Getting to know San Diego Padres’ prospect Victor Figueroa.

Victor Figueroa is a big first baseman/outfielder in the San Diego Padres system who is turning heads early in 2025.

The left-handed hitter is 6-foot-5 and 240 lbs. He was selected in the 18th round out of a junior college in Florida.

While at Florida Southwestern State, he made history as the program’s first-ever First Team All-American. Figueroa put up triple crown numbers, leading the league with a .421 batting average, 17 home runs, and 79 RBIs. He was the Player of the Year in both the FCSAA and Citrus Conference. Figueroa was also named the FCSAA Athlete of the Year.

To say he was well-decorated in college is an understatement.

If he put up these numbers at a Division 1 school, Figueroa would have easily been a first-round pick.

Coming out of junior college, he was an enigma. The Padres didn’t quite know what they had. Putting up numbers like that at a JC level is impressive, but what kind of quality was the pitching he was facing?

In today’s day and age, JCs are thriving. You will regularly see pitchers in the mid-90s at this level—pitchers who are of quality. Figueroa may still be learning on the job at the pro level, but his tools are presently off the charts. The Padres recognized that fact, and they will reap the rewards from this young hitter.

The Padres elected for Figueroa to stay in the ACL as full-season ball started. The native of Florida was not happy about this decision, but he did not sulk. “I would say it was disappointing to begin with, but I turned that disappointment into motivation. That motivation really pushed me to take my game to the next level,” Figueroa tells EVT this week. Motivation created an unbelievable start for Figueroa in the ACL, as he posted a 1.263 OPS, a .605 batting average, and five homers in 11 games.

San Diego had no choice but to promote Figueroa, and he started this past week with the Lake Elsinore Storm. “I have big expectations for myself. I want to be the best version of myself,” Figeroa said with intensity when discussing his promotion. He enjoyed his time at the ACL despite not starting in the California League. “I learned that you need to grind. You need to put yourself in a position where you can shine. The development is so strong in the ACL. You are playing for yourself, and you are playing to start your career. You want to have a good start to your career, and I am blessed to have had a great start,” Figueroa explains.

Speaking with Figueroa, you get a sense that he is figuring it out. He is a quick learner.

“I always thrive to be a better version of myself than the day before. I have something to prove.”

The 21-year-old is wise beyond his years. The big lefty is a critical thinker. One who rationalizes his play and only goal is to get better and help his team win ball games. “I always strive to be a better version of myself than the day before. I have something to prove. That just makes me play better and mentally be in a better situation,” Figueroa told EVT before his first Storm home game of the year. This statement sums up Figueroa, and it wasn’t just PR either. He means it. I believe him.

Figueroa has incredible size and is only getting stronger. But power is not his primary concern. The youngster realizes he already has prodigious power potential. His concern is putting the ball in play on strikes thrown by the pitcher and hitting the ball as hard as he can in a controlled manner. He reiterates that control is the key. Figueora points to a quote from Aaron Judge- Hit the ball as hard as you can, but as controlled as you can. “I feel like with my big frame, the power is already there. To control my power is when the batting average goes up,” Figueroa explains.

In talking about his swing, he explained it with passion. “It is a mix of both contact and power. Obviously, I am a big figure and a big frame. A lot of people know me for my size. My power. What a lot of people don’t know is that I try to hit the ball hard wherever I can. That is where the contact comes into play. I am the type of guy who has an adjustable swing,” Figueroa explains. He will hit the ball the other way. His power potential is not just pull only as the big left-hander generally hits the ball towards the middle of the field. He is capable of being a really good hitter. Not just a power threat.

We spoke more about hitting and the importance of swinging at strikes only. “We strive for that in the organization. When the ball is in the strike zone, we punish them. We do not let them go by. That creates success. We try to do that as much as we can,” Figueroa said. The Padres organization is unified, and they strive to instill the same philosophy in all their minor leaguers. That makes it easier as the prospect climbs the ladder. It is a winning philosophy

In Lake Elsinore, Figueroa already has two homers in a handful of games. “He is a great young hitter, and we are happy he is with us,” Storm’s manager Brian Burress said of Figueroa. The manager explained that he stepped right into the middle of the lineup and fit right in. “He came in here with some confidence, and right away, he was impactful. Victor has really good power and is a guy who just wants to find the barrel.”

Figueroa is an opposing force in the batter’s box. The left-handed hitter possesses premier power ability, but he also demonstrates an excellent two-strike approach and performs well against left-handed pitchers. He is hardly one-dimensional. “I want to say we strive to be versatile here in the organization. We practice against left-handers. When a left-hander is on the mound, I know I prepared myself. Our preparation is what we strive for here,” Figueroa explains.

There is athleticism in Figueroa as the right-handed thrower is also capable of playing the outfield as well as first base. For the Storm, he has already shown up in right field as an effort to keep his bat in the lineup. “I want to say first base is my strong suit. That is where I got drafted at. Obviously, in the minor leagues, you need to look for opportunities. If there is a spot for me to play there (in the outfield) and I will be in that lineup card, that’s all that matters. How can I take this opportunity and strive from it?” Figueroa said.

Victor Figueroa’s dad was a pitcher in the Los Angeles Dodgers system. Jonathan Figueroa sadly passed away when Victor Figueroa was six years old. You can read more about that story here and how his death provides incredible motivation. Jonathan Figueroa was a great young pitcher and, at one time, was the Dodgers’ No.2 prospect. Victor Figueroa has some pitching experience in his past and credits the craft for helping him in several ways. “Just being on the other side of it mentally is a help. I can think about it like how I would try to get myself out. Knowing my weaknesses, I can prepare for games better. I think about how I can limit my weakness to create a better opportunity,” Figueroa explains.

The love of his father has guided Victor Figueroa on his grind. He’s always known where his heart lies when it comes to his future. “Baseball is something I always wanted to do,” Figueroa states proudly. His mind is sharp for the game, and he is eager to improve. The passion and love for the game will never cease with Victor Figueroa. His focus is on developing his tools. “I just want to have more tools. On the hitting side, I feel I have that covered. But If I can add tools on the field, then I will become an elite ballplayer,” Figueroa explains with a passion.

Figueroa wants to leave it all out on the field and spoke about not letting anyone see him and think a certain area of his game is a problem. “I believe in all my talents, hitting-wise. I feel I could be better on the defensive end,” Figueroa admits. His defense is not bad by any stretch of the imagination. The big youngster just wants to be the best. Nothing less is satisfactory.

His goals for the rest of the year involve the team. “Obviously, I am a power guy. I want to hit home runs. I love hitting for a high average as well because it just changes the game. In every game, I want one impactful moment. In doing so, I create success for the team, knowing that I impacted the game,” Figueroa explains to EVT. By simply being impactful in the middle of the lineup, Figueroa knows his team has a better chance of winning the game.

In closing, we discussed the Padres organization and how he looks forward to advancing. “We are not just an organization, we are family,” Figueroa said.

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. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the 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.