Down on the Farm: Winter League Roundup- December 14
The San Diego Padres farm system is flourishing.
There is much to be content with if you are a Padre fan.
On Thursday, there were seven men in action throughout the winter leagues.
Here is a brief recap of the day.
Australian Baseball League
Buddy Reed went 1-4 with a stolen base. He also struck out twice in the game. Reed has played some stellar defense in center for the Cavalry and is hitting .313 on the season. Reed, a switch-hitter, has shown surprising pop in his limited at bats halfway around the world.
Gabriel Arias was 0-4 with two strikeouts as he continues to show some inconsistency with the bat. Arias is only 17, so it is to be expected. The defensive wizard is hitting .241 on the season and has soared into the discussions as a Padres top prospect. Keep an eye on Arias.
Mexican Winter League
Fernando Perez was 0-3 with a walk on Thursday. The Otay Ranch High Alum has been on a tear in Mexico as he is hitting .299 on the year with nine homers and 35 RBI. Perez is hitting .297 on the year and has played all over the infield for his Mexican team.
Gerardo Reyes threw two scoreless innings, striking out a batter and lowering his ERA to 1.83 on the year. The hard-throwing reliever has blossomed in the last year. He has an outside chance to crack a bullpen spot fairly soon. He has yet to excel in Texas, but will be given that chance this season. 2018 is big for him.
Cesar Vargas has thrown well this winter. His velocity is up and he could possibly return to the Padres as a reliever. He threw a scoreless inning on Thursday, allowing a walk while striking out one batter. Vargas has his ERA at 3.46 on the year.
Venezuelan Winter League
Jose Pirela has recovered from his pinkie injury and has started playing games in Venezuela. On Thursday, he went 1-4 while playing left field. He has embraced his move to the outfield and, at the moment, looks to be the Padres’ starter out there on opening day. Pirela is hitting .100 so far on the year
Trevor Frank went a scoreless inning on Thursday, allowing one walk. The right-handed pitcher and East County resident has his ERA at 3.05 on the year. He looks to be a vital member of the Padres’ bullpen eventually, but will start 2018 in the minors.
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.