The San Diego Padres have one of the top farm systems in the major leagues, with four prospects in MLB.com’s Top 100 list. While they had their share of struggles in the majors and minors during the 2021 season, the Padres future is still very bright. They had a record below .500 after making the postseason in the shortened 2020 season. These five players are on their way to joining the team that could create an impressive core lead by Fernando Tatis Jr.
Make sure to check out all of our other MLB Team Top Prospects.
1. CJ Abrams, SS
Hit: 60
Power: 50
Run: 80
Arm: 55
Field: 60
Overall: 60
The Padres selected Abrams with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft after he earned Georgia’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year as a senior. The now 21-year-old followed that up by winning the Rookie Arizona League MVP Award after batting .401 with 23 extra-base hits and 14 steals in 32 games. The Padres rewarded him with a promotion to Class A Fort Worth in his pro debut season. In 2020, he played at the alternate site and showed strides with the bat and defense. The Georgia native already has a pure hitting ability and can hit the ball hard to all fields. He was pushed to Double-A San Antonio last season, but a sprained left MCL and fractured left tibia ended his season in early July.
Abrams has game-changing speed that helps on the basepaths and gives him tremendous range in the field. After missing a majority of the 2021 season, he will likely pick back up in Double-A, where he had recorded a .783 OPS and 13 stolen bases in 42 games. A move off shortstop might be in the cards unless the Padres decide to move Tatis Jr. elsewhere. Nonetheless, Abrams has the range, arm strength, and hands to make the move to center field or second base seamlessly. He has one of the highest ceilings and floors of any prospect in the minors.
ETA: 2023
2. Robert Hassell III, OF
Hit: 60
Power: 50
Run: 55
Arm: 55
Field: 55
Overall: 55
Hassell was highly-touted going into the 2020 draft out of Independence High School in Tennessee. He was seen as one of the best pure hitting high school prospects in while, and the Padres selected him eighth overall. After spending his pro debut at the alternate site, Hassell was assigned to Low-A Lake Elsinore to begin last season. He earned a promotion to High-A Fort Wayne in August after putting up an impressive .323/.415/.482 slash line with 41 extra-base hits and 31 stolen bases in 92 games at Low-A. The 20-year-old struggled a bit to adjust to the higher level, but it was a small sample at just 18 games.
Hassell will adjust as his pure ability in all aspects of the game is too grand. He repeatedly finds the barrel from the left side of the plate with great hand-eye coordination and strength. As he progresses, the power will start to come along with his pure hitting ability. He was able to showcase above-average defense in the outfield during instructional camp. Most scouts believe the left-hander will be able to stick in center but he has the arm strength for right field as well. It’s hard to find anything in Hassell’s profile that leads you to believe he won’t be a stud.
ETA: 2023
3. Victor Acosta, SS/2B
Hit: 60
Power: 50
Run: 80
Arm: 55
Field: 60
Overall: 60
The Padres signed Acosta out of the Dominican Republic last January and he burst onto the scene in the Dominican Summer League. In 56 games and 186 at-bats, the 17-year-old hit .285 with a .915 OPS and stole 26 bases. The switch-hitter has elite upside and will only get better with age. While numbers in a small sample in the DSL are often inflated, it was still very impressive for his age. The youngster puts the bat on the ball consistently and should grow into more power. Acosta has great defensive skills for the premium shortstop position as he flashes solid hands, footwork, and arm strength. He won’t turn 18 until June, so he will likely get his first state-side experience in the Arizona Complex league. After that, he could get a shot at seeing Low-A before the season ends.
ETA: 2025
4. James Wood, OF
Hit: 60
Power: 50
Run: 55
Arm: 60
Field: 55
Overall: 60
For the second straight year, the Padres took another high ceiling outfielder early in the 2021 draft. Wood doesn’t have as well of a hitting ability that Hassell, which caused him to drop to the second round. But he still has raw power that showed in batting practice and some games. If he can learn how to stay back more on offspeed pitches, the power will come along more and could put him at a 25-30 home runs a season potential. Where he excels the most is his defense with his plus speed and terrific arm. Wood can cover a lot of ground in center and if it comes to it, he can shift to right field.
Wood started out his pro career slashing .372/.465/.535 with three homers, 22 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in the ACL. It is likely he will begin the 2022 season playing at Low-A Lake Elsinore. With solid development, he could make it up as far up as Double-A San Antonio by the end of the season.
ETA: 2024
5. Mackenzie Gore, LHP
Fastball: 60
Curveball: 55
Slider: 60
Changeup: 60
Control: 50
Overall: 55
While still only 22 years old, Gore had a shaky 2021 season across four levels. It isn’t enough to drop him off these rankings completely, as pitchers always develop slower than position players. Overall, he had a 1.47 WHIP and 3.93 ERA along with a 61/28 strikeout to walk rate. The Padres started him all the way down in rookie ball to begin the season. He seemed to be rushed a bit, as his numbers got worst the higher level he was at. But Gore is still very motivated and has worked to rework the delivery that caused him to struggle to find the plate. Pitchers are always the toughest to scout, and that is no different with Gore. But the makeup, arsenal, and athleticism are all there. It’s just a matter of whether the southpaw can work through his issues and bounce back.
ETA: Tough to gauge, but possibly 2023
What Does the Future Hold?
Catcher Luis Campusano saw major league playing time in 2020 and 2021 but didn’t have a shot at showing off his full potential. He could be the starter in 2022 if the Padres decide to move off Austin Nola. Campusano has top-five offensive catcher potential. Josh Mears is another young outfielder waiting in the wings and could be up in three to four years. There are a few other shortstop prospects in the system as well, including Jackson Merrill – a first-round pick in 2021 – and Eguy Rosario.
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