Even at No. 30, the Padres’ Farm System Has a Future

The latest MLB farm system rankings were released this week, and the Padres were unsurprisingly not the headliner. They did, however, receive plenty of attention for landing at No. 30 on the list, effectively earning the label of the worst farm system in baseball.

The lack of pedigree is understandable. Top prospect Ethan Salas was injured in 2025 and saw his stock fall sharply. Another key piece, Leo De Vries, was traded at last season’s deadline for Mason Miller, while additional prospects were sent to the Orioles in exchange for Ramón Laureano and Ryan O’Hearn.

The system’s depth simply couldn’t withstand that amount of loss and maintain a respectable ranking.

Still, there is a young, underrated duo of left-handed starting pitchers within the Padres’ system that could represent the future of the rotation: Kruz Schoolcraft (No. 88 overall, Padres No. 1) and Kash Mayfield (Padres No. 4).

Schoolcraft put himself on the map by cracking MLB’s Top 100 prospects for the first time. Despite having just one professional appearance for Single-A Lake Elsinore, he has already built a reputation as a physical specimen.

The 2025 first-round pick stands 6-foot-8 and weighs 230 pounds at just 18 years old. He pairs that size with a fastball that reaches 99 mph, a 60-grade changeup and a 50-grade slider. That pitch mix has historically accelerated the development of left-handers such as Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal and Carlos Rodón.

Mayfield remains more under the radar, but his upside could eventually push him into the Top 100 as well. He brings more professional experience after completing his first season at Lake Elsinore in 2025.

The 20-year-old logged 60.2 innings with a 2.97 ERA and 88 strikeouts. Like Schoolcraft, he relies on the classic lefty arsenal: a 55-grade fastball that sits in the mid-90s, a 50-grade slider and a 60-grade changeup. Physically, he’s imposing in his own right at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds.

Notably, both pitchers were selected in the first round at the same overall pick (No. 25), just one year apart - Mayfield in 2024 and Schoolcraft in 2025. They’ve now emerged as steals of their drafts.

With J.P. Sears projected as the only left-hander in the Padres’ rotation this season, San Diego is desperate for southpaw reinforcements. These solutions may not arrive immediately, but the organization at least has a future to rely on.

For now, attention will shift to Single-A Lake Elsinore, where both pitchers are expected to open the season. If Mayfield performs well, he could earn a quick promotion given his prior experience at the level. A strong Double-A showing could put Triple-A within reach in 2026 and an MLB ETA for 2027.

Schoolcraft’s timeline will be slower. Entering his first full professional season, health will be the priority. Still, if he dominates early and his arm responds well, a brief Double-A appearance isn’t out of the question.

The Padres’ rotation could face challenges in 2026, and on the surface the farm system appears thin. But beneath the rankings, San Diego has at least two left-handed arms capable of turning this outlook around.