At Padres camp, MLB's best farm on display

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Manny Machado is far from the only cause for excitement in San Diego. The Padres have the best farm system in baseball, filled with players ready to make an impact in 2019 and waves of talent beyond them.

San Diego has finished atop the last three editions of MLB Pipeline's system rankings and placed a record 10 farmhands on our latest Top 100 Prospects list. Though signing Machado should escalate the Padres' timetable for returning to contention after eight consecutive losing seasons, it won't necessarily hasten the promotion of their top prospects to Petco Park.

"We've been fairly aggressive with our assignment of players and that won't change a whole lot," assistant farm director Ben Sestanovich said. "It's just a question of challenging players and seeing how they respond. They let you know when they're ready to move.

"There's certainly a buzz in camp and an excitement surrounding Manny Machado, but that doesn't change how we think about the system."

Gore on repertoire | Top 30 Prospects | Prospects' Spring Training stats

The system has done an about-face since A.J. Preller's first four months on the job as Padres GM. Trying to build an instant winner after taking over in August 2014, he traded several prospects (including Jake Bauers, Zach Eflin, Max Fried, Joe Ross, Mallex Smith and Trea Turner) and young big leaguers for veterans. When those maneuverings produced an 88-loss club in 2015, Preller switched tactics.

That November, he traded Joaquin Benoit to the Mariners and Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox on consecutive days for a total of six prospects, most notably Manuel Margot and rising left-hander Logan Allen. San Diego has focused on stockpiling talent ever since via the Draft, the international market and more deals. Of its 10 Top 100 Prospects, only middle infielder Luis Urias (purchased from the Mexican League's Mexico City Red Devils in December 2013) predates Preller's arrival.

Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., the No. 2 prospect in baseball, and right-hander Chris Paddack were stolen in June 2016 trades for James Shields (White Sox) and Fernando Rodney (Marlins), while Allen and catcher/outfielder Francisco Mejia (from the Indians last July for Brad Hand and Adam Cimber) arrived in more equitable deals. Left-handers MacKenzie Gore and Ryan Weathers were top-10-overall selections in the last two Drafts. Right-hander Luis Patino, Adrian Morejon and Michel Baez all were part of the Padres' $78 million investment in the 2016 international class.

The other 20 players on MLB Pipeline's Padres Top 30 Prospects list all were acquired in the last four years as well. Sestanovich said it became apparent a couple of years ago that the Padres might be building something special.

"It's really a testament to our amateur scouting group, our international scouting group and our pro scouting group," Sestanovich said. "We've really acquired guys through every avenue.

"What sticks out the most, in the four instructional leagues I've been around, the first at the end of 2015 was good. But starting in 2016, they really had a different feel to them after the acquisitions started. It was fun when you got to see all of the guys on the same field."

Club officials aren’t the only ones enjoying thoughts of what all this prospect talent could translate into at the big league level in the near future. Gore said the players are excited as well.

"We want to win but we want to win now," Gore said. "On the Minor League side, there's a lot of competition … It's a good vibe around here right now. Everyone just wants to come to work."

Camp standouts

Tatis just turned 20 in January and has yet to play at Triple-A, so it makes sense for him to open 2019 at that level. But he's making that decision more difficult with his performance in big league camp, where he's batting .318/.400/.727 with two homers in nine games. He's so talented that the Padres made it clear to Machado that while they were willing to give the free agent a $300 million contract, he'd have to play third base because Tatis was their shortstop of the future.

"We can forget sometimes that he only has played a half-year in Double-A and a full season in A ball," Sestanovich said. "He has the ability to impact the game in every way: in the box, on the basepaths and in the field. He's shown us the last two years, with tough starts to the year, that he's able to make adjustments. He's a very mature kid."

Mejia is pushing Austin Hedges for the catching job and has helped his cause by batting .385/.429/.846 with three homers in 10 games. While there have been questions about Mejia's viability as a receiver, Sestanovich said he has looked good defensively and his desire to remain behind the plate is evident.

Paddack made quite an impression on Saturday, when he struck out seven in four scoreless innings against the Athletics and said afterward that he wants to be San Diego's Opening Day starter. While that may be a bit much, he does have the best changeup and best control of any pitcher on our Top 100 list. He also has struck out 14 and allowed just two earned runs in 8 2/3 Cactus League innings.