The future success of every Major League team lies in its Minor League system. With that in mind, each preseason, MLB.com takes a top-to-bottom look at all 30 organizations, from top prospects to recent draft picks. Looking at the San Diego farm system is a lot like going to eat on cruise ship buffet -- there's a little bit of everything for everyone, and no one will ever leave without being satiated. If you want pitchers, the Padres have pitchers. You want outfielders, they have them, too. Toss in a few scrappy infielders, a nice crop of sleepers, and San Diego appears set for quite some time to come. Many of the players that helped Double-A San Antonio win the Texas League title last year are close to helping the big-league club. They'll be on the West Coast this year, if not in San Diego then in Portland. So as the first pitch of the Minor League season approaches, feast on what the Padres have to offer. Here's a closer look at some of what San Diego has in its system heading into 2008.
10 Spot
Ten prospects to watch out for in 2008:
Cedric Hunter, OF "I still like him and I still compare him to a Jacque Jones kind of guy," said Bill Bryk, who begins his first season as a scout with the Padres after spending several years as a special assistant and Minor League field coordinator. "I see him as a corner guy, someone who'll have enough power to play the corner. You can put the kid in any park and he'll have a good at-bat. But like other kids, he has a misconception about where he belongs.
"He didn't put in the effort he put into the instructional league the year before. But we rode him pretty hard, and we didn't let him get away with anything. He came to instructs and thought he was there on Major League rehab. He just didn't know. But he's a natural hitter, and I think he'll tear up the Cal League this year."
Josh Geer, RHP
Geer tied for the Minor League lead with 17 wins last season (16 of which came in the Texas League, earning him the circuit's Pitcher of the Year honors). Overall, he's 34-14 with a 3.69 ERA in 66 Minor League appearances (64 starts). He's got a better than three-to-one strikeout ratio over the course of three seasons, and figures to be an integral part of Portland's staff this year. Geer may not have the power or finesse of some of the other pitchers in the San Diego system, but he remains on course to be a back end of the rotation starter in the Major Leagues before long.
Wade LeBlanc, LHP The former second-rounder out of Alabama won't overpower anyone, but he generally puts the ball where he wants it, relying more on the finesse of his off-speed stuff.
"I like him better than Geer and [Will] Inman," Bryk said. He's left-handed and he has more stuff. He's a great competitor. Even though his fastball is pretty true, he showed more stuff. His fastball is sneaky, that's the best way to put it. His breaking ball is an average pitch, but he has a plus changeup."
Matt Antonelli, 2B Those numbers are a tad inflated, though, as a result of his hitting .419 through his first 17 games in the Texas Leagues. He hit .230 in his final 152 at-bats, which included August, September and the playoffs, perhaps a sign that he was wearing down in what was his first full season as a pro. Still, he's capable of producing at the plate over the long haul, and has adapted well enough at second base after being moved at the end of his first season with the club. He had 17 errors in 562 total chances last year.
"I think the kid has done a fine job going from third to second," Bryk said. "He's never going to look like Ryne Sandberg over there, but he's a full-effort player on the field and he gets the job done. And if you stick him in center field, he's an Aaron Rowand type guy. I don't know if we're going to do that, but I think he can do it. He plays hard, though, and he wears himself down."
Yefri Carvajal, OF #ques_include {width:300px;float:right;margin-left:5px;} #ques_content {border-top:1px solid #000000;border-left:1px solid #000000;padding-left:5px;} .ques_schedule {margin-top:5px;font-size:11px;} .ques_dates {font-size:11px;font-style:italic;color:#999;} 
"He's a five-tool guy who can play some center field, though he doesn't profile that way," Bryk said. "He's got to keep his weight down, too. He's a body guy. He's got instincts for the game, which is good, and he's hungry. This will be a big year for him to be in the Midwest League at 19."
Kyle Blanks, 1B Blanks hit much better against left-handed hitters (.370 in 108 at-bats) but he was still solid facing righties (.280, 23 homers). Like most young sluggers, he is susceptible to the strikeout, but not nearly as much as one would think. He had only 98 strikeouts last year, an average of one every 4.7 at-bats, which is down from the one every 3.7 at-bats he had been averaging through his first two pro seasons. His nine errors left him in the middle of the pack among Cal League first basemen.
"I call him Big Hondo," Bryk said. "I like his power. He has a chance to hit for power and average. And he's a better first baseman than people think. And he can play left field like the real Hondo [Frank Howard]. He runs a 7.1-7.5 in the 60, too, which is good for a near 300-pounder. The biggest thing for him is if he keeps his weight down. If he does that, he'll continue on to the Major Leagues. If he doesn't keep his weight down, he may never make it."
Will Venable, OF Venable did see his home run and RBI totals drop from 11 and 91 to eight and 68, respectively, from 2006, and his walk totals also fell (55 to 38). But much of that has to do with the better quality of pitching he was facing, as well as some mechanical issues he was working through. That he played the entire season in San Antonio will be a huge benefit, so much so that there's a chance he'll get a look in the big leagues at some point this year.
"He's a poor man's Dave Justice," Bryk said. "He's a good athlete and a quiet kind of a kid. Scouts from other organizations think he has bad body language, and when they ask about it they say he doesn't appear to be a hustler. But he is, and he's a leader. He's a hard worker, the opposite of what some people think. He jumped a league last year, so I think there will be more power there, too. I like him as a regular Major League outfielder."
Cesar Ramos, LHP
"I think he has better stuff than [Josh] Geer and [Wade] LeBlanc, and those are the guys you hear about all the time," Bryk said. "He doesn't have the command and the pitchability that they do, but the stuff is better. I'm looking for him to have a solid season this year. As he learns how to use his stuff better, he's going to move."
Matt Latos, RHP
Overall, he struck out 74 in 56 1/3 innings, throwing some serious heat, occasionally touching 98 on the gun. Bryk said he was the "hardest thrower we have." He turned 20 in December, so there's no reason to rush. He'll begin the year in Fort Wayne, and could be dominant there if he finds the touch with his off-speed stuff.
Steve Garrison, LHP Overall, he was 10-7 in 2007, having begun the year with Brevard County of the Florida State League, a windy venue that rivals many of the Cal League stadiums for offensive unpredictability. His combined ERA was 3.25. He allowed only eight homers last season in 146 2/3 innings, not bad considering he won't overpower anyone. Garrison will get to test his mettle this season in the Texas League.
"He's a left-handed Greg Maddux-type," Bryk said. "He's an artist. He won't knock your eyes out with his stuff, but he's got above-average stuff with great pitchability. He holds runners well and he has great instincts. He's in and out on the black, and is a very solid fundamental pitcher."
Under the Radar
Luis Durango, OF
"He's got speed, and speed never slumps," Bryk said. "He goes 3.8, 3.7 to first and I even got him at 3.5 on a bunt. He's come miles from when we first got him, when he could walk and chew gum. He couldn't throw the ball from third to first, and now he has an average Major League arm. He's a little guy with blazing speed; it's a special tool. He's an exciting player."
Ernesto Frieri, RHP
"Last year in Fort Wayne, we told him to make some changes in his delivery, that if you don't do it this way, you're probably going to be released," Bryk said. "He changed his mechanics, and the fastball went from 90 to 95."
2007 Draft Recap
Top pick Nick Schmidt was 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in seven innings at Fort Wayne before developing elbow problems. He underwent Tommy John surgery in October and is expected to miss the entire 2008 season. ... OF Kellen Kulbacki batted .301 with eight homers and 39 RBIs in 226 Northwest League at-bats. He finished particularly strong, hitting .360 with 21 RBIs over his final 28 games. He committed one error and had four assists in 82 chances in right field. ... SS Drew Cumberland appeared in 25 Arizona and Northwest League games, hitting .320 with seven RBIs. The 18-year-old had only 11 strikeouts but managed nine walks in 103 at-bats. Bryk said that Cumberland, along with Headley and Hunter, are the best pure hitters in the organization. ... C Mitch Canham (sandwich round, Oregon State) spent the bulk of his 30 games at Eugene, getting a two-game taste with Lake Elsinore at the end of the year. He hit .276 with two homers and 19 RBIs. He threw out 10 of 32 runners attempting to steal, and had two errors and eight passed balls in 234 chances. ... LHP Cory Luebke (sandwich round, Ohio State) was 5-3 with a 3.07 ERA in 15 games (nine starts) in the Northwest, Midwest and California Leagues. His two Cal League appearances resulted in a 1-1 mark and 7.71 ERA over seven innings. "He was the best pitcher in the draft last year as far as I was concerned," Bryk said. ... OF Danny Payne (sandwich round, Georgia Tech) had 190 at-bats at Eugene and Fort Wayne and combined to hit .268 with 22 RBIs. While he had 59 strikeouts, he also negotiated 55 walks and had an impressive .435 OBP. ... 2B Eric Sogard (second round, Arizona State) saw action on three levels, spending the bulk of his time with Fort Wayne and Eugene. He even got into a game with Portland in the PCL, combining to hit .251 with four homers and 33 RBIs. ... OF Brad Chalk (second round, Clemson) hit .276 with 13 RBIs in the Arizona and Northwest Leagues. He had nine extra-base hits, none of which were home runs, in 127 at-bats. ... SS Lance Zawadzki (fourth round, Lee University) combined to hit .305 in the Arizona and Northwest leagues with three homers, 19 RBIs and .372 OBP.
Predictions
Organizational Player of the Year: Kyle Blanks
Cy on the Farm (Organizational Pitcher of the Year): Matt Latos
Quotable "He's like Johnny Damon, but he throws better. He's a better defensive player, and he's as good as or better as a runner. He had a bad back when he signed, but he's a good runner." -- Bryk on second-round pick Brad Chalk.
Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs. | ||||||||||||||||
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