Padres' $1.5M Pitcher Predicted to Win Starting Job in Major Development

Kyle Hart hasn't pitched in a Major League Baseball game since 2020, but that could all change very soon as the he appears to be a frontrunner for the fifth spot in the San Diego Padres starting rotation.

The opportunity for Hart is there because the Padres are without Joe Musgrove as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

This development is according to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, who predicted all 30 starting rotations. His projection for the Padres is as follows:

1. RHP Dylan Cease

2. RHP Michael King

3. RHP Yu Darvish

4. RHP Nick Pivetta

5. LHP Kyle Hart

Hart is coming off a magical season in the Korean Baseball Organization where he won the Choi Dong-won Award – the KBO’s equivalent of the Cy Young. He finished the season 13-3 with a 2.69 ERA across 26 starts, registering 182 strikeouts over 157 innings.

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It didn't take long for the right people to notice Hart's performance in the KBO and the Padres came calling offering him a one-year deal the day after they signed Nick Pivetta to a four-year agreement.

“I didn’t really feel like that was what I was setting out to do,” Hart said. “You pitch well, and people are going to find you. People are going to notice.”

Reuter's prediction is bold because Hart has yet to officially appear in a Cactus League game. He recorded two strikeouts in his scoreless, two-inning Cactus League debut against the Brewers on Friday. Although rain shortened his outing and ultimately led to the game being canceled before it became official.

Manager Mike Shildt has liked what he has seen in the bullpen but is eager to see him throw more innings.

“I just want to go see him pitch,” Shildt said. “It’s unfair for me to have too high of expectations with guys that I’ve never really seen before, but clearly, he’s legitimately in the mix to be the fifth starter.”

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The Padres have a few other internal candidates to compete with Hart. Both Matt Waldron and Randy Vásquez are in consideration for the spot, too.

Regardless of who wins the fifth spot, Hart is grateful that San Diego gave him an opportunity, and he's confident that he can compete at the big league level.

“I know if I make good pitches over and over and over, good things are going to happen,” Hart said. “If I have my good stuff, I can compete at this level.”

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.