PEORIA, Ariz. -- Before the Padres break camp in Peoria next week, their top prospects take center stage this weekend. Saturday marks the third edition of Spring Breakout, MLB’s annual prospect showcase, pitting the best players from each team’s farm system. (It’s the final edition before an exciting new format next season that will see the competition turned into a single-elimination bracket.) The Padres travel to Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., to face the Cubs’ top prospects on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. PT. Here are six things to watch for in the game: 1. Something to prove You may have heard: Evaluators don’t love the San Diego farm system. Fair enough. The Padres have traded prospects in droves over the past few seasons, landing some serious big league talent in return. It has come with a cost. The upper levels of the system are thin. Still, if general manager A.J. Preller has proven one thing, it’s that he can turn over a farm system. He’s done it before. On multiple occasions, the Padres have been able to re-establish a well regarded system. (Only to, generally speaking, trade away those prospects, too). Here we are again. Privately, the Padres know their system isn’t what it could be. But they are adamant that it’s better than everyone else seems to think. And Saturday offers a chance to prove it. Of course, a number of the most intriguing prospects currently reside in the lower levels of the Padres' system. In theory, their youth would put them at a disadvantage in a game like this one. It’s still a chance to make a statement. |
2. Kruz control At the forefront of the Padres’ new-look farm system is Kruz Schoolcraft, the 6-foot-8 left-hander they selected in the first round of the 2025 Draft. Schoolcraft, who ranks as MLB Pipeline’s No. 88 overall prospect, has wowed team evaluators with his maturity, his makeup and, just as importantly, his nasty stuff. Schoolcraft boasts a fastball that sits in the mid-90s with a putaway changeup, and he’s continuing to hone what the Padres hope will be a critical weapon for him -- his slider. “He throws a lot of strikes on his fastball,” assistant director of player development Mike Daly told MLB Pipeline’s Sam Dykstra earlier this month. “He has feel for his changeup. He should be in a lot of positive counts to be able to throw his slider, be able to get it in zone, get it out of zone. … We will have a much better idea of what that best version looks like towards the end of the year than we do here.” Schoolcraft is expected to throw one inning in Saturday’s showcase. He’s the player I am most looking forward to watching. 3. Young catching depth It’s a crucial year for Ethan Salas, and the Padres’ No. 2 prospect will start behind the plate. The Padres remain extremely high on Salas, the 19-year-old backstop who missed the majority of last season with a stress reaction in his back and has since plummeted in the sport’s prospects rankings. But he’s not the only exciting young catcher on board. The Padres drafted a pair of high school catchers -- Ty Harvey and Truitt Madonna -- last summer. Both cracked MLB Pipeline’s recent ranking of the Top 30 Padres prospects, with Harvey at No. 8 and Madonna at No. 24. Like Salas, they’re both 19. But they’ve spent less than a full year in pro ball. As such, Saturday offers a nice early test. Both are expected to get at-bats (though it’s unclear if they’ll catch). |
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Who is the youngest Padre to play on Opening Day? A. Roberto Alomar B. Jackson Merrill C. Fernando Tatis Jr. D. Luis Torrens |
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4. Impact arms for 2026? OK, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about guys who might be a few years away. You want prospects who could make an immediate impact on the 2026 club? You’ll get that, too. Both Miguel Mendez and Garrett Hawkins are slated to pitch. (The two right-handers were part of big league camp this spring but were recently sent down.) In November, both were added to the team’s 40-man roster, thus protecting them from the Rule 5 Draft. For good reason -- the Padres anticipate big things from both. Hawkins is more big league ready, after his seamless transition to the bullpen last year. Mendez remains a starter, though it’s unclear if that’ll be his long-term fit. In either case, both will get to put their big-time stuff on display on Saturday. |
5. An interesting international addition In October, the Padres made right-hander Lan-Hong Su their first signing out of Taiwan in nearly 10 years. Although Su has yet to appear in pro ball in the United States, team evaluators have been hugely impressed with his smooth delivery and his ability to throw strikes. Su checks in as the team’s No. 18 prospect, with a knack for spin and a pair of above-average breaking pitches. He was signed with some of the international bonus pool money that would’ve presumably otherwise gone to Roki Sasaki. Small consolation. But if Su pans out, that might help to alleviate the sting just a bit. Su is scheduled to get his first chance to show off his stuff on Saturday. 6. Gutierrez gets the ball For all the intriguing starting-pitching talent in the Padres’ system -- Schoolcraft, Mendez, Kash Mayfield -- it’s No. 20 prospect Luis Gutierrez who is slated to get the ball first on Saturday. The 22-year-old left-hander even earned a cameo in big league camp with two appearances and a 4.50 ERA in the Cactus League. Gutierrez’s velocity has ticked up into the mid-90s (occasionally into the high-90s) which is always a notable development for a young lefty starter. He’s a strike-thrower with a three-pitch mix -- and if his progression continues, he could work his way into the team’s big league depth in the near future. |
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C. Fernando Tatis Jr. At 20 years and 85 days old, Tatis pounded out two hits off Madison Bumgarner in his debut on Opening Day 2019. |
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