4 Padres Prospects Rank on The Athletic’s Top 100
The San Diego Padres have four of the game's Top 100 prospects, according to the annual list released Monday by Keith Law of The Athletic.
It is no surprise to see Ethan Salas on the list. The crown jewel of the Padres' 2023 international amateur signing class, Salas wowed scouts in 48 games in the low-A California League to begin last season as 16-year-old. By the end of the year, the catcher was playing Double-A games at age 17.
Somewhat of a surprise was Salas' ranking — third overall, a more bullish projection than MLB.com, ESPN, Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus. (FanGraphs has yet to release its annual list.)
Law is high on Salas, and not without reason:
Salas is as advanced at (defense), being a catcher, as any 17 year old I can remember seeing, and he seems to be ready to at least survive in Double A as a hitter already. It’s a potential bat that would play at first base attached to a catcher who might be plus in every meaningful aspect of the position.
Law isn't alone in driving the Ethan Salas hype train. For what it's worth, ESPN previously predicted Salas will get a taste of the big leagues in 2024. Salas turns 18 in June.
The other three Padres prospects in Law's Top 100: Jackson Merrill (No. 23), Dylan Lesko (No. 35), and Robby Snelling (No. 72).
Most analysts are a bit higher on Merrill, with ESPN also predicting he'll play in the big leagues before the All-Star break. The 20-year-old shortstop played in last year's Futures Game, and is a holdover on every major Top-100 list.
Writes Law:
(Merrill) has a wide range of outcomes despite a high floor; at worst he’s a low-OBP utilityman who plays forever because he can put the ball in play and handle six or seven positions. If the power comes, though, he could be a shortstop with a bat that would profile in right field, hitting for average even with low walk rates and getting to that 20-25 home run upside.
Law is also bullish on Lesko, the Padres' first-round draft pick in 2022. The right-hander had the start to his 2023 season delayed by Tommy John surgery recovery, but his prospect trajectory still looks bright. Writes Law:
You can dream on him a little and see an ace because of the three pitches, one a no-doubt swing-and-miss pitch, and a delivery that works for a starter. I’d just like to see what (Lesko's) stuff and command look like over a fuller season in 2023 before going that far, and I’m more comfortable saying he’s a mid-rotation guy with a chance to be a No. 2 starter if he stays healthy.
Snelling, the Padres' first-round pick out of high school in 2022, is a newcomer to top-100 lists this year. Law is counting on a bit of projectability from the 20-year-old lefty:
He’s a very strong, physical kid, not overly muscled up although he’ll have to work to remain that way, working 92-96 mph most of the time with a 55 slider and 55 changeup, but nothing clearly plus right now. There’s some effort to his delivery and head-jerk at release, while he can slow his arm down when he's not throwing his fastball, something hitters will pick up sooner rather than later. He’s also barely 20 and split his time in high school between two sports, so he should have more room to grow than the typical second-year pitcher would.
The 2024 season will be one of transition for San Diego, which shed the salaries of stars Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Josh Hader while trying to remain competitive. To stay in the race in a competitive National League West, they will inevitably count on reinforcements from the minor leagues throughout the season.
Fortunately for the Padres, they have a couple of the game's best reinforcements knocking at the big-league door.
