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Padres Press Clips Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Article Source Author Pg. Here's why a 3-team Kluber deal could happen MLB.com Bell/Cassavell/Sheldon 2 Padres dominate '19 Top 10 LHP Prospects list MLB.com Rosenbaum 4 Friar talk: An author’s stab at all-time Padres team SD Union Tribune Sanders 7 Padres roster review: Gerardo Reyes SD Union Tribune Sanders 10 Quiroz hot as Los Mochis Approaches Mexican Pacific League Finals FriarWire Center 12 50 Moments — First Pick FriarWire Center 14 #PadresOnDeck: 4 of MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 LHP are Padres FriarWire Lafferty 16 Five moves we want to see this offseason ESPN Schoenfield 18

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Here's why a 3-team Kluber deal could happen Breaking down report of potential trade between Tribe, Reds, Padres By Mandy Bell, AJ Cassavell and Mark Sheldon MLB.com Jan. 15th, 2019

The Reds need a starting pitcher. The Padres are looking for a third baseman. The Indians would like to add outfielders. Could there be a match that would help all three clubs?

The Athletic reported on Monday that the Padres had explored a potential three-team trade between the clubs that would send ace starter Corey Kluber from Cleveland to Cincinnati, with Reds top prospect and infielder Nick Senzel going to San Diego. It was not reported who the Indians might acquire, although the team needs outfielders, which the Padres have to deal.

The report noted that no deal was close to being finalized.

Why the trade could work The Reds, who have been trying to overhaul their rotation all offseason, already acquired starters Tanner Roark and Alex Wood in trades. Both are solid middle-of-the-rotation pieces, but Cincinnati could still use someone for the top of the starting five. Enter Kluber, the two-time American League Cy Young Award winner and the kind of frontline starter the Reds haven't had since dealing Johnny Cueto in 2015. The club, which has space with an increased payroll, has been linked to Kluber in various rumors throughout the Hot Stove season.

Kluber, 32, has one guaranteed year left on his contract, with club options for 2020 and '21. If both options are picked up, the total outlay for his services would be $52.5 million. It's a lot of money for a small-market club, but it's also not a risky long-term contract that would hamstring the Reds for the future.

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Senzel, who is ranked as the Reds' No. 1 prospect (No. 6 overall) by MLB Pipeline, is a natural third baseman and can also play second base and the outfield. He is currently blocked from a starting spot in the infield by third baseman Eugenio Suarez and second baseman Scooter Gennett, but he will be competing for the opening in center field.

The Indians and Padres have had a good working relationship, with their last transaction coming in July when Cleveland acquired relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber. The Tribe is looking for young outfielders who are cost-controlled and can make an impact in 2019 and beyond. Last month, the Indians were linked to San Diego outfielders Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe, both of whom check the majority of the Indians' boxes.

Margot, 24, is under team control through 2022, while Renfroe, 26, wouldn't be a free agent until after the '23 season. Margot is a right-handed-hitting center fielder who slashed .245/.292/.384 with 26 doubles, eight triples, eight homers and 51 RBIs in 2018. Renfroe, a corner outfielder, could bring some much-needed power to the Indians' lineup after hitting .248 with 26 homers and 68 RBIs last season.

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The Padres have a glut of outfielders, with Wil Myers, Franmil Reyes, Franchy Cordero and Travis Jankowski also on board. They can afford to lose one or both of Renfroe and Margot -- if it means acquiring a third baseman. Right now, unheralded rookie Ty France is slated to start for the Padres at third, though that's likely to change in the coming weeks.

The Indians could also take a look at the Reds, who have plenty of corner-outfield options. Recently acquired Matt Kemp is coming off an All-Star season, hitting .290 with 21 home runs and 85 RBIs. Although Kemp could give the Tribe another option in both the outfield and as a designated hitter, the Indians may prefer younger, cost-controlled talent. The 34-year-old is owed $21.75 million in 2019, though a portion of the Dodgers' $7 million that was sent to the Reds in last month's blockbuster deal will help pay that salary. But the team already has shed roughly $20 million from the payroll and also would be dealing away Kluber's $17 million, so it could be an option.

Why the trade might not work Because of Senzel's near Major League-ready skills that include an advanced hitting approach, the Reds would likely be apprehensive about moving him. For the Padres, they will probably take a long look at his medical files as Senzel was limited to 44 games at Triple-A last season because of a bout with vertigo in May and a fractured right index finger in June that required season-ending surgery. During instructional league in the fall, he had to stop playing to have bone chips removed from his left elbow.

The Indians may decide they just don't need to deal Kluber, a rotation anchor for three straight postseason teams. The main reason his name came up in the first place was a perceived need to cut costs, and they've already done that this winter -- shedding about $20 million in dealing Edwin Encarnacion, Yonder Alonsoand Yan Gomes. Because of this, the Tribe could simply keep its rotation intact. Cleveland has been listening to potential offers for both Kluber and Trevor Bauer throughout the offseason, but it has a specific return in mind that clearly has yet to be met. In order to part ways with its ace, the club would have to receive enough talent to meet the high bar it has set for Kluber.

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A trade could still happen, but maybe not with the Reds. Another option for both the Padres and the Indians would be giving the Yankees a call to see where they stand on Miguel Andujar. With the Padres looking for a third baseman, the 23-year-old Andujar, who finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year Award voting, may be another option. The Yankees are still looking to deal Sonny Gray, and with CC Sabathia's recent heart procedure and ongoing troubles with his right knee, it would seem logical that New York would be interested in adding another arm, especially of Kluber's caliber. The Yankees also have outfielders Clint Frazier and Aaron Hicks or reliever Chad Green who could be of interest to the Indians.

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Padres dominate '19 Top 10 LHP Prospects list By Mike Rosenbaum MLB.com Jan. 15th, 2019

MLB Pipeline will unveil its 2019 Top 100 Prospects list with a one-hour show on MLB Network and MLB.com on Saturday, Jan. 26, at 8 p.m. ET. Leading up to the release, we look at baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.

Jesus Luzardo cracked last year's list of the Top 10 left-handed pitching prospects at No. 8 even though he had logged fewer than 50 professional innings in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Flash forward a year and the 21-year-old southpaw now headlines our Top 10 LHP list, ranking as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball after a tremendous first full season in which he nearly reached the Major Leagues.

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He is one of seven members on our Top 10 who were selected out of the high school ranks, and overall, nine players are products of the Draft. The only non-Draft pick of the group, Adrian Morejon of the Padres, signed for $11 million in July 2016.

Speaking of the Padres, their organization is well represented with four left-handers on this year's list, while the A's and Rays both check in with two members each.

The Top 10 (ETA) 1. Jesus Luzardo, Athletics (2019) 2. MacKenzie Gore, Padres (2021) 3. Brendan McKay, Rays (2020) 4. A.J. Puk, Athletics (2020) 5. Justus Sheffield, Mariners (2019) 6. Adrian Morejon, Padres (2020) 7. Matthew Liberatore, Rays (2021) 8. Logan Allen, Padres (2019) 9. DL Hall, Orioles (2021) 10. Ryan Weathers, Padres (2021) Complete list »

Top tools

Best Fastball: Puk (70) Puk's fastball was sitting in the mid-90s and frequently hitting 96- to 97-mph before he underwent Tommy John surgery last April. He shouldn't have any trouble producing the same type of velocity with a healthy return to the mound in 2019, though as is the case with many Tommy John recipients, his control of the pitch may initially lag behind.

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Best Curveball: Gore, Morejon, Liberatore (60) Gore's curveball is a plus offering, thought it wasn't as sharp last year in the Midwest League as

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he dealt with a blister issue. Morejon's deuce, on the other hand, took a step forward last year, and Liberatore showcased his plus curve across two levels last year during his pro debut.

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Best Slider: Puk, Sheffield (65) Puk's slider is one of the best in the Minors, a legitimate swing-and-miss offering that registers in the mid- to upper-80s and is effective against hitters on the both sides of the plate and helped him register 184 strikeouts over 125 frames in 2017. Sheffield's slider is less consistent but earns similar grades and serves as his out-pitch.

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Best Changeup: Luzardo, Allen (60) Luzardo and Allen earn plus grades for their respective changeups, and both lefties use the pitch to neutralize right-handed hitters. Allen held righties to a a .209/.292/.322 line in 2018, and they mustered just .213/.270/.333 against Luzardo.

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Best Control: Luzardo, McKay (60) The two-way McKay demonstrated exceptional control last season as he issued just 1.6 walks-per-nine over 78 1/3 frames in the lower Minors. Luzardo is younger and has more gains to make, but he also should have plus control once he's fully developed.

Highest Ceiling: Luzardo As a 20-year-old pitching for the first time since Tommy John, Luzardo showed all the ingredients needed to become a frontline starter in the big leagues -- and possibly very soon. He has a premium arsenal in a fastball, curveball and changeup that all grade as above-average or better, as well as control and command that allow him to execute each pitch. If it all comes together for him, Luzardo could be one of the game's best left-handed pitchers and a perennial Cy Young Award candidate.

Highest Floor: McKay McKay has had considerably more success as a pitcher than a position player as a pro and ostensibly stands to reach the Majors faster in that role. While nothing he throws is truly overpowering, McKay can dissect the zone with precision using his entire arsenal, inducing a healthy mix of whiffs, weak contact and very few walks. Altogether, it gives McKay a safe floor as at least a backend starter at the highest level.

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Rookie of the Year Candidate: Luzardo Luzardo ascended from Class A Advanced Stockton to Triple-A Nashville last season and nearly reached the Major Leagues before the A's shut him down due to workload. It shouldn't be long before he assumes a spot in the A's 2019 rotation, and many within the organization view Luzardo as one of the best pitching prospects in franchise history.

Highest Riser: Hall The Orioles' first-round pick from 2017 had his workload limited during his first full season, never eclipsing 90 pitches in an outing, but he made big improvements during a dominant second half in the Class A South Atlantic League, posting a 0.84 ERA with 64 strikeouts and a .171 BAA over his final 53 2/3 frames (11 starts).

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Humblest Beginnings: Allen Originally an eighth-round pick -- making him the lowest Draft pick on our list -- by the Red Sox in 2015 before joining San Diego in the Craig Kimbrel trade, Allen faced some injury concerns early in his career but put it all behind him with a breakout 2018 campaign. He projects as a high-probability backend starter, perhaps more with better control.

Most To Prove: Puk Puk was poised to pitch meaningful innings for the A's in 2018 before Tommy John surgery wiped out his year. He showed huge upside before getting hurt, especially in regards to missing bats, and all eyes will be drawn to the 2016 first-rounder when he returns to the mound this season.

Keep An Eye On: Daniel Lynch, Royals The Royals had Lynch, the No. 34 overall pick in the 2018 Draft, focus on throwing more four-seam fastballs last summer and saw his heater sit at 92- to 95-mph and touch 97 during his impressive pro debut. That uptick in velocity, along with his feel for three average-or-better secondaries, could put Lynch firmly on the prospect radar in his first full season.

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Friar talk: An author’s stab at all-time Padres team Jeff Sanders

The Padres over the weekend unveiled their 50th anniversary logo, the first of a long line of events celebrating the franchise’s stay in San Diego.

The content will flow from the team, blogs and of course the Union-Tribune.

Best and worst moments. Timelines. All-time teams.

In fact, you’ll get a lot of the latter.

First up: Tom Stone’s “Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All-30 Franchise,” a 600-plus-page who’s who of each franchise.

Teams like the Yankees, Dodgers required more than 30 pages each to sift through their history.

The Padres?

Just 13, although it’s a wonder that even that many are needed given the course of the organization over the last decade or five.

Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman are in the Hall of Fame and on the team.

Dave Winfield, too, is in Cooperstown as a Padre despite appearing in twice as many All-Star Games as a Yankee (8) as a San Diegan (4). Roberto Alomar is also in the Hall of Fame as a Blue Jay and Hall-of-Famers Rollie Fingers (Athletics) and Goose Gossage(Yankees) are in a stacked bullpen behind Hoffman.

Beyond those shoo-ins and Cy Young winners Jake Peavy and Randy Jones, the starting lineups presented for both left-handed and right-handed opposing pitchers offer plenty of reason to debate, which is sort of the point of a book like this.

Against RHP

• CF Tony Gwynn (L) • 2B Bip Roberts (S) • RF Dave Winfield (R) • 1B Adrian Gonzalez (L) • 3B Chase Headley (S) • LF Ryan Klesko (L) • DH Brian Giles (L) • C Terry Kennedy (L) • SS Ozzie Smith (S)

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Against LHP

• DH Tony Gwynn (L) • 2B Roberto Alomar (S) • Dave Winfield (R) • 1B Nate Colbert (R) • 3B Ken Caminiti (S) • CF Kevin McReynolds (R) • LF Bip Roberts (S) • C Gene Tenace/Benito Santiago (R) • SS Ozzie Smith (S)

Top-five starting pitchers

• RHP Jake Peavy • RHP Andy Ashby • RHP Andy Benes • LHP Randy Jones • RHP Eric Show

One hot (corner) debate Both switch-hitters, Chase Headley’s selection in the right-handed-pitcher lineup ahead of Ken Caminiti is a curious one. Headley played longer in San Diego than Caminiti (nine years vs. four) and accumulated more WAR (18.6 vs. 17.5), although the bulk of his production stemmed from a better glove and a 2012 campaign in which he hit 19 of his 31 homers over the final two months of the season. Beyond that summer, Headley was a three-win player in just two other seasons. He never pushed the Padres in the playoffs (surely not all on him, at all) nor was he an All-Star (he did win a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger in 2012). He was unceremoniously released last year in his second stint with the Padres.

Caminiti’s impact went much deeper during his four-year stay. He was the MVP in 1996. He played on a World Series team. He was an All-Star twice. He hit 121 homers in four years as an admitted steroid user against Headley’s 87 in nine years.

The PED use didn’t disqualify Caminit’s inclusion in the Padres Hall of Fame so we’re not scrutinizing it here, either (Stone’s passage on the Padres’ hot corner did not mention Caminiti’s steroid use).

Find Stone’s book here to dig into the Padres’ all-time team.

A future all-timer? Speaking of the all-time team, Stone’s book mentions both Wil Myers and Eric Hosmer as current stars who could one day butt their way into the conversation but overlooked Fernando Tatis Jr., who is certainly deserving of a spot on the all-time Padres hype team.

Add another line on the resume: MVP of the Dominican Republic’s round-robin semifinals.

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The Estrellas shortstop, the Padres’ top prospect, led the playoff field with 10 RBIs and three homers, including a walk-off job last week that went viral on social media after Tatis’ enthusiastic bat flip. Tatis also swiped six bases and hit .254.

Estrellas continues its playoff run Friday in a series championship matchup with Este.

The kids are all left Padres prospects comprised nearly half of MLB.com’s list of top-10 minor league southpaws: MacKenzie Gore (ETA 2021), Adrian Morejon (2020), Logan Allen(2019) and Ryan Weathers (2021).

Gore and Weathers were first-round picks in 2017 and 2018, Morejon was the top addition in the 2016-17 international spending spree and Allen arrived in the Craig Kimbreltrade.

The Padres did not have any prospects crack the right-handers’ top-10 ten prospects list. The series is counting down to MLB.com revealing its latest top-100 on Jan. 26.

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Padres roster review: Gerardo Reyes Jeff Sanders

Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster, from A to Z, heading into the 2019 season:

GERARDO REYES

• Position(s): Right-handed reliever • 2019 Opening Day age: 25 • Bats/throws: R / R • Height/weight: 5-foot-11 / 160 pounds • Acquired: Via trade with the Rays in December 2014 • Contract status: Added to the 40-man roster in November 2018 • Key stats (minors): 1-3, 2.77 ERA, 2 saves, 69 strikeouts, 29 walks, 1.30 WHIP, .216

opponent average (45 games, 55 1/3 innings)

STAT TO NOTE

• 11.2 – Strikeouts per nine innings in 55 1/3 innings split between high Single-A Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio in 2018, a career-high. Reyes hadn’t struck out more than 10 batters per nine innings since his pro debut in 2014.

TRENDING

• Up – The Wil Myers trade keeps on giving. Until the Padres develop an everyday shortstop, the three-team swap that sent both SS Trea Turner and RHP Joe Ross(not to mention 1B Jake Bauers to the Rays) will be a sore spot in San Diego, especially if Myers can’t become the middle-of-the-order hitter he profiled as at the time of the trade. The throw-ins, however, continue to develop into legitimate assets. LHP Jose Castillo impressed in his big league debut in 2018 and the other young reliever acquired in that deal is knocking on the door after a breakthrough campaign. A Rays signee out of Victoria, Mexico, in August 2013, Reyes posted a 2.63 ERA in 2017 at Lake Elsinore and advanced to Double-A San Antonio in 2018, penning a 3.00 ERA in 39 innings spread across two stints. A bit undersized, Reyes pairs mid-90s velocity out of a sidearm slot with a wipeout slider and change-up. He was in the midst of striking out 20 and posting an 0.89 WHIP in 18 shutout innings this winter in Mexico when the Padres added him to the 40-man roster.

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2019 OUTLOOK

• Craig Stammen and Kirby Yates are the elder statesmen in a young bullpen that saw Castillo, Robert Stock, Trey Wingenter and Brad Wieck push their way to the majors in 2018. Consider Reyes among the first in line should the Padres need reinforcements in 2019, that is unless he wins a job outright out of camp.

PADRES POWER RANKINGS (Currently 40 players on the 40-man roster; the list below reflects only the players reviewed thus far in the series)

1. Wil Myers 2. Eric Hosmer 3. Austin Hedges 4. Hunter Renfroe 5. Manuel Margot 6. Francisco Mejia 7. Franchy Cordero 8. Joey Lucchesi 9. Chris Paddack 10. Franmil Reyes 11. Ian Kinsler 12. Eric Lauer 13. Dinelson Lamet 14. Jose Castillo 15. Anderson Espinoza 16. Travis Jankowski 17. Robbie Erlin 18. Miguel Diaz 19. Jacob Nix 20. Phil Maton 21. Greg Garcia 22. Austin Allen 23. Pedro Avila 24. Edward Olivares 25. Gerardo Reyes 26. Luis Perdomo 27. Bryan Mitchell 28. Jose Pirela 29. Brett Kennedy 30. Ty France 31. Javy Guerra

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Removed from the roster

• Carlos Asuaje (claimed by the Rangers)

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Quiroz hot as Los Mochis Approaches Mexican Pacific League Finals FriarWire

Jan 15

By Bill Center

Esteban Quiroz might be new to the Padres.

But the 26-year-old middle infielder has long been a popular player in Mexico. And his recent play for Los Mochis in the Mexican Pacific League semifinals is drawing headlines.

Quiroz is 6-for-12 over the last three games with a double, two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored as Los Mochis has taken a 2–1 lead over Obregon in its best-of-seven semifinal series.

In nine playoff games thus far, Quiroz is hitting .294 (10-for-34) with the double, two homers, four walks, five RBIs and five runs scored. He has a .368 on-base percentage in the playoffs with a .500 slugging percentage for a .868 OPS.

Quiroz, who was acquired from Boston in a trade last November, turns 27 on Feb. 17. He made his debut in the United States last spring at the age of 26 after hitting 53 homers for 272 RBIs in 645 games in his native Mexico.

He was one of the busiest players in baseball this past off-season. After playing 14 games under Boston’s control in the Arizona Fall League, Quiroz hit .256 with five homers and 17 RBIs with Los Mochis during the regular MPL season. With the playoffs, Quiroz has now played 52 games during the off-season.

Quiroz, who is hitting fifth and sixth in the Los Mochis lineup, is one of five Padres still playing in winter ball.

— Top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr.’s Estrellas team has advanced to the best-of-seven championship series in the Dominican Republic. After 17 playoff games, Tatis, who turned 20 on Jan. 2, is hitting .254 (16-for-63) with a double, two triples, three home runs (including two game-winning shots), 10 RBIs, 13 runs scored, nine walks and six stolen bases. He has a .347 on-base percentage and a .476 slugging percentage for a .824 OPS. He is batting second in the order for his father, who manages Estrellas.

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— Luis Torrens is hitting .296 (8-for-27) for Magallanes in the Venezuela playoffs. Torrens, who is playing first during the playoffs, has a homer run, seven walks, a RBI and eight runs scored. He has a .441 on-base percentage and a .407 slugging percentage for a .848 OPS.

— Center fielder Aldemar Burgos is 4-for-21 (.190) after six games in the Puerto Rican playoffs, although his Carolina team is facing elimination. Burgos had two doubles, three walks, a RBI and a run scored.

— Right fielder Michael Gettys will wrap up play in the Australian Baseball League this week. After 23 games, Gettys has a slash line of .313/.396/.639/1.034. He has five doubles, two triples and six home runs with 16 runs scored and 21 RBIs in 83 at-bats. He has drawn eight walks with four steals.

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50 Moments — First Pick Looking back at 50 moments in celebration of the

club’s 50th Anniversary season

FriarWire

Jan 15

By Bill Center

At the end of the 1968 season, the Padres had a spot in the National League for the 1969 season.

But they had no players.

That changed on Oct. 14, 1968, when the Padres and Montreal Expos each drafted 30 players in the National League expansion draft at the Windsor Hotel in Montreal.

Draft rules protected the 10 existing National League. Each was allowed to protect 15 major or minor league players going into the draft. And as soon as one of those teams lost a player, it was allowed to protect three more. No existing team could lose more than six players.

The Padres won a coin flip and received the top pick. After the fifth round, the order was reversed for balance. The order was reversed again after the 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th rounds.

Picking for the Padres were club president Buzzie Bavasi and manager Preston Gomez, who had been hired on Aug. 29.

With the first pick in the expansion draft, the Padres selected outfielder Ollie Brown from the San Francisco Giants. The 24-year-old Brown was a member of a gifted family of athletes from Long Beach. He attended Long Beach Poly High (which years later would produce Tony Gwynn) and had already played 281 games with the Giants, batting .249 with 20 homers and 97 RBIs in 865 at-bats. Brown also possessed one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Brown would play just over three full seasons for the Padres, batting .252 with 52 homers and 208 RBIs in 458 games before being traded to the Oakland A’s on May 17, 1972, for outfielder Curt Blefary, pitcher Mike Kilkenny and a player to be named later.

After the Expos selected Pirates outfielder Manny Mota with their first pick, the Padres selected right-handed St. Louis pitcher Dave Giusti with their second pick. Giusti never pitched for the

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Padres. On Dec. 3, the Padres traded him back to the Cardinals for eventual Opening Day starters Ed Spiezio (third base) and Ron Davis (first) and two minor league pitchers.

The Padres and Expos quickly went on divergent courses in the expansion draft. The Expos went for veteran players. The Padres went younger, particularly in pitching.

The Padres third-round pick was right-handed starting Dick Selma of the Mets. Selma became the Padres Opening Day starter — and the first Padre pitcher to ever record a win and a complete game. He held the Houston Astros to one run on five hits with 12 strikeouts over nine innings in the Padres’ 2–1, Opening Night win at San Diego Stadium.

However, like Giusti, Selma wasn’t long for the Padres. After four games (2–2, 4.09 ERA), Selma was traded to the Chicago Cubs on April 25, 1969 for pitchers Joe Niekro, Gary Ross and Frankie Libran.

In order, the Padres then drafted pitcher Al Santorini, shortstop Jose Arcia, pitcher Clay Kirby, catcher Fred Kendall and outfielder Jerry Morales.

With their ninth pick of the draft (18th overall), the Padres hit paydirt with 22-year-old first baseman Nate Colbert, who became the franchise’s first star. Selected off the roster of the Houston Astros, would play six seasons for the Padres. He hit .253 in 866 games with a still franchise record of 163 homers and 481 RBIs. He had a .800 OPS as a Padre before being trade to Detroit on Nov. 18, 1974. It should be noted that Davis, not Colbert, was the Padres starting lineup for the franchise’s first game.

The Padres took two local high school products — infielder Jerry DaVanon(Hoover) and Ron Slocum (Helix) — as well as a former minor league Padre (left-handed pitcher Billy McCool).

At the end of the expansion draft, Bavasi threw a wrinkle into the process. He asked beat writer Phil Collier of The San Diego Union to make the Padres’ 30th and final pick. Collier, who is in the writers’ wing of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., selected outfielder Cito Gastonaway from the Atlanta Braves.

Gaston would play six seasons with the Padres, hitting .257 with 77 homers and 316 RBIs in 766 games. He was the Padres’ representative in the 1970 All-Star Game and finished 24th in the National League Most Valuable Player voting after hitting .318 with 29 homers, 93 RBIs and a .907 OPS.

Rick James (18th round) was the only player taken by the Padres in the expansion draft who never returned to the Major Leagues.

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#PadresOnDeck: 4 of MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 LHP are Padres Gore, Morejon, Allen and Weathers earn

rave reviews

FriarWire

Jan 16

By Justin Lafferty

When MLB Pipeline released its rankings of the top 10 LHP prospects on Tuesday night, you had to wonder if the P stood for pitchers or Padres.

San Diego was well-represented on the list of southpaws, claiming 4 of the top 10 spots: MacKenzie Gore at №2, Adrian Morejon at №6, Logan Allen at №8 and Ryan Weathers at №10.

Gore, who will turn 20 next month, finished last year as the organization’s №2 prospect, behind Fernando Tatis Jr. MLB Pipeline expects him to be in the majors by 2021. Morejon, also set to turn 20 in February, is targeted for a 2020 debut. The 21-year-old Allen is the closest to San Diego of the bunch, as he finished the 2018 season in AAA-El Paso. MLB Pipeline foresees a 2021 arrival for Weathers, the Padres’ most recent top draft pick.

In terms of tools, Gore and Morejon tied the Rays’ Matthew Liberatore for best curveball in the class, grading at 60 on the 20–80 scale.

“Gore’s curveball is a plus offering, thought it wasn’t as sharp last year in the Midwest League as he dealt with a blister issue,” wrote MLB Pipeline’s Mike Rosenbaum. “Morejon’s deuce, on the other hand, took a step forward last year.”

Allen, currently the Padres’ №8 prospect, has the best changeup among the top 10 lefties, tied with the Athletics’ Jesus Luzardo.

“Luzardo and Allen earn plus grades for their respective changeups, and both lefties use the pitch to neutralize right-handed hitters,” Rosenbaum wrote. “Allen held righties to a .209/.292/.322 line in 2018, and they mustered just .213/.270/.333 against Luzardo.”

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Gore spent all of 2018 at Class-A Fort Wayne, striking out 74 batters in 60.2 innings. Morejon earned California League All-Star honors while pitching for Class-A Advanced Lake Elsinore, but he battled injuries in the second half.

Allen had a banner year in 2018, being named the Texas League Pitcher of the Year after going 10–6 with a 2.75 ERA for AA-San Antonio. He finished the year in El Paso, winning 4 of his 5 starts with a scant 1.63 ERA.

Weathers, who was the №7 overall pick in 2018, pitched 4 games for the Arizona Rookie League Padres and ended the year in Fort Wayne.

Over the next few days, MLB Pipeline will unveil all of its top prospect lists:

Thu, Jan. 17 — Top 10 C Fri, Jan. 18 — Top 10 1B Mon, Jan. 21 — Top 10 2B Tue, Jan. 22 — Top 10 3B Wed, Jan. 23 — Top 10 SS Thu, Jan. 24 — Top 10 OF Sat, Jan 26 — Top 100

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Five moves we want to see this offseason 4:00 AM PT

David Schoenfield ESPN Senior Writer

Let's discuss something other than Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Here are five moves I'd like to see. Actually, it's more than five, because the first suggestion deals with several moves that could vault the Cincinnati Reds into the thick of the National League Central race.

The Reds shake things up by...

1. Signing A.J. Pollock 2. Acquiring Sonny Gray from the Yankees 3. Trading Scooter Gennett, Scott Schebler, Taylor Trammell and Tony Santillan to the Indians for Corey Kluber 4. Installing Nick Senzel at second base Following five straight losing seasons, the Reds have stated their intention to compete better in 2019 -- the trades for Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, Alex Wood and Tanner Roark signify such a desire. The only problem? Those players won't push the needle enough. FanGraphs currently projects the Reds to finish 79-83. They need more.

The biggest problem with the current lineup is the lack of a true center fielder on the roster. Schebler has played there some, and they could move Puig from right field, but signing Pollock provides a Gold Glove-caliber center fielder while keeping Puig at his best position.

The Gray-to-the-Reds rumors have been active all offseason. It's time to make it happen. Gray had a 3.17 road ERA in 2018 and held batters to a .226/.295/.320 line. He simply got destroyed in Yankee Stadium (6.98 ERA), so the hope is that by leaving New York he gets back to where he was with the A's.

The Reds have allowed the most runs in the NL each of the past two seasons. Wood, Roark and Gray are solid, but none is an ace. The latest big rumor involves Kluber, the Reds and the Padres in a three-way deal, but let's just cut out the middleman. The Indians need a second baseman and outfield depth, and Gennett and Schebler provide immediate help -- and including Gennett trims $9.7 million off the payroll. Trammell is a top-20 overall prospect in the game who would project as Cleveland's center fielder of the future, while Santillan is a power arm who reached Double-A in 2019 and is close to the majors.

All this, and the Reds still have Senzel (the player the Padres are reportedly lusting over in that three-way trade). The Reds would roll out this lineup:

Nick Senzel 2B Yasiel Puig RF

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Tucker Barnhart C Jose Peraza SS

And this rotation:

Corey Kluber Luis Castillo Tanner Roark Alex Wood Sonny Gray Kemp provides outfield depth, and you still have Tyler Mahle, Anthony DeSclafani and Cody Reed for rotation and bullpen depth. Yes, you've added a lot of payroll. You subtract Gennett (Schebler is still pre-arbitration) while adding Kluber's $17 million, Pollock at an estimated $15 million (at four years, $60 million) and Gray at $7.5 million. That's a net of about $30 million, pushing the Reds' estimated payroll to $143 million, a big increase over 2018's estimated $111 million.

Here's the thing, though: It's really just a one-year hit. Kemp (the Reds are paying $14.75 million), Roark ($10 million), Puig ($9.7 million), Wood (estimated $9.5 million) and Gray are all free agents after 2019 -- that's $51.45 million off the payroll. In fact, the addition of all those one-year players is even more reason for the Reds to push harder in 2019.

Colorado Rockies trade Jon Gray to the Minnesota Twins for Byron Buxton This is your classic change-of-scenery challenge trade. The Rockies grew so frustrated with Gray last season that they sent him down to Triple-A for a short spell. He finished 12-9 with a 5.12 ERA. Buxton played just 24 games with the Twins and hit .156, got injured, spent the summer in the minors and wasn't even called up in September. The Twins said it was because the wrist injury was still lingering and because there wasn't enough playing time to go around. Hmm.

At their best, both players are explosive talents. When healthy, Buxton is the best defensive center fielder in the game, and he produced a 5.2 WAR season in 2017 when he hit .253/.314/.413. Gray had a 3.67 ERA with the Rockies in 2017, a 3.1 WAR season over 20 starts. Gray has just over three years of service time, and Buxton just over two, so the Rockies would be trading three years of Gray for four years of Buxton, which seems to even the trade since Gray is probably the "safer" player given Buxton's inconsistent results at the plate.

The Rockies need a center fielder. The team's depth chart lists Ian Desmond as the center fielder, an acknowledgement that Charlie Blackmon no longer has the range to play there. Desmond did play center for the Rangers in 2016, but he wasn't great there (minus-6 defensive runs saved), and at 33 he'd be one of the oldest center fielders in the league. David Dahl and Raimel Tapia are options, but Dahl is better suited for right field and Tapia is a fourth outfielder. Buxton may not hit any better than Desmond, but he could be 30 runs better in the field. The Rockies would still have depth in their rotation with German Marquez, Kyle Freeland, Tyler Anderson, Antonio Senzatela and Chad Bettis. They could give Jeff Hoffman another shot, and

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prospect Peter Lambert is just about ready. They could also add one of the remaining free-agent starters like Gio Gonzalez, Wade Miley or Clay Buchholz. For the Twins, they give up on Buxton's potential but get a potential top-of-the-rotation arm who should excel away from Coors. Gray would give them a second power arm behind Jose Berrios and push Kyle Gibson into the No. 3 slot. Max Kepler can slide over to center with Jake Cave in right. Plus, prospect Alex Kirilloff may not be that far away from the majors. He hit .348 with 20 home runs in A-ball and is advanced enough that he could be ready after half a season in Double-A.

Philadelphia Phillies sign Dallas Keuchel Yes, the Phillies' efforts have been on signing Bryce Harper or Manny Machado, but even if they land one of them, they still have the resources to sign Keuchel. The current rotation is nice, but it still projects as only 14th-best in the majors, via FanGraphs. Nick Pivetta certainly has breakout potential after striking out 188 in 164 innings, but he allowed 24 home runs, and his 4.77 ERA wasn't just because of Citizens Bank Park -- he had a 5.33 ERA on the road. Zach Eflin also improved after rough showings in 2016 and 2017. Jake Arrieta was solid if unspectacular. Bottom line: There's room for a No. 2 guy in the rotation behind Aaron Nola. Signing Keuchel would allow the Phillies to move Vince Velasquez to the bullpen, where he could become a dominant multi-inning weapon -- a guy who pitches 45 or 50 games and 90 innings with big-time strikeout rates. Even with Velasquez in the pen, there is backup rotation depth. The Phillies still have Jerad Eickhoff and Enyel De Los Santos as well.

Los Angeles Angels sign Adam Ottavino Let's see. The Angels signed Matt Harvey and Trevor Cahill. They signed Jonathan Lucroy. They signed Justin Bour. If the Angels were conducting a 2015 simulation replay, you might want those. Alas, it's 2019, and that's not exactly a fearsome foursome. Hey, it could work out. There's some minor upside to all four players. The Angels actually project to 84-78, which could put them in the thick of at least the wild-card race. They've already benefited from the Mariners tearing things down a bit, and the A's haven't done anything to build a rotation. So the Angels could still contend without doing anything. But they should do something, and adding Adam Ottavino makes sense. He won't cost as much as Craig Kimbrel and may actually be better over the next three or four seasons given the monster season he had with the Rockies with 112 K's in 77⅔ innings and a .158 average allowed. The back end of the Angels' bullpen remains unsettled, and Ottavino could be the closer or the eighth-inning guy to Ty Buttrey or Justin Anderson.

The San Diego Padres acquire Austin Riley and Luiz Gohara from the Atlanta

Braves for Hunter Renfroe and Francisco Mejia A challenge trade of young players. The Padres just announced that Wil Myersis moving back to the outfield, an area where they're already overcrowded with young players who need big league at-bats. That means they need a third baseman; they could sign free agent Mike Moustakas, but rebuilding the 2015 Royals probably wouldn't work a second time. Meanwhile, the Braves need a right fielder and could use a young catcher to back up Tyler Flowers and Brian McCann (who may not have much left in the tank anyway). Riley profiles similar to Renfroe at the plate: big power, but he probably won't hit for much average, and the walk rate is a little suspect. He rates as a good defender, is a top-100 overall prospect

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(MLB.com actually has him at No. 43 overall) and he's pretty much ready for the majors after reaching Triple-A. The Braves have Josh Donaldson signed for just one year, but minus Riley can just move Johan Camargo back to third in 2020, when Donaldson departs. Renfroe cut way down on his strikeouts in 2018 and emerged as a useful player (2.4 WAR).

Gohara and Mejia both lost some prospect luster in 2018, Gohara with injuries and dealing with family issues (his father died in the offseason and his mother had heart surgery) and Mejia after a so-so campaign in Triple-A with the Indians and Padres. Mejia could be a utility guy in 2019 -- catching a little, playing a little outfield, pinch-hitting -- or even hit his way into starting more games behind the plate. By 2020, he should be ready to take on full-time duties as a catcher. Gohara gives the Braves a big arm with top-of-the-rotation potential if he figures everything out.