Padres Press Clips Monday, January 22, 2018

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Six Padres prospects listed in Baseball America's new top-100 SD Union Tribune Sanders 2

Young pitching prospects knocking on Padres' door SD Union Tribune Sanders 4

Padres roster review: Matt Szczur SD Union Tribune Sanders 8

Case study: Trevor Hoffman's Hall credentials SD Union Tribune Sanders 10

Urias ranked No. 2 on MLB's top 2B prospects MLB.com Cassavell 12

Padres hope Galvis solidifies SS spot in '18 MLB.com Cassavell 14

San Diego Padres' ballpark is about to get baseball's CNBC Frangoul 16 biggest solar power system

SD UNION TRIBUNE

Six Padres prospects listed in Baseball America's new top-100

Jeff Sanders

Officially, Fernando Tatis Jr. is the Padres’ best prospect since … Sean Burroughs.

The fast-rising shortstop is ranked No. 9 in Baseball America’s updated top-100 prospect list, the highest ranking for a Padres prospect since Burroughs rose from No. 7 to No. 6 to No. 4 from 2000 to 2002. Other Padres listed in Monday’s unveiling are left-hander MacKenzie Gore (No. 26), right-hander Michel Baez (No. 28), second baseman Luis Urias (No. 32), right-hander Cal Quantrill (No. 52) and left-hander Adrian Morejon (No. 66).

Tatis is just the fourth Padres prospect to crack the top-10, joining Burroughs, right-hander Matt Clement (No. 10 in 1999) and catcher Ben Davis (No. 10 in 1996).

Of that trio, Clement enjoyed the most significant major league career, pairing an 87-86 record with a 4.47 ERA and 1,217 strikeouts over parts of nine seasons. The former third- rounder was 25-29 with a 4.82 ERA in three seasons in San Diego before he was traded to the Marlins in March 2001 for Mark Kotsay.

Meanwhile, Davis and Burroughs were first-rounders who never lived up to expectations.

The Padres selected Davis No. 2 overall in 1995 but flipped him to the Mariners in December 2001 for Brett Tomko, Ramon Vazquez and Tom Lampkin after he posted an underwhelming .677 OPS over the first four seasons in the majors. Davis was released four times over a three- year period before playing his final game in independent ball in 2010.

Burroughs was the ninth overall pick in 1998 but packed his bags for Tampa Bay (Dewon Brazelton trade) after slugging just .360 over his first four years with the Padres. He was released twice in two years after his December 2005 trade. A comeback attempt after a five- year hiatus saw Burroughs hit just one more homer in 88 games split between the Diamondbacks and Twins from 2011 to 2012.

The Padres, of course, have grander expectations for Tatis, who arrived in the James Shields salary dump.

Tatis, 19, paired a .278/.379/.498 batting line with 22 homers, 75 RBIs and 32 steals as he zoomed from low Single-A Fort Wayne to Double-A San Antonio in his first full season in pro-ball. His No. 9 ranking is his first appearance on Baseball America’s top-100 list.

The No. 3 overall pick last year, Gore debuted in the preseason list at No. 26 after posting a 1.27 ERA, 34 strikeouts and an 0.98 WHIP in his first 21 1/3 innings in the Arizona Rookie League in his pro debut.

The 22-year-old Baez and Urias are also on the preseason list for the first time.

Baez went 7-2 with a 2.54 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings split between rookie ball and low Single-A Fort Wayne after signing out of Cuba for $3 million.

Urias, meanwhile, was an All-Star after starting 2017 as the youngest player in the Texas League. He hit .296/.398/.380 with three homers and 38 RBIs in 118 games with Double-A San Antonio.

The No. 8 overall pick in 2016, Quantrill moved from No. 96 last preseason to No. 52 after going 7-10 with a 3.80 ERA, 110 strikeouts and a 1.47 WHIP in 116 innings as he moved from high Single-A Lake Elsinore to Double-A San Antonio.

Morejon also took a big leap – from No. 98 last February to No. 66 – as he went 3-4 with a 3.86 ERA, 58 strikeouts and a 1.29 WHIP in 64 innings split between short-season Tri-City and Fort Wayne in his first action since signing out of Cuba for $11 million.

Right-hander Anderson Espinoza, who missed all of 2017 due to a Tommy John surgery, dropped out of Baseball America’s top-100 after opening the year at No. 21.

Outfielders Manuel Margot (No. 24) and Hunter Renfroe (No. 44) graduated from last year’s list.

Young pitching prospects knocking on Padres' door

Jeff Sanders

Cal Quantrill is officially a San Diegan, the former first-round pick having moved his home from Canada to Del Mar this offseason.

Might even become a big leaguer before too long.

Once again, the Padres front office – via minor league deals instead of major league guarantees – has added veteran arms like Tyson Ross and Chris Young to the free-for-all for rotation spots this spring. New to the competition, however, is the initial wave of A.J. Preller- drafted arms that have a great deal to do with the farm system ranking among the game’s strongest.

While the likes of Quantrill, Eric Lauer, Joey Lucchesi and Jacob Nix — all non-roster invitees for the first time — aren’t expected to win jobs outright this spring, their first invites to big league camp is the latest signal that the future is near.

“That group of guys is beating on our door to be in our starting rotation,” Padres manager Andy Green said last week at FanFest. “They are not at the front of the line when we get to the season, but they are going to be names that we're going to look at and expect to see a lot of.”

To date, Green has watched from afar with great anticipation.

The first Preller-acquired talent arrived in a significant way in 2017 as Manuel Margot took over center field on a full-time basis, Carlos Asuaje got his first consistent action at second base and Phil Maton joined the bullpen as the first arrival from the 2015 draft class.

As far as rotation help goes, inherited right-hander Dinelson Lamet joined the big league team last year as the top arms from the 2016 draft class – collegians in Quantrill, Lauer and Lucchesi – zoomed from A-ball to Double-A San Antonio in their first full year in pro ball.

All three earned mid-season promotions to the Texas League after selections to the California League All-Star Game. The 22-year-old Nix, a high school third-rounder from the 2015 draft 4 class, eventually joined that trio in San Antonio and got the nod for a postseason start for Triple-A El Paso. Quantrill even represented the Padres in the All-Star Futures Game in July as he continued to distance himself from his 2015 Tommy John surgery.

“Obviously there were some learning curves there, some bumps in the road we had to get over,” the 22-year-old Quantrill said. “But I think, all in all, I’m pretty happy with the year. I stayed off the DL, got better throughout the course of the year and got better at things I think I need to work on.”

Like tightening the breaking pitches he throws off his fastball-change combo.

That refinement will continue as Quantrill ramps up his throwing program as he progresses through his first offseason workouts at Petco Park.

Lauer and Lucchesi also got in work in San Diego before joining veteran left-hander Clayton Richard at his home in Lafayette, Ind., for further preparation for their first big league camp.

The impetus of the invite was simple.

“It was a good opportunity,” the 34-year-old Richard said, “to, one, get to know each other, and two, have them see what I do to prepare for a season.”

The first day started at 7:30 a.m. The trio moved through fast-paced circuits of squats to push- ups and more. They played catch. They worked out indoors at Purdue University. They went through conditioning and even arm care.

“One of his warm-ups was a full workout in itself,” the 22-year-old Lauer recalled. “It was the first thing we did. It was incredible. I remember the first day we got there, one of the first things he said to us was if you have to throw up, go outside. I thought, ‘Well that's going to be a great way to start this off.’

“We came close at one point during a couple things, but I think we made it the whole time without throwing up.”

The initial workout lasted well into the afternoon. Other days added Pilates and pool work to the schedule. Afterward, they’d share meals, watch movies, play ping pong and Mario Kart and attempt to survive all-out Nerf wars in the basement with Richard’s boys. 5

“He’d kick our butts,” the 24-year-old Lucchesi said, “and then we’d have time to hang out. But, boy, I was laid out on his carpeted floor. I was done. I was ready to call it a day at 2 p.m. My body was so tired.”

Added Lauer: “It beat the crap out of me, but at the end of the week I ended up feeling really good because I felt like I accomplished a lot. Just talking to him on the side, outside of the workouts, we got to pick his brain a little bit and understand what it takes to be where he's been for the last 10 years.”

The farm system’s push to contribute to the rotation — and soon — extends well beyond Quantrill, Lauer, Lucchesi and Nix , ranked No. 2, No.8, No. 9 and No. 14, respectively, among Padres prospects according to MLB.com.

Left-hander Logan Allen (No. 13) and right-hander Michel Baez (No. 7) are a tier below the quartet arriving this spring, as is right-hander Anderson Espinoza (No. 6) as he comes off Tommy John surgery. Behind them are teenagers MacKenzie Gore and Adrian Morejon, whom MLB.com this week ranked as the No. 1 and No. 6 left-handed pitching prospects in the game.

In other words, this wave is just the start of what may prove a bright future.

“We’re all aware of (the anticipation),” Quantrill said. “We know there’s – not even pressure, but a lot of excitement about what’s coming. I don’t think any of us take it as we need to do this or we need to do that. We’re having fun. We’re playing baseball. I think we’re all talented players. I think we all know what we’re capable of doing. I think we want all want to be doing it here.

“It’s good. We don’t mind hearing it. We like trying to fulfill those goals.”

YOUTH MOVEMENT

This spring’s non-roster invitee list includes the top three arms from the 2016 draft class and another fast-moving arm from the 2015 class, all of whom rank inside the Padres’ top-15 prospects as assessed by MLB.com.

• No. 2 | RHP Cal Quantrill (1st rd, ’16) | 7-10, 3.80 ERA, 110 Ks, 1.47 WHIP, 116 IP 6

Padres roster review: Matt Szczur

Jeff Sanders

Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster, from A to Z, heading into the 2018 season.

MATT SZCZUR

• Position: Outfielder • 2018 Opening Day age: 28 • Bats/throws: R/R • Height/weight: 6-foot / 200 pounds • Acquired: From the Cubs in May 2017 trade • Contract status: Will make $950,000 in 2018; will be arbitration-eligible in 2019 and a free agent in 2022 • Key stats: .226 avg., .350 OBP, .354 SLG, 3 HRs, 18 RBIs, 28 runs, 0 steals, 34 BBs, 44 Ks (119 games, 237 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

• .180 – Szczur’s batting average in 61 games in 2017 at Petco Park. He hit .264 on the road.

TRENDING

• Idle – The Cubs’ fifth-round pick in 2010, Szczur ranked as high as No. 3 in the system after the 2011 season, according to Baseball America, only to have the talent acquisition (think Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Albert Almora, etc.) somewhat marginalize him in the organization. He hit as many as 10 homers in 2011 and swiped as many as 42 bases in 2012, but had slipped to No. 26 in the system after the 2013 season. Szczur made his major league debut in 2014, but never started more than 29 games in a season with the Cubs. He was left off Chicago’s postseason rosters in 2015 and 2016 and welcomed the trade to San Diego in May, when the Padres acquired him for minor

league pitcher Justin Hancock. He’d posted a .673 OPS in limited opportunities with the Cubs and hoped for consistent playing time in San Diego. An outfielder off the bench as he was in Chicago, Szczur homered in his first start, a three-hit game, but still only started 33 games after the trade: 14 in center, 14 in left and nine in right.

2018 OUTLOOK

• Like in Chicago, Szczur appears destined to be an extra outfielder, albeit a valuable one as he can play all three spots. Of course, Travis Jankowski can, too – and he’s healthy again – so starts again may be tough to come by if the Padres opt to carry five outfielders. If they opt for four, the two could be in direct competition for that spot.

Case study: Trevor Hoffman's Hall credentials

Jeff Sanders

The Baseball Writers Association of America on Jan. 24 announce the 2018 Hall of Fame class, which is shaping up to be one of the largest ever according to Twitter user Ryan Thibodaux’s unofficial tracker. This daily countdown will take a look at the case of the top-10 candidates for Cooperstown enshrinement.

TREVOR HOFFMAN

• Ballot, last year: 3rd, 74 percent • Trending in 2018: 78.2 percent (46.5 percent of ballot public) • Years active: 1993-2010 (18 seasons) • Position(s): Right-handed pitcher • Team(s): Marlins, Padres, Brewers • Career WAR: 28.4 (baseball-reference.com) • Notable stats: 61-75, 601 saves, 2.87 ERA, 1133 strikeouts, 1.06 WHIP, .211 opponent avg., 1089 innings • Honors: All-Star Games (7), Reliever of the Year (2)

THE CASE FOR

His 601 saves are the most ever for a National League pitcher and second all-time behind Yankees great Mariano Rivera, whom many consider a first-ballot entry when eligible in 2019. Hoffman led the majors with 53 saves in 1998, led the NL with 46 in 2006 and was the first reliever to reach 500 saves and then 600. His 6.99 hits allowed per nine innings ranks seventh-best among pitchers with at least 1,000 innings and his strikeout rate (9.36 per nine innings) ranks 11th all-time. Among closers with at least 300 saves, Hoffman’s 88.8 percent success rate is third all-time. Not bad for a player who began his 18-year career as a failed shortstop prospect.

THE CASE AGAINST 10

Most of Hoffman’s detractors ding him for his role, not his dominance in it as a one-inning-at- a-time pitcher. Even as a lights-out reliever, Hoffman’s 1,089 1/3 innings top only reliever Bruce Sutter (1,042) among pitchers already enshrined. His career WAR numbers are dwarfed by two on-the-bubble starting pitchers on this year’s ballot – Curt Schilling (80.7) and Mike Mussina (82.7) – while two of the six enshrined closers (Dennis Eckersley and John Smoltz) started their careers as impact starting pitchers. Then there’s Hoffman’s postseason record: His opportunities in San Diego (13 innings) pale in comparison to Rivera’s in New York and weren’t particularly noteworthy (3.46 ERA, four saves, 1.23 WHIP).

TOP-10 CANDIDATES FOR 2018 CLASS

6. Mike Mussina

7. Curt Schilling

8. Roger Clemens

9. Barry Bonds

10. Larry Walker

MLB.COM Urias ranked No. 2 on MLB's top 2B prospects

AJ Cassavell

SAN DIEGO -- Luis Urias is no stranger to soaring up the prospect leaderboards. Not too long ago, he was a relatively unheralded lower-level second baseman in the Padres' system.

But Urias merely kept doing what he's always done: Hit. And over the past two years, the spry 5-foot-8 middle infielder has gone from an afterthought to one of the game's brightest youngsters. MLB Pipeline confirmed as much Monday with its unveiling of the top 10 second-base prospects. Urias ranks second, behind only Philadelphia's Scott Kingery.

The announcement continues Urias' meteoric rise through the prospect ranks. He wasn't even listed among the top 10 second basemen in 2017, and now he is also the No. 3 prospect in the Padres' organization.

The 20-year-old is coming off a season in which he batted .296 with a .398 on-base percentage for Double-A San Antonio, as one of the youngest players in the Texas League. In four seasons in the Padres' system, he has maintained a .396 OBP. He'd like to add a bit more power to his game, but team officials believe it's only a matter of time, given his tendency to hit the ball hard routinely.

And while Urias undoubtedly appreciates the recognition, he's set a goal that this will be the last time his name ends up on a preseason prospect list.

"I'd like to be in the Major Leagues next year," Urias told MLB.com at the Rookie Career Development Program earlier this month. "I know I'm young and that it's a process that you have to go through. But I want to play in the Major Leagues in 2018."n. 7th, 2018

It's not a stretch to think Urias could find himself in San Diego this season. On Thursday, he received a non-roster invite to big league camp in Peoria, Ariz.

It's the second year in a row that Urias will join the Padres for Spring Training. In 2017, he got a brief taste of the big league clubhouse before being sent down in early March. This time, however, Urias figures to get a longer look.

The Padres have a bit of a logjam in their infield, with Cory Spangenberg and Carlos Asuaje potentially blocking Urias' path. But there's no obvious candidate for the backup shortstop role, and Urias split his time almost evenly between second and short last season.

"I've worked a lot on having more confidence at shortstop, because I signed as a shortstop," Urias said. "But I didn't have that experience of playing a lot of games at short. In 2017, I had

12 that opportunity to play more at short. I think I had more confidence and I feel good playing both positions."2017

Realistically, it's nearly a lock that Urias opens the season in the Minors, where he'll get routine playing time. But should he continue his impressive performance, Urias is an obvious candidate for a midseason callup.

Urias is the third Padre to be named among MLB Pipeline's positional Top 10 lists. He joins MacKenzie Gore and Adrian Morejon, who were ranked No. 1 and No. 6, respectively, among the best left-handed pitching prospects.

Like Urias, shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. has skyrocketed toward the top of numerous rankings. MLB Pipeline unveils its 10 best shortstops on Wednesday. Tatis -- Urias' potential double- play partner in the future -- should find his name on that list.

Padres hope Galvis solidifies SS spot in '18

No. 4 prospect Tatis could make impact at position by '19

AJ Cassavell

With Spring Training on the horizon, MLB.com is taking an in-depth look at the 2018 Padres, breaking the team down position-by-position. Today, we preview the shortstops.

SAN DIEGO -- Freddy Galvis arrived last month via trade with Philadelphia, and he's entering his final season under contract. On the surface, the former Phillie is yet another stopgap shortstop for the Padres.

Dig a little deeper, however, and there are plenty of reasons to believe the Friars' seemingly annual shortstop search has produced different results this time.

First, the 28-year-old Galvis remains in his prime. In each of the past three offseasons, Padres general manager A.J. Preller inked an aging one-year option to a free-agent deal. Those signings -- Clint Barmesin 2015, Alexei Ramirez in '16 and Erick Aybar in '17 -- all underwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Galvis arrives as a standout defender, sure to be a boon to the Majors' most ground-ball-happy rotation. A year ago, Luis Perdomo and Clayton Richard ranked 1 and 2 in the National League in ground-ball rate. But both were hindered by poor infield play.

Offensively, Galvis' .309 on-base percentage in 2017 was the best mark of his career. He's a lifetime .245 hitter, but the Padres feel he has room to grow. As a defense-first shortstop, Galvis' offensive contributions will be mostly viewed as a bonus.Dec. 18th, 2017

"He's a guy that we view as a very good defensive player, a leader on the field, which is what you want from the shortstop position," Preller said following last month's trade. "He's got tremendous hands, a great release. From an offensive standpoint ... there's tremendous growth in there."

Of course, there's another reason this offseason feels different in the Padres' decade-long quest to find their shortstop of the future. Fernando Tatis Jr., ranked the club's No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline, burst onto the scene in 2017. He earned a promotion to Double-A in his age 18 season after setting the franchise home-run record at Class A Fort Wayne.

Tatis is widely regarded as one of the best shortstop prospects in the game. Thus, when the Padres acquired a one-year shortstop solution in Galvis, they did so with an eye on the future. Tatis could make an impact as soon as 2019.an. 12th, 2018

That doesn't necessarily mean Galvis will be gone by then. The Padres appear very interested in keeping him on board long-term, though they'd likely ask him to fill something closer to a utility role.

"We have a chance to get around Freddy, watch him play, see him, evaluate [him]," Preller said. "I don't think it necessarily has to be only a one-year fit. But when other guys push to make the big league club, you're not locked into a three- or four-year commitment."

Behind Galvis, there's no obvious answer for the backup job. Journeyman Dusty Coleman received a big league invite to Spring Training. He's probably the favorite on paper, with youngsters Luis Urias and Allen Cordoba likely destined for a bit more seasoning in the Minors.n. 1st, 2018

Projected starter: Galvis

Potential backups: Coleman, Cordoba, Urias

Top-30 prospects: No. 3 Urias, No. 4 Tatis, No. 15 Gabriel Arias, No. 18 Luis Almanzar, No. 25 Jordy Barley.

CNBC San Diego Padres' ballpark is about to get baseball's biggest solar power system

• Petco Park is getting a 336,520-watt solar power system. • The San Diego Padres say it will be Major League Baseball's biggest solar power system. Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres baseball team, will soon have a 336,520-watt solar power system.

The project will be made up of 716 high efficiency, 470 watt SunPower solar modules, the Padres said this week.

The system, from Sullivan Solar Power, will be the biggest in Major League Baseball and produce more than 12 million kilowatt hours of solar power over the next quarter century, the team said. Installation of the panels is underway and is expected to be completed by March.

Erik Greupner, the Padres' chief operating officer, said the team takes pride in continuing to make Petco Park "the most energy efficient and sustainable facility possible."

San Diego has set a target of using 100 percent renewable energy citywide by 2035. Mayor Kevin Faulconer commended the Padres for "turning the best ballpark in the country into one of the most environmentally friendly."

Faulconer said Petco Park will become a model for the rest of Major League Baseball as well as "an example for other San Diego businesses to follow."