The San Diego Padres, and their general manager AJ Preller, used their farm system and a couple of major league pitchers to fill out their big league roster on July 31. With a system ranked in the lower five of baseball by outside evaluators, the Padres managed to add a catcher, two quality bats and two starting pitchers to the roster.
The lesson to be learned from the past several years is that the organization drafts and develops players that other teams value. With trade acquisitions over the past several years,
the minor league system was emptied time after time. Every year, listening to the outspoken evaluators around baseball, the Padres were proclaimed to not posses enough player capital to swing meaningful trades. Each year those “experts” have been proven wrong.
One of the reasons it is a fun exercise to keep track of the Padres minor league system is for the opportunity to watch these young players develop and turn into stars for the team (Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill), or be exchanged for proven players that help the big club. This year the draft brought more young talent into the system and then Preller got busy trading away many of the players from last year and a couple of years before that.
August 11 brought the publication on MLB.com of the newest ranking of Padres prospects. Catcher Ethan Salas is now the top ranked prospect, and the only one on MLB’s top 100 list. 2025 top pick, LHP Kruz Schoolcraft, comes in at #2 and newly acquired shortstop Jorge Quintana sits at #7.
There are a few players that could help next year. Most of the players in the top 15 will need more time to develop, but a handful could prove to be intriguing next season.
Miguel Mendez
Of the top 10 players, there are two that could realistically help the team in the near future. RHP Miguel Mendez has risen quickly through the ranks, making his debut in the US in rookie ball in 2022. He spent 2023 in Lake Elsinore for 54.1 innings and repeated there in 2024 for 81.2 innings. He finished 2024 with a 3.86 ERA.
Beginning 2025 with the Storm, Mendez was quickly promoted to High-A Fort Wayne, posting a 1.32 ERA in 61.1 innings and .180 average against. After his promotion to Double-A San Antonio, Mendez has started two games and had his first hiccup of the season this past week. But his .152 average against in his two starts indicates his adjustment period might not take long. If he finishes this season strong, a spring training invite would not be a surprise.
Mendez has a four-seam fastball that hits 101 mph with a plus slider and a changeup that is still a work in progress.
Bradgley Rodriguez
Right handed reliever Rodriguez, who had a cup of coffee with the Padres in May, went out in June with an injury to the bicep in his right arm. He came back briefly at the end of June and was placed on the IL on July 9. There have been no updates to his status, but bicep injuries can require long healing times, especially for pitchers.
His 100 mph fastball and plus changeup could add to an already overwhelming Padres bullpen next season.
Tirso Ornelas
Outfielder Tirso Ornelas missed seven weeks of the minor league season with plantar fasciitis and was just activated this week. He sits at #11 on the prospect list and could still get an opportunity as a fourth outfielder with the team.
Garrett Hawkins
Reliever Garrett Hawkins (#18) has had a dominating season and is currently with San Antonio. His 38 innings without allowing a run just came to an end this past week, but he still carries a 1.65 ERA for the season. He throws a mid-90’s fastball with two good secondary pitches. An invite to spring training should be in his future.
Francis Pena
Reliever Francis Pena (#19) has a mid-90’s fastball and a plus slider that was dominant to start the 2025 season. Since mid-year he has had some issues with walks and may need more refinement, but could also be in major league spring camp in 2026.
Of the position players, none are close to pushing for a job other than Ornelas. Catcher Lamar King Jr (#14) and first baseman Romeo Sanabria (#20) would most likely be options for next season if they continue to develop.
After Salas, the next highest ranked position player is Quintana. Seven of the top 10 players are pitchers. Luckily, the Friars have no pressing needs in the position player area and the pitching staff should have options coming from the minor league system for next season.
The rest of the talent is a ways away, but that would not stop AJ Preller from spending his capital in exchange for areas of need for next season.