Down on the Farm: May 10 – Former Padres with Solid Nights
Cory Spangenberg – IF, Triple-A, El Paso Chihuahuas
3-4, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI
The age-old question once again rears its head: how well does a big league-caliber player have to do in Triple-A in order to return to the big leagues? That question is currently being discussed as it pertains to infielder Cory Spangenberg. While Carlos Asauje and Jose Pirela are struggling to do much of anything at all at second base, and Christian Villanueva is currently in a 0-30-plus streak, Spangenberg continues to do well in the bandbox that is the Pacific Coast League.
Prior to Thursday’s action, Spangenberg sported a .302/.339/.566 slash line in 53 Triple-A at-bats. The numbers probably don’t look nearly as good given the run environment, but the eight extra-base hits are definitely a positive to take away from Spangenberg’s early-season performance. With Luis Urias on the cusp of a big league call-up, it’s definitely getting harder and harder to picture Spangenberg having a place on the Padres’ roster in 2018. Beyond that, the picture becomes even more muddied.
Luis Perdomo – RHP, Triple-A, El Paso Chihuahuas
6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Everything I said before about Spangenberg probably also applies to right-hander Luis Perdomo. Since being demoted to Triple-A, Perdomo has tossed 29 innings and struck out 26 batters to just six walks. More importantly, Perdomo has cut his walk rate in half since joining the Chihuahuas. Perdomo hasn’t been dominant, but it makes you wonder that Mitchell is now out of the Padres’ rotation while Jordan Lyles was chosen as the one to take his place. It’s hard to see Perdomo spending the whole year in Triple-A, especially if he keeps pitching well like Thursday night.
Fernando Tatis Jr. – SS, Double-A, San Antonio Missions
2-4, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R, 1 RBI
After a dreadful April in which Tatis slashed just .177/.231/.333 with a 44 wRC+, he seems to finally be heating up a bit. So far in May, Tatis has slashed .324/.452/.765 with four doubles, one triple, 3 home runs, with eleven runs and seven runs batted in. In all, Tatis has a 215 wRC+ and a much improved K-BB ratio. It’s still early in the season, but it appears that Tatis is starting to turn it around a bit.
Logan Allen – LHP, Double-A, San Antonio Missions
6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K
With Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer now in San Diego, and seemingly for good, Logan Allen is the next lefty with the chance to make the Padres’ big league rotation. Prior to his start on Thursday night, Allen had a 2.78 ERA through his first 35 and two-thirds innings with a 24.8 percent strikeout rate and 10.3 percent walk rate. Allen showed both his potential and his shortcomings on Thursday, as he gave up only one earned run with nine strikeouts in nearly seven innings, but he also once again walked several batters. Allen actually had a good stretch of starts to end April and start May, with only one walk in each of his last two starts. However, Allen now has 18 walks on the year in just above 40 innings. That’s one thing he will really have to work on as he continues to develop and advance through the minors.
Hudson Potts – 3B, High-A, Lake Elsinore Storm
2-3, 1 BB, 1 R
After blasting 20 home runs in just over 500 plate appearances in Fort Wayne last year, third baseman Hudson Potts is already up to seven home runs in 130 plate appearances. If Potts plays a full season, he could have a real chance of reaching 30 home runs. However, his plate discipline hasn’t improved much in the Cal League, as his five percent walk rate and nearly 27 percent strikeout rate are nearly identical to his Low-A numbers. With that being said, his power surge is more than enough to make him a prospect to watch moving forward.
Marcus Greene Jr. – C, High-A, Lake Elsinore Storm
0-3, 3 K
The 2017 season was a big one for Marcus Greene, as he posted a .270/.366/.460 slash line with a 132 wRC+. The 2018 season has been quite the opposite, as Greene has slashed just .182/.286/.255 with a 49 wRC+. Greene has had similar strikeout and walk rates, but he is hitting for less power while having less luck on balls in play. The balls in play luck should stabilize, but his overall offensive trends are somewhat worrisome.
Editorial and Prospect Writer for East Village Times. Twenty-five years young, Patrick has lived in San Diego for his entire life and has been a Padres fan nearly as long. Patrick lives for baseball and is always looking to learn new things about the game he loves through advanced stats.