7 Players Padres Fans Should be Excited About

The Young Padres

The Padres are not just young, they are the right kind of young.  Yes, there are different types of young.  Some teams are young and there really isn’t much to get excited about.  The Padres are not this kind of young.  The Padres are young with a plethora of potential. It is not just Minor League potential, either. A lot of their young, talented, potential-toting youngsters, are starting to both get experience at the big league level, and also are starting to have success in the big show. While this year has been a struggle, the future is extremely bright and here are seven players Padres fans should be excited for the future of their beloved San Diego Padres.

1. Fernando Tatis

Fernando Tatis Jr was having an incredible season, and could have won Rookie of the Year if he had not gotten hurt. There is a certain cat in New York who may disagree with this, but it is tough to know since Tatis is now sidelined. Tatis was just starting to hit his stride with power numbers. He could have ended up with a 30+ homers to go along with a .317 average.  Even with Tatis getting hurt, Padres fans still got to see how great this kid is. He is a walking highlight film both at the dish and playing shortstop.  Tatis is one of those special players worth buying a ticket just to watch him play.

2.  Manny Machado

Remember him?  It doesn’t seem that long ago that baseball fans were checking their phones every hour just to see if and where Manny Machado and Bryce Harper had signed yet.  Machado was the biggest free agent prize during the offseason last year and quite frankly it really wasn’t even that close.  Sorry Bryce Harper fans, but Machado is a better defensive player, hits for a better average, and has almost as much power as the highly regarded Bryce Harper. 

Machado struggled out of the gate for the Padres, but as of late has really turned it around and put up a solid season for the Padres. On the year, He is hitting .265/.336/.473 and has 26 homeruns, with 71 RBIs.  On the defensive side of the ball, Machado is fantastic.  He is as good a third baseman as there is in the league, and in a pinch can even be relied upon to play short.  Between Tatis and Machado, the Padres might have the best left side of the infield in all of baseball.

3.  MacKenzie Gore

Who?  Oh, don’t worry Padre Fans, you will know his name soon enough.  The left handed pitcher is dominating in the minors and is primed to be a big part of the Padres future.  MacKenzie Gore has split his time between A+ and AA ball. He has a 9-2 record, a fantastic 1.72 ERA, and has 130 strikeouts in 99.1 innings.  For you math majors out there, that is 11.8 strikeouts per 9 innings.  Gore was named the Padres 2019 Mino League player of the year and if he continue to makes strides early next year, look for the southpaw to joining the big club early next season. 

4.  Francisco Mejia

Francisco Mejia has had a solid rookie season for the Padres.  He has showed off his above average defensive skills and of course his cannon for an arm.  Mejia, has the chance to be one of the better offensive catchers in the game and if he can continue to play well, he could be a future All-Star for San Diego.  So far during the year, Mejia is hitting .268, has 8 homers, and 19 RBIs.

5. Chris Paddack

Chris Paddack has had a very good rookie season for the Padres.  He is 7-7 with a very good 3.84 ERA.  He has 121 strikeouts and seems to be getting better and better (just don’t look at his last start against the Red Sox).  If he continues to improve like he has been, he has a very good chance at being the Padres opening day starter next season.  Paddack gives Padres fans extreme optimism, as he and previously mentioned, MacKenzie Gore, could form a lethal front end of the rotation for San Diego for years to come. 

6.  Eric Hosmer

While Eric Hosmer doesn’t fit in with the rest of the young potential ridden players on this list, we have to give credit where credit is due.  The veteran lefty has been absolutely fantastic for San Diego and the Padres need to make sure and hang on to Hosmer.  He is an absolute wall at first base and picks any throw that ends up in the dirt.  Hosmer, along with Tatis and Machado, give the Padres one of the best infields in the game.  Hosmer is tearing the cover off of the ball hitting .285, with 18 homeruns, and 82 RBIs. 

7.  Taylor Trammell

There was some disappointment felt when the Padres gave up power hitting Franmil Reyes for Taylor Trammell.  Reyes was really coming into his own for the Padres, hitting 27 homeruns before the trade.  However, Trammell is really talented by his own right.  Trammell is lightning fast and an exceptional athlete. He actually turned down a football scholarship at Georgia Tech to play baseball. 

He has a chance to be the Padres centerfielder of the future and with his lightning speed, he is going to be a menace on the basepaths. His ability to track down flyballs is going to make him both a fan favorite and a favorite of the Padres pitching staff.  Trammell isn’t just a speed guy either, as he has some pop in his bat and if he pans out, the Padres are going to end up looking like geniuses on this trade.

The Padres might be having a disappointing year, but there is a lot to be excited about heading into the next year. This team is ripe with talent and with a few good moves in the offseason, there will be some good things happening in San Diego.

Author Twitter: @reggiebsports

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