Padres Top Pitching Prospect Could Make MLB Debut This Year, Says Insider

San Diego Padres top pitching prospect Garrett Hawkins could potentially reach the majors this season, according to an MLB insider.

If Hawkins were to make his MLB debut in 2026, the top prospect would likely make a late season cameo with the Padres. The Athletic's Dennis Lin listed Hawkins as a prospect to monitor throughout the year.

"In 2026, he could reach a big-league bullpen by September. The Padres added Hawkins to their 40-man roster over the offseason, and he showed glimpses of his ability throughout spring training. Hawkins’ repertoire isn’t as high-octane as Rodriguez’s, but he possesses a 6-foot-5 frame to go along with a mid-90s fastball," Lin writes.

At Triple-A, Hawkins hasn't allowed a run in three innings of work thus far and has recorded four strikeouts. The reliever is coming off a lights-out 2025 season where he sported a 1.50 ERA with 80 strikeouts across 60 innings between Double-A and High-A.

The team added him to the 40-man roster when he became Rule 5-eligible last offseason.

Here's what MLB.com's scouting report reveals about Hawkins' pitching arsenal: "There’s a reason why they call the fastball numero uno. The 6-foot-5 Hawkins really leans into his four-seamer and for good reason. It’s a pitch that can sit in the mid-90s with exceptional ride up in the zone, thanks to his over-the-top mechanics. He threw the pitch at least 69 percent of the time against both sides of batters, and Midwest and Texas League hitters couldn’t help but swing under it. A low-80s sweeper was his most-used secondary as a chase pitch versus righties, and there were the makings of a changeup that lacked consistent results."

Who is the Padres No. 1 Prospect?

Last summer's trade deadline saw the Padres give up No.1 prospect Leo De Vries in exchange for the best reliever in baseball, Mason Miller. That deal has paid dividends for San Diego, a team that boasted the best bullpen in baseball in 2025 while Miller continues his dominance into 2026.

That largely left many wondering who would be the new face of the future for the franchise. Ethan Salas was a well-known name in the Padres farm system, and for good reason, until the young catcher missed a majority of the 2025 season because of a back injury.

Salas' time away hurt the young catcher's prospect value, which meant the Padres had a new No.1 prospect: Kruz Schoolcraft.

Schoolcraft was selected by the Padres as the 25th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft. He is the No. 88 prospect in MLB Pipeline's Top 100.

This spring, the Padres got a closer look at the 18-year-old and had nothing but good things to say about the pitcher.

“His body moves well,” San Diego assistant director of player development Mike Daly said. “He repeats his delivery. It's very consistent. His head’s on the target. There are a number of positives that Kruz had worked on for many, many years before he got drafted, and we are fortunate to have him in the system.”