, and it could take time for him to adjust. The Dominican outfielder is very athletic but has been overmatched at times by older pitchers. There is a lot to like about Rosario’s game, so the Padres will be patient with his development.
Esteury Ruiz– .231/.268/.319Â (.587 OPS) 6 HR, 24 RBI, 5 BB, 33 K
The power-hitting second baseman has shown power, but very little else. He has only walked five times so far this year and is a free swinger. He has shown suspect defense at second base but probably will not hit enough to be a viable option in the outfield.
Pitchers
Joey Cantillo– (0-2) 6.94 ERA/1.71 WHIP 11.2 IP, 9 BB, 19 K
The Hawaiian native had a tough start to his 2019 season. He showed mechanical issues, walking nine batters in 11.2 innings pitched to begin the year. In his last start, Cantillo was much better with his command. If he can throw strikes with all his pitches, he can be terrific. There is plenty of upside here, but he will always have challenges with his motion as he has a funkiness to his delivery.
Mason Thompson– (0-4) 7.85 ERA/1.85 WHIP 18.1 IP, 19 BB, 19 K
The velocity is there for Thompson, but he continues to battle control issue. He has been wild in and out of the strike zone so far in 2019 and will look to improve on that in the coming months. Thompson is healthy, and that is a good thing. At 21, he has plenty of time to develop. It may take him a little bit of time to figure things out, but there is a real high upside with his stuff.
Adrian Morejon– (0-3) 6.59 ERA/1.54 WHIP 13.2 IP, 10 BB, 16 K
The left-hander from Cuba is currently on the IL in Amarillo. He has battled injuries throughout his career, and 2019 is no different. He has plenty of velocity and an arsenal of offspeed pitches but needs to remain on the hill. Morejon also battles with confidence from time to time. He is incredibly young for the Double-A level so the Padres will take it slow with the 20-year-old.
Logan Allen– (2-1) 6.46 ERA/1.69 WHIP 23.2 IP, 10 BB, 27 K
He has been much better of late, but Allen had a tough start to his season in El Paso. There is a lot to like with Allen, and it seems inevitable that he makes his debut at some point in 2019 for the team. Expect Allen to improve each start and force the Padres to make a move. This slow start is just part of the development process for the lefty. He is very mature and surely learned from his difficulties to start the 2019 season.
Pedro Avila– (0-1) 5.91 ERA/1.31 WHIP 10.2 IP, 4 BB, 10 K
Avila pitched his best in his one game at the major league level. In Texas, he has been bad for the Sod Poodles recording a 5.91 ERA. The curveball specialist just made two starts for the Soddies, so the numbers are a bit off. Expect Avila to improve in the coming weeks. He will be a vital part of the Sod Poodles rotation for the rest of 2019. He could also see some time in El Paso at some point this season.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
Good article, and great line: Not all lava is created equal.
As far as Ruiz goes, you said: The power-hitting second baseman has shown power, but very little else.
For what it is worth, he stole 49 bases last year, and has an 11 to 2 success rate this year. However, it is concerning about where he might play defensively.