San Diego Padres Top-100 Prospects

50- Alison Quintero

The 17-year-old catcher out of Venezuela signed for $830,000 as he was ranked as the #22 prospect in the class. He is very polished for his age and could begin an assignment later this month. Defensively he is very nimble and blessed with a rocket arm. The right-handed hitter has a decent swing and developing power. He projects to stay at the position and adds to the Padres’ depth at the position.

49- Kyle McGrath

This funky, left-handed pitcher has been banged up a bit this year. He is on the roster in San Antonio and pitching well in relief for the Missions. The 36th round selection out of Louisville in 2014 has done nothing but progressed in his time as a Padre farmhand. McGrath owns an incredible 1.57 ERA in his 172 minor league innings while striking out 193 batters. He has also maintained a 0.86 WHIP and only walked 27 batters. He throws strikes and attacks hitters with his deceptive motion. He should be pitching for the Padres within the next 12 months. His stuff is legit.

48- Ty France

This former SDSU Aztec has risen through the ranks like an absolute trooper and is only now getting the recognition he deserves. I was lucky enough to sit next to his parents one day this season in Lake Elsinore, and he has a very supportive family. The right-handed hitter continues to barrel up baseballs and produce. He has a stroke which has produced at the Double-A level this season after an early May promotion. At 22, the former 34th-round selection has blossomed in the Padres’ system. He does not have the greatest power at the moment, but he does possess the ability to hit the ball out of the yard to his pull side. France is currently hitting .333 in San Antonio with a .880 OPS. He is one to watch for as he can play third base, and that is something the Padres lack presently at the upper minor league levels.

47- Roberto Perez

This talented left-handed pitcher signed for $400,000 and it looks to be a great deal. He trained in the Dominican Republic after leaving Cuba and it was there that he reformed his motion and gained some velocity on his fastball. It currently sits in the low 90’s, but he spots it very well and has an advanced curve ball to go with it. Perez also features a split-finger fastball which could be a decent pitch in the future. The 19-year-old pitched for the Indios de Guantanamo in the Serie Nacional in 2014, so he has some experience against higher lever competition.

46- Jose Castillo

This left-handed pitcher was obtained from the Rays in the infamous Wil Myers deal. He has made slow, steady progress with his growth and at 21, could be a valuable bullpen piece for the team eventually. He has not started a game since 2015, and seems destined to be a middle reliever at the higher levels. He throws in the low to mid 90’s with a decent slider and is in Lake Elsinore, pitching for the Storm.

45- Jerry Keel

A solid lefty currently flying under the radar is Jerry Keel. He has taken the grand tour of the Padres’ system this year pitching in Fort Wayne, San Antonio, and Lake Elsinore. He is starting for the team, but could also be used out of the pen eventually. Keel has a very deceptive left-handed motion that has mostly kept hitters in check. The 23-year-old was drafted in the ninth round by the Padres, in 2015, out of Cal State Northridge. He holds a 3.61 ERA throughout his minor league career and has recently started to figure out how to get outs via the strikeout.

44- Tre Carter

This left-handed hitter/right-handed thrower is very exciting to watch. He was selected by the team in the 11th round out of a high school in Tennessee. He is an athlete in every sense of the word and uses his skill quite well on the baseball field. At 6′ 2″ and 180 lbs he is still growing into his frame. Carter just turned 20, and is starting his career in Tri-City after spending the 2016 season in the Arizona Rookie League. He has great speed and can easily play center field long-term. He gets precise jumps on the ball and has a decent arm, with nice carry.

43- Andres Munoz

This 18-year-old is vaulting up the Padres’ prospects list after recently hitting triple digits in a bullpen session. The right-handed pitcher has a plus fastball obviously, but needs to refine his secondary pitches. He also has very bad control issues, but has plenty of time to develop within the system. He is a physical presence on the mound and could be a top-end starter if he can gain any consistency. Munoz could also be a valuable piece in the Padres’ bullpen eventually if he can’t start. The ceiling is high here, but sadly, the floor is low.

42- Mason House

This prep center fielder looks like a gamer. The Padres selected him with the 78th selection in the draft earlier this month, and signed him for $732,000. The Texas athlete has great speed and defensive abilities. He was a great scholar and a team leader. The 6′ 2″, left handed hitter has a great swing. He generates excellent bat speed and reports are that the power will develop even more in time. He should be able to stick in center, as he has the skills to play the position at the professional level.

41- Blake Hunt

As if selecting one catcher turning heads wasn’t enough, the Padres selected Blake Hunt out of a So Cal high school with their third pick (69th overall). In true A.J. Preller fashion, the team did what they wanted, and ignored what the so-called obvious move was. Hunt is a solid catching prospect, who will probably stay behind the dish. He constantly produces 1.8 second pop-times and is blessed with a rocket arm. His bat is intriguing, as he has size and the ability to barrel the baseball. Despite his large frame, the power has yet to fully develop, but it should in time. If he can hit, he will be the total package.

PAGE 7 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.