San Diego Padres Top-100 Prospects

70-Boomer White

The Padres selected this young man with their 10th-round selection in 2016 and he started his career in Tri-City. White had trouble adjusting to the wood bat, and should produce better numbers this season. He has a short, compact swing and quick hands. The young man is raw though, but makes up for it in hustle and heart. He is a gamer and will be a favorite among his teammates. If he can keep getting better and make the proper adjustments, he could climb this list in time. The problem is, he is 23 and should already be at a higher level by now. He was recently added to the Lake Elsinore Storms roster, so he could be well on the way to advancing.

69- Michael Kelly

Drafted by the Padres in the first round (48th overall) of the 2011 draft, Kelly has sure taken his time to progress through the system. At one point he looked to be left for dead, but after an impressive 2016 season, he again surfaced on the prospects lists. In reality, the right-handed pitcher is still pretty young (24). His stuff is nothing to be overly impressed with, but he has shown an ability to get batters out. The 6′ 4″ pitcher is in Double-A, but should probably get a promotion at some point very soon.

68- Dayon Olmo

The 20-year-old speedy center fielder has made improvements each year he has been with the team. In 2014, Olmo hit .162 in 167 at bats. The next season in the DSL, he hit .245, with improved walk and strikeout rates. This past season he hit .288 in 132 at bats. He is currently on the AZL Padres Rookie team, where the Dominican switch-hitter looks to make a favorable impression and earn a promotion to Tri-City or Fort Wayne.

67- Franmil Reyes

Franmil Reyes does not get a ton of notice, but he has put up respectable numbers in his five-year tenure in the Padres’ minor league system. The 21-year-old right fielder has a very good arm and is solid defensively. He also has developing right-handed power that could grow even more as he puts more weight on his 6′ 5″ frame. Last season in Lake Elsinore, Reyes hit 16 homers and drove in 83 runs in 130 games while hitting .278 and putting up a .792 OPS. This season in San Antonio, Reyes owns a .290/.357/.457 batting line with seven homers in 245 at bats. Not overly flashy, but solid across the board is Reyes’ calling card. He has had defensive issues this season, but still has a rocket throwing arm.

66- Marcus Greene Jr.

After a breakout season in Australia, playing for the Adelaide Bite during the winter, Greene has taken off in Fort Wayne. The catcher/outfielder/first baseman is off to a .282/.372/.474 start in 47 games. He was acquired from the Texas Rangers for Will Venable in 2015, while he was on the shelf undergoing Tommy John surgery. His catching abilities remain in question presently, as he hasn’t shown much in that capacity. The bat is solid, but at 5′ 11″, he is limited on his overall ceiling. At 22, Greene has some ability to become a prospect, but his bat will have to make his defensive shortcomings seem irrelevant.

65- Starlin Cordero

This 18-year-old right-hander has a very funky delivery. He comes at you with a strange motion that he has trouble repeating. Because of his lack of mechanics, he throws the ball all over the place. Cordero is 6′ 7″ and quite often it takes taller pitchers awhile before the mechanics straighten out. The Padres have a project on their hands, but he is already hitting 97 MPH on the radar gun, so he is well worth the time. Cordero throws an average slider that could eventually be serviceable. His high-riding fastball is a strikeout pitch, but will he ever gain control?

64- Zech Lemond

Lemond was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2014 draft out of Rice University. He was selected a starting pitcher and was given the chance to toe the rubber at the beginning of games early in his minor league career, but recently he has been relegated to the bullpen. He has flourished there as his strikeout rate has climbed. In Lake Elsinore this year, he is holding down a 2.63 ERA in his first 22 appearances. The power-reliever looks to be a future set-up man or possibly even a closer if he refines his mechanics even more. At 24, Lemond has progressed nicely and should breeze through Double-A and Triple-A, and could be seen around Petco in late 2018 if everything breaks right.

63- Aaron Leasher

The left-handed pitcher out of Morehead State signed for $278,000 and is ready to start his professional career. He features a fastball in the low 90’s and has an outstanding changeup. That change of pace is his best pitch and should play well against advanced hitters. He is very athletic and seems very eager to get better. The Padres may have found a great value in this young man.

62- Henry Henry

Tall and lanky and with a funky motion is how you describe this right-handed pitcher. He throws in the low 90’s presently, but his ball has tremendous sinking movement to it. He is still trying to figure out how to control his fastball, but once he does, he could be one to keep an eye on. The 6′ 4″ Dominican pitcher is in Tri-City after spending last season on the Padres AZL rookie team. He is still 18 and showing improvement, and with that, could be an interesting relief option for the team. It still is possible he remains a starter, but he needs to get left-handed batters out more effectively.

61- Gerardo Reyes

This right-handed pitcher throws gas. Seeing him firsthand, I was pleasantly surprised. The 24-year-old Mexican right-handed pitcher is small in stature at 5′ 11″, but he has a major league-quality heater. His walk rate is high though and he needs to improve on his secondary pitches. Reyes was awarded a spot on the California League All-Star team this season and could be one to keep an eye on. Anyone who throws 95+ with a deceptive motion is worth noting.

PAGE 5 LINK BELOW

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.