A look at some of the upcoming prospects for the San Diego Padres who are not currently on the top-30 lists. 

Despite what you heard or read, the San Diego Padres farm system is still relevant.

There are plenty of useful players beyond Ethan Salas and Leodalis De Vries.

The Padres may not possess the depth they once had, but the major league team needed to be upgraded. Dylan Cease, Luis Arraez, Tanner Scott, Jason Adam, and Bryan Hoeing were added to strengthen the Padres’ chance of going deep into the playoffs.

As a G.M., sometimes you need to move your prospect capital for immediate results.

Despite all the trades in recent weeks and months, the Padres still have some interesting prospects in the system.

Here is a look at some men who are not currently on the Padres’ top-30 list, but for a few, it is a matter of time.

Manuel Davila– RHP- Padres DSL Gold

6-foot-0, 140 lbs – 17 years old (4-2  2.44 ERA/0.98 WHIP) 48 IP/45 K

On the first day of the international signing period in 2024, the Padres signed Leodalis De Vries. The young infielder came to San Diego as the highest regrading prospect in the class. De Vries is excelling in the States and is easily a top-100 prospect in all of baseball. Selected two days later was Manuel Davila, a right-handed pitcher out of Mexico.

Davila did not come with the fanfare of De Vries, but the young pitcher was regarded as a decent prospect with upside. At the age of 16, Davila signed, and the Padres assigned him to the DSL League for his first taste of pro baseball. Davila just turned 17 a few weeks ago and the Padres are wisely taking it slow with his development.

The Padres may promote Davila to the ACL League at some point this season. They may also choose to let him finish his season in the Dominican and allow Davila to compete next spring for a job in Lake Elsinore. The Padres will ease him into action in the States as the young pitcher is still growing into his frame. Davila is a strike thrower and comes with some decent upside.

Braedon Karpathios– OF- Lake Elsinore Storm

6-foot-1, 186 lbs- 21 years old (.247/.389/.377)  .766 OPS  7 HR/49 RBI

Karpathios is not a household name by any means, but the left-handed hitter is showing some promise at the lower levels of the system. At 21, Karpathios is in Lake Elsinore and is getting on base at an impressive rate. The rest of his game is also developing. There are some signs he may eventually be a decent prospect.

With 85 walks in 452 plate appearances, there is a lot to like about his eye at the plate. Karpathios has struck out 127 times in that span, and that is a concern. If he can learn to put the ball in play more often without losing his ability to walk, the Padres may have a useful player moving forward. That is a big if, though, and what puts him outside the top-30 list.

Defensively, he is capable of playing all three outfield spots. However, his speed is suspect for the middle outfield position long term, so he projects as a corner outfielder. Karpathios put up a .827 OPS in July and owns a 1.214 OPS thus far in August. His stock is on the rise as the outfielder should end the year with the TinCaps. A promotion is in order for Karpathios, and, with that, perhaps some attention on the Padre’s top-30 list.

Nick Vogt– OF- Fort Wayne TinCaps

6-foot-1, 184 lbs- 24 years old (.244/.324/.367)  .691 OPS  6 HR/43 RBI 24 SB

Vogt is an older prospect, and this year was a make-or-break season for the right-handed hitter. At 24 and starting the season again in Lake Elsinore, Vogt needed to produce or risk being released by the Padres. He responded with a .759 OPS for the Storm and earned a promotion to the TinCaps.

In Fort Wayne, the former 7th-round pick is struggling, but he plays all over the diamond and does the little things to win games. That is the thing about Vogt—you need to watch him play to appreciate what he brings to the table. He is not overly flashy but does multiple things well. With 28 steals so far this season, his speed is an obvious tool. The power is not overly impressive, and the right-handed hitter needs to walk a little more. But Vogt is an interesting prospect moving forward.

Enmanuel Pinales– RHP- Fort Wayne TinCaps

6-foot-2, 185 lbs- 23 years old  (3-9  4.04 ERA/1.258 WHIP) 89 IP/82 K

Signed in 2022 out of the Dominican Republic, this right-handed pitcher is starting to emerge even though he signed at an older age for prospects (21). Pinales has a decent fastball and a plus change-up. He throws strikes and strikes batters out continuously.

He has made 17 starts this season for the TinCaps, and his numbers are very respectable. If he can make the jump to Double-A this season, then he will be poised to debut at some point in the next few years. There is a lot to like about his demeanor on the mound, and Pinales should be able to progress as a starting pitcher. There is some upside here.

Javier Chacon– LHP- Lake Elsinore Storm

5-foot-11, 190 lbs- 21 years old  (4-2  3.61 ERA/1.283 WHIP)  62.1 IP/80 K-   2 saves

This Cuban youngster is starting to throw strikes, and that bodes well for his future. The stuff is there, but the small-in-stature pitcher always seemed to struggle to pound the zone. Chacon is pitching out of the pen and probably will remain there moving forward. There is some funk to his delivery, and that is why he struggles with his release point. Chacon could eventually be a useful lefty out of the pen, but he needs to solidify his mechanics.

Xavier Ruiz– RHP- Lake Elsinore Storm

6-foot-1, 180 lbs- 21 years old  (2-2  2.51 ERA/1.209 WHIP)  43 IP/46 K- 5 saves

Dominican right-handed pitcher Xavier Ruiz is enjoying a productive year out of the pen for the Storm. He throws at a 3/4 arm slot and earns strikeouts effectively. Ruiz is a middle relief-type pitcher with a decent floor. It may take some time, but he should progress to the upper minor league system and beyond. He is close to a promotion to the TinCaps and could finish the year in the Midwest League.

Jarred Kollar– RHP- El Paso Chihuahuas

6-foot-0, 195 lbs- 26 years old  (11-4  3.27 ERA/1.204 WHIP)  104.2 IP/94 K

Not being blessed with the best size or stuff has not stopped this pitcher, who is currently at the Triple-A level. Kollar was not drafted out of college and is showing that hard work and a great mindset can take you far in the game. The Padres could use Kolar soon, as the starting pitcher continues to perform at the highest levels of the minor league system.

James Clark

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.