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Padres Press Clips Thursday, January 17, 2019

Article Source Author Pg. Padres roster review: Garrett Richards SD Union Tribune Sanders 2 Mejia among MLB's Top 10 catching prospects MLB.com Mayo 5 #PadresOnDeck: 3B Potts, OFs Reed and Naylor Could Be a Year Away FriarWire Center 7 from the Padres San Diego Padres Prospects Overview Baseball America Glaser 10 Spring Training 2019: Padres pitchers & catchers to report on Feb. 13 FSSD Staff 17

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Padres roster review: Garrett Richards Jeff Sanders

Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster, from A to Z, heading into the 2019 season:

GARRETT RICHARDS

• Position(s): Right-handed starting pitcher • 2019 Opening Day age: 30 • Bats/throws: R / R • Height/weight: 6-foot-3 / 210 pounds • Acquired: Signed as a free agent in December 2018 • Contract status: Will earn $7 million in 2019 and $8.5 million in 2020. • Key stats: 5-4, 3.66 ERA, 87 strikeouts, 34 walks, 1.28 WHIP, .222 opponent

average (16 starts, 76 1/3 innings)

STAT TO NOTE

• 10.3 – Richards’ strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2018, a career-best mark and better than any qualifying Padres starting pitcher last year.

TRENDING

• Down – As impressive as Richards’ stuff is, there’s no getting around the fact that he has made just 28 starts over the last three years. Even Richards’ breakthrough 2014 campaign was cut short in August when he tore his left patellar tendon while covering first base at Fenway Park as the Angels chased an AL West title. Richards recovered to make 32 starts in 2015, but elbow trouble limited him to six starts the following year. Richards opted for stem-cell injections instead of Tommy John, missed 135 games in 2017 because of a

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biceps strain and ultimately required an elbow reconstruction last summer after just 16 starts, wiping out the rest of 2018 and most of 2019. In fact, chances are the Padres don’t see any return on their Richards investment until 2020. The intrigue is justified. Pre-Tommy John, Richards’ average fastball velocity sat at 96.5 mph from 2014 to 2018, seventh-best among qualifying starters in that period behind Noah Syndergaard (98.3 mph), Luis Severino(97.4 mph), the late Yordano Ventura (97.4 mph), Nathan Eovaldi (97.3 mph), Carlos Martinez (96.8 mph) and Gerrit Cole (96.6 mph). He held hitters to a .220/.291/.326 batting line over that stretch, fanning 488 batters over 514 2/3 innings. In 2014, Richards, led the majors with 0.3 homers per nine innings, but he has a wild side to him, too. He led the majors in wild pitches in 2014 and 2015 and led the AL with 15 in just 16 starts last year.

2019 OUTLOOK

• Richards underwent Tommy John surgery in late July 2018, which would put his 12-month mark at around the All-Star break. While that’s typically an optimistic target for a return without setbacks, a more realistic expectation is to see Richards report to spring training in 2020 looking to resume his career as the ace-in-the-making he appeared to be in Anaheim. The question is whether a reconstructed elbow will let his stuff return to previous levels.

PADRES POWER RANKINGS

(Currently 40 players on the 40-man roster; the list below reflects only the players reviewed thus far in the series)

1. Wil Myers 2. Eric Hosmer 3. Austin Hedges 4. Hunter Renfroe 5. Manuel Margot 6. Francisco Mejia 7. Franchy Cordero

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8. Joey Lucchesi 9. Chris Paddack 10.Franmil Reyes 11. Ian Kinsler 12. Eric Lauer 13. Dinelson Lamet 14. Garrett Richards 15. Jose Castillo 16. Anderson Espinoza 17. Travis Jankowski 18. Robbie Erlin 19. Miguel Diaz 20. Jacob Nix 21. Phil Maton 22. Greg Garcia 23. Austin Allen 24. Pedro Avila 25. Edward Olivares 26. Gerardo Reyes 27.Luis Perdomo 28. Bryan Mitchell 29. Jose Pirela 30. Brett Kennedy 31. Ty France 32. Javy Guerra

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Removed from the roster

• Carlos Asuaje (claimed by the Rangers)

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Mejia among MLB's Top 10 catching prospects By Jonathan Mayo MLB.com @JonathanMayo Jan. 16th, 2019 MLB Pipeline will unveil its 2019 Top 100 Prospects list with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com on Saturday, Jan. 26, at 8 p.m. ET. Leading up to the release, we look at baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.

There's a good amount of turnover on this year's Top 10 Catching Prospects list compared to the 2018 version. That starts at the top, with a member of the 2018 Draft Class, Joey Bart, leading the way.

an. 14th, 2019 Francisco Mejia, now with the Padres, continues to be a mainstay, sitting in the top two for the third straight season. Keibert Ruiz of the Dodgers, the A's Sean Murphy and Danny Jansen from the Blue Jays are the other holdovers from last year's Top 10. Graduation caused some serious turnover, with Carson Kelly, now with the D-backs, Jorge Alfaro (Phillies), Chance Sisco (Orioles) and Victor Caratini (Cubs) all moving on to larger big league contributions.

The Top 10 (ETA) 1. Joey Bart, Giants (2021) 2. Francisco Mejia, Padres (2019) 3. Keibert Ruiz, Dodgers (2020) 4. Sean Murphy, A's (2019) 5. Danny Jansen, Blue Jays (2019) 6. Ronaldo Hernandez, Rays (2021) 7. Miguel Amaya, Cubs (2021) 8. Daulton Varsho, D-backs (2020) 9. M.J. Melendez, Royals (2021) 10. Andrew Knizner, Cardinals (2019)

Top tools

Hit: Mejia (60) Mejia has hit at pretty much every stop in the Minors, starting with his 50-game hitting streak and .342 average in 2016. Following his trade to the Padres last year in the Brad Hand deal, he showed what the fuss was about by hitting .328 with Triple-A El Paso en route to making his San Diego debut. His ability to swing the bat from both sides of the plate is well ahead of his defense behind it.

an. 14th, 2019 Arm: Mejia, Murphy (70) Mejia has thrown out 33 percent of potential basestealers in his Minor League career. Last year, that was down to 28.9 percent, though he also spent less time behind the plate compared to

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other seasons. Murphy threw out 34.3 percent in 2018, which actually brought his career percentage down to 35.5 percent.

an. 14th, 2019 Most to prove: Mejia Yes, Mejia has hit pretty much everywhere he's been in the Minors, but he has a .583 OPS in 76 big league plate appearances, a small sample size for sure. That, combined with questions about his ability to catch full-time and showing he was worth trading for, makes the spotlight a little brighter on him in 2019.

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#PadresOnDeck: 3B Potts, OFs Reed and Naylor Could Be a Year Away from the Padres Jan 16

By Bill Center Padres fans are eagerly anticipating the emergence of top prospects Fernando Tatis Jr., Francisco Mejía and Luis Urías this season.

But the next wave of position prospects in the Padres’ talented minor league network could arrive as soon as the end of the 2019 season or 2020.

Outfielders Buddy Reed and Josh Naylor and third baseman Hudson Potts all took giant steps forward in 2018 and rank among the Padres’ Top-30 prospects. A deeper look at the trio by their prospect rankings by the MLB Pipeline:

— Buddy Reed climbed to №13 among all Padres’ prospects last season with a breakout campaign with Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore. More recently, the 23-year-old center fielder, who was the Padres’ second-round pick (48th overall) in the 2016 Draft, was named to the all-defensive prospects team by the MLB Pipeline.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound switch-hitter batted .324 with a .371 on-base percentage and a .549 slugging percentage in 79 games for Lake Elsinore last season for a .921 OPS. He was named to the California League All-Star team and had 21 doubles, seven triples, 12 homers, 54 runs scored, 47 RBIs and 33 stolen bases in just 315 at-bats with the Storm.

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Reed struggled after a mid-season promotion to Double-A San Antonio. In 43 games in the Texas League, Reed hit only .179 with a .227 on-base percentage. Overall, however, he still hit .271 in 122 games between Lake Elsinore and San Antonio with 28 doubles, seven triples, 13 homers and 51 stolen bases for a .754 OPS.

Reed followed that season with a trip to the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .333 with a .397 on-base percentage and a .485 slugging percentage for a .882 OPS. In 16 games, Reed had five doubles, a triple, a homer, five stolen bases, six RBIs and 13 runs scored.

Reed figures to start the season with Double-A Amarillo.

— Josh Naylor was a Double-A Texas League mid and post-season All-Star last season despite being three years below the league average age. Some members of the Padres player development department believe Naylor’s bat is close to being Major League ready.

The left-handed hitter also made a transition last season. With the Padres having signed Eric Hosmer to play first base over the next seven seasons,

Naylor moved from first to left with the Missions. Although a good runner for his size, the 5-foot-11, 250-pound Naylor is still learning the outfield, although he has played outfield with the Canadian Junior National Team.

Naylor doesn’t turn 22 until next June 22. Acquired in a trade with Miami on July 29, 2016, Naylor figures to start the 2019 season with Triple-A El Paso.

In 2018, Naylor played 128 games with San Antonio. He hit .297 with a .383 on-base percentage and a .447 on-base percentage for a .830 OPS. In 570 plate appearances, Naylor struck out on 69 times while drawing

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64 walks. He also had 22 doubles, a triple and 17 homers for 74 RBIs and 72 runs scored.

The Marlins’ first-round pick (12th overall) in the 2013 Draft, Naylor is ranked the Padres’ №15 prospect.

— Hudson Potts is the youngest of the trio. The Padres’ №23 prospect will be 20 throughout the 2019 season, which will likely start with an assignment to Double-A Amarillo.

One of three first-round picks (24th overall) the Padres had in the 2016 Draft, Potts played 106 games with Lake Elsinore last year before finishing the season with San Antonio with an extension in the Arizona Fall League.

Potts, who was 3 1/3 years younger than the age average in the California League, hit .281 with the Storm with a .350 on-base percentage and a .498 slugging percentage for a .847 OPS. In 106 games with Lake Elsinore, Potts had 35 doubles, a triple, 17 homers, 58 RBIs and 66 runs scored. He hit .154 in 22 games at Double-A with two homers and five RBIs. Overall, he had 19 homers and 63 RBIs in 2018 with a .260 batting average and a .789 OPS.

Potts had five doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs in 79 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League where he hit .228 with a .697 OPS.

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PRESEASON TOP 10 PROSPECTS Click prospect for player report Glaser, Baseball America AR

PLAYER REPORTS 1. 1. Fernando Tatis | SS

Born: Jan 2, 1999

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'3" Wt.: 185

Signed: SIGNED -- Dominican Republic, 2015.

Signed By: Miguel Peguero (White Sox).

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Fernando Tatis had a quality decade-long major league career, but his son Fernando Jr. projects to be even better. The younger Tatis was lightly regarded as an international amateur in the Dominican Republic and wasn’t even invited to MLB’s international showcase when he was 16. The White Sox went against the consensus and signed him for $700,000. Shortly after signing, Tatis grew two inches and filled out, developing newfound leverage and power. The Padres scouted Tatis heavily and, before he ever played a pro game, acquired him and righthander Erik Johnson from the White Sox for James Shields in June 2016. He quickly blossomed into one of baseball’s top prospects. A unique blend of power, speed and athleticism, Tatis was on pace for his second-straight 20-20 season in 2018 at Double-A, but he suffered a broken left thumb on a head-first slide in late July and had season-ending surgery.

SCOUTING REPORT: Strong and lithe in his long, athletic physique, Tatis has a chance to be the rare everyday shortstop who is a true power-speed threat. He has a loose, rhythmic swing with a lot of moving parts that sometimes get out of whack, but when everything is in sync he is an offensive force. Tatis tracks pitches deep and powers his barrel through the zone, driving the ball with excellent extension and leverage. Balls explode off his bat from gap-to-gap, and he shows off his plus-plus raw power with towering pull-side home runs. Tatis has bouts of over-aggressiveness that lead to elevated strikeout totals, but he generally self-corrects. An above-average hitter with plus power and possibly more, Tatis enhances his offensive game with his speed. While he previously stole bags with average speed and advanced instincts, he improved his body composition and is now a plus runner who reaches plus-plus underway. That improved fitness also led to quicker reactions and more range at shortstop, quieting concerns about him moving off the position. With plus-plus arm strength, reliable hands and now wide lateral range, Tatis could be an above-average or plus defender at shortstop.

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THE FUTURE: Tatis has the talent to be a perennial all-star shortstop and the personality to be the face of the Padres franchise. He’ll begin 2019 at Triple-A El Paso and has a chance to make his major league debut at age 20.

2. 2. MacKenzie Gore | LHP

Born: Feb 24, 1999

Bats: L Throws: L

Ht.: 6'3" Wt.: 191

Drafted: HS—Whiteville, N.C., 2017 (1st).

Signed By: Nick Brannon.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Gore allowed just 16 earned runs in four years at Whiteville (N.C.) High and won BA’s High School Player of the Year award in 2017. The Padres drafted him third overall and signed him for a franchise-record $6.7 million. Gore received rave reviews in his first spring training, but blister issues sent him to the disabled list twice at low Class A Fort Wayne and led to an underwhelming 2018 season. After Gore’s blisters returned a third time, the Padres shut him down in late August.

SCOUTING REPORT: When healthy, Gore checks every box as a lean, premium athlete with a loose arm, sky-high leg kick and four pitches that flash plus. His fastball sits 93-94 mph, touches 96 and gets on hitters quickly with his long extension. Gore’s blisters sapped the command of his heater but most seriously affected his feel for his breaking balls. His curveball sits 77-80 mph with sharp 1-to-7 snap and his slider works 84-86 mph with tight, late break, but his inability to grip them resulted in both playing down to average with inconsistent velocity and location. His upper-80s changeup is his fourth pitch but still shows plus with sink at the bottom of the zone.

THE FUTURE: Gore’s recurring blisters are troubling and prevented him from pitching his best. He’ll try to show he’s past them in 2019. If healthy, he has top-of-the-rotation potential.

3. 3. Luis Urias | 2B

Born: Jun 3, 1997

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 5'9" Wt.: 185

Signed: SIGNED -- Mexico, 2013

Signed By: Chad MacDonald/Robert Rowley.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

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TRACK RECORD: The Padres purchased Urias’ rights from Mexico City for $100,000 when he was 16 in a deal facilitated by club owner Alfredo Harp Helu, a minority stakeholder in the Padres. Urias wasted no time validating the deal. He won the California League MVP award in 2016 and led the Texas League in on-base percentage in 2017. In 2018, Urias hit a team-best .298 at Triple-A El Paso and made his major league debut at age 21.

SCOUTING REPORT: Urias has the gifts of a potential .300 hitter. Short but mighty, the 5-foot-9 Urias takes advantage of his compact strike zone with a quick, level swing that produces hard line drives to all fields. He has an elite eye and rarely chases, forcing pitchers to come to him and punishing hittable pitches. Urias’ build and swing aren’t conducive to home runs, but with his quick bat he can square up a fastball and drive it out. Defensively, Urias is an above-average second baseman with sure hands, clean footwork and an impressive vertical leap to go with an above-average arm. He can fill in as an average shortstop, although his range there is stretched.

THE FUTURE: Urias’ pure stroke and elite eye give him a chance to contend for batting titles at his peak. He’ll be the Padres’ everyday second baseman in 2019.

4. 4. Francisco Mejia | C

Born: Oct 27, 1995

Bats: B Throws: R

Ht.: 5'10" Wt.: 180

Signed: SIGNED -- Dominican Republic, 2012.

Signed By: Ramon Pena (Indians)

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Signed by the Indians for $350,000, Mejia rose to prominence in 2016 when he engineered a 50-game hit streak at the Class A levels, the longest in the modern era of the minor leagues. In desperate need of bullpen help, the Indians traded Mejia to the Padres for Brad Hand and Adam Cimber at the 2018 trade deadline. Mejia made his first Padres start Sept. 6 at Cincinnati and made a loud first impression, homering in his first two at-bats.

SCOUTING REPORT: The switch-hitting Mejia possesses elite-hand eye coordination that allows him to project as a plus hitter. He squares balls up in all parts of the strike zone and sometimes even outside of it, producing hard contact gap-to-gap. Mejia gets to his double-digit home run power more righthanded than left, but his premium bat speed makes him a threat from both sides. Mejia’s issue is he swings at absolutely everything. His ultra aggressiveness led to an 29 strikeout rate and weak contact against pitcher’s pitches, an unsustainable approach he’ll need to corral. Mejia has a bazaooka for a right arm and the athleticism to be a solid-average catcher, but he often lacks focus, resulting in numerous passed balls. In part because of his lack of reliability, the Indians experimented with Mejia at third base and left field.

THE FUTURE: Mejia will start in a timeshare with Austin Hedges behind the plate. Whether he eventually supplants Hedges will depend on how much his plate discipline and defensive focus improve.

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5. 5. Adrian Morejon | LHP

Born: Feb 27, 1999

Bats: L Throws: L

Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 175

Signed: SIGNED -- Cuba, 2016.

Signed By: David Post/Trevor Schumm/Felix Feliz.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: Morejon pitched Cuba to the gold medal at the 2014 15U World Cup, winning MVP honors with a complete-game victory over the U.S. Two years later, the Padres signed him for $11 million the day after Major League Baseball declared him a free agent. Morejon embarked on his first full season in 2018 with high Class A Lake Elsinore and earned plaudits as the California League’s top pitching prospect, but flexor soreness followed by triceps discomfort limited him to just two starts after the all-star break.

SCOUTING REPORT: As expected when he signed, Morejon has grown into his frame and added significant velocity. Now a sturdy 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, Morejon sits 93-96 mph with his fastball and touches 98 with impressive ease. At one point Morejon had trouble commanding his high-spin curveball, but in mid-May he found the right arm stroke and release point and began breaking it off as a second plus pitch, drawing chases below the zone. His traditional changeup with fade flashes plus and is better than his knuckle-change, but both are weapons. Morejon’s control is his weak point. He leaves his fastball up and loses his curveball feel on occasion.

THE FUTURE: Morejon draws comparisons to Carlos Rodon as a big-bodied lefty with potent stuff. Like Rodon, Morejon has struggled to stay healthy. He’ll try to reach 70 innings for the first time in 2019.

6. 6. Chris Paddack | RHP

Born: Jan 8, 1996

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'4" Wt.: 195

Drafted: HS—Cedar Park, Texas, 2015 (8th).

Signed By: Ryan Wardinsky (Marlins).

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: The Padres’ 2016 summer sell-off kicked into high gear when they traded Fernando Rodney to the Marlins for Paddack in June. Paddack had Tommy John surgery just three starts into his Padres career and missed the next 22 months, but he returned with a vengeance in

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2018. He delivered a 2.10 ERA between high Class A Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio, with a jaw-dropping 120 strikeouts and eight walks in 90 innings.

SCOUTING REPORT: Paddack earned the nickname “The Executioner” at Lake Elsinore for his ruthless precision in eliminating opponents. He sits 91-94 mph and reaches 97 on his lively fastball with carry, dialing it up and down with pristine command in all four quadrants of the strike zone. He pairs his plus fastball with an 82-84 mph changeup that is one of the best in the minors. He sells it with identical arm speed before it falls off the table with late depth at the bottom of the strike zone, getting both swings and misses and called strikes on both sides of the plate. Paddack’s fastball, changeup and control are all plus or better, but his loopy 72-76 mph curveball is firmly below-average. He uses it less than 10 percent of the time, knowing it’s extremely hittable the few times it lands in the strike zone.

THE FUTURE: The list of successful big league righthanders without a breaking ball is short. Paddack will debut in 2019 and try to show he’s an exception.

7. 7. Luis Patino | RHP

Born: Oct 26, 1999

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 192

Drafted: Colombia, 2016.

Signed By: Andres Cabadias/Chris Kemp.

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TRACK RECORD: Patino weighed 150 pounds and sat 84-87 mph during a bullpen session at a Colombian showcase in 2016, but Padres international director Chris Kemp liked the converted shortstop’s loose arm and athleticism and signed him for $130,000. Patino filled out and made rapid velocity gains even faster than imagined. Up to 192 pounds and throwing in the mid-90s, Patino made his full-season debut in 2018 at low Class A Fort Wayne and became the talk of the Midwest League. He posted a 2.16 ERA in 17 starts, touching 99 mph as an 18-year-old.

SCOUTING REPORT: Patino is slightly undersized, but his stuff is huge. He sits 94-95 mph and on his explosive fastball and reaches 98-99. His 84-87 mph hard slider is the best in the organization, giving him two plus power pitches he deploys aggressively. Patino is a plus athlete who repeats his delivery and alters his leg kick to further disrupt hitters’ timing, all while keeping above-average control of his power stuff. He is still finding feel for his softer offerings. His 78-80 mph curveball flashes plus but is inconsistent, and the unreliability of his mid-80s changeup led lefties to torch him for a .345/.421/.457 line.

THE FUTURE: Patino’s arm and athleticism excite, but there’s a long way to go. He was shut down after 83.1 innings and needs to prove his durability, and he still has to find a pitch for lefties.

8. 8. Logan Allen | LHP

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Born: May 23, 1997

Bats: R Throws: L

Ht.: 6'3" Wt.: 200

Drafted: HS—Bradenton, Fla., 2015 (8th).

Signed By: Stephen Hargett (Red Sox).

VIEW PLAYER CARD

TRACK RECORD: The Padres targeted Allen in the 2015 draft and got him in a trade five months later, acquiring him from the Red Sox as one of four prospects for Craig Kimbrel. After a slow burn his first two seasons with the Padres, Allen catapulted in 2018. He logged a 2.54 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A as a 21-year-old, winning the Texas League pitcher of the year award and leading the system in wins (14) and strikeouts (154).

SCOUTING REPORT: Though not flashy, the steady Allen is more accomplished than any pitcher in the Padres’ system. All four of his pitches are competitive major league offerings, and he possesses a warrior mentality with an advanced feel for attacking hitters. Allen comes right at opponents with a 90-93 mph fastball, commanding it to both sides of the plate. His changeup is a plus pitch that dives late for swings and misses over the top. Allen’s third pitch is an average slider that has some cut action, and when it’s not working he can flip in an effective curveball. Allen throws everything for strikes and became more durable as he improved his pitch efficiency, completing six innings in 16 of 19 starts in 2018.

THE FUTURE: Allen’s four-pitch mix and durability have him set to log innings at the back of a rotation at the very least. His major league debut should come in 2019.

9. 9. Josh Naylor | 1B

Born: Jun 22, 1997

Bats: L Throws: L

Ht.: 5'11" Wt.: 250

Drafted: HS—Mississauga, Ont., 2015 (1st).

Signed By: Steve Payne (Marlins)

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TRACK RECORD: The Marlins drafted Naylor 12th overall in 2015, then traded him to the Padres one year later in the deal for Andrew Cashner. After teasing with uncanny hand-eye coordination and huge raw power, Naylor turned his tools into production in 2018. He set career highs in batting

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average (.297), home runs (17) and OPS (.830) at Double-A San Antonio, overcoming challenging hitting conditions.

SCOUTING REPORT: Naylor has a heavyset frame at 5-foot-11, 250 pounds with a protruding belly, but he crushes baseballs. He uses his powerful legs and thick trunk to generate huge torque and bat speed, turning around elite velocity with thunderous collisions on contact. While Naylor always had strong strike-zone discipline, he began picking out better pitches to drive in 2018 and saw career-highs in every power category while maintaining nearly as many walks (63) as strikeouts (69). Evaluators see a potential plus hitter with plus power, but no one is sure where Naylor will play. He’s decent at his natural first base, but with Eric Hosmer there, the Padres began playing Naylor in left field in 2018. While Naylor is sneaky athletic with short-area quickness and surprising speed, he’s still a below-average defender learning to play under control.

THE FUTURE: Naylor spent the offseason doing intense beach workouts in California. Like Kyle Schwarber, Naylor will have to slim down to make left field work.

10. 10. Cal Quantrill | RHP

Born: Feb 10, 1995

Bats: L Throws: R

Ht.: 6'3" Wt.: 208

Drafted: Stanford, 2016 (1st).

Signed By: Sam Ray

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TRACK RECORD: Quantrill starred on Canada’s junior national teams and looked like a future No. 1 overall pick his freshman year at Stanford, but he had Tommy John surgery three starts into his sophomore year and missed all of his junior year, too. The Padres still took him eighth overall in 2016 and gave him a full slot bonus of just under $4 million. Quantrill built back up over three pro seasons and logged 148 innings in 2018, overcoming a rocky stint at Double-A to finish strong at Triple-A.

SCOUTING REPORT: Quantrill, the son of former All-Star reliever Paul Quantrill, flashes plus stuff but has yet to find consistency post-surgery. At his best he sits 93-95 mph with downhill angle on his fastball, a plus changeup and a slider that has improved to average and become a swing-and-miss pitch. Other times he’ll work in the low 90s with decreased changeup feel and poor command, surrendering hits en masse. Quantrill is fiercely competitive and sometimes gets frustrated with himself, affecting his ability to execute. One main issue has been locating inside, with lefties in particular punishing him for a .305/.376/.468 line in 2018.

THE FUTURE: Quantrill still flashes mid-rotation potential with three quality pitches. Improving his command, composure and consistency will be key before his major league debut in 2019.

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Spring Training 2019: Padres pitchers & catchers to report on Feb. 13 FSSD

It’s less than a month from the start of the 2019 MLB season!

The pitchers and catchers for the San Diego Padres are set to report to Peoria, Ariz. on Feb. 13.

The first full squad workout is slated for Feb. 18.

The Padres will play their home games at Peoria Stadium, their Spring Training home since 1994.

San Diego finished the 2018 season at 66-96 overall. The 2019 season will be their 50th in franchise history.