San Diego Padres Top 50 Prospects (2026)

January 1, 2026 Prospects1500, Jeremy Mahy, Scott Greene and Greg Bracken General, MiLB, NL West, Padres, Top 50 Lists 2

Top 50 graphic design by Michael Packard, @CollectingPack on Twitter
Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

San Diego Padres

NL West
2025 record: 90-72 (2nd)

MiLB affiliates
Triple-A: El Paso Chihuahuas
Double-A: San Antonio Missions
High-A: Fort Wayne TinCaps
Single-A: Lake Elsinore Storm

2025 End-Of-Season farm system rank: #30
Jeremy Mahy’s organization take from our 2025 End-Of-Season Farm System Rankings:
When you sell at the trade deadline year after year to support the major league squad’s playoff push this will be the result. The system took a serious hit sending Leo De Vries to the Athletics, but there is still some hope. Ethan Salas has seen some of the shine come off his status due to a couple of injury plagued and underwhelming seasons, but the tools that made him a top prospect are still there. Southpaws Kash Mayfield and Kruz Schoolcraft are young but they have the stuff to make an impact.

Prospects1500 writers who contributed to this column and rankings: Greg Bracken (@gregbracken07), Scott Greene (@Scotty_Ballgame), and Jeremy Mahy (@JMahyfam). The writer’s Twitter handle follows each player write-up or paragraph.

Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential to make the majors; possible sleeper candidates for sustained MLB success
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who may make (or have made) the majors but provide minimal impact

Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2025

Tier 1

None

Tier 2

1. Ethan Salas, C, 19, Double-A
I actually debated putting Salas in Tier 3 as opposed to Tier 2. He’s definitely fallen from his previous Tier 1 status. The question here is, does he have an above-average expectation to make the majors, or an average expectation to make it? His performance has not lived up to the other-worldly potential, and the club has been very aggressive with his assignments, pushing him from Single-A, to High-A, to Double-A at 17 in 2023. His entire 2024 season was spent in High-A and the Arizona Fall League at 18. Dealing with injuries this past season, Salas only played in 10 games at Double-A and hit .188. He is a budding star, but it’s time to temper expectations of him being a perennial All-Star MLB catcher. (@Scotty_Ballgame)

Tier 3

2. Kash Mayfield, LHP, 20, Single-A
3. Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, 18, Single-A
4. Miguel Mendez, RHP, 23, Double-A
5. Humberto Cruz, RHP, 19, Single-A
6. Jorge Quintana, SS/3B, 18, Single-A

Mayfield features a pitch mix that could keep him in the rotation thanks to a changeup that gives righties fits and a slider that lefties struggle to pick up. The question will be how his command plays as he climbs the ladder. Schoolcraft, the Padres 2025 first round pick, has tools to dream on, the 6’8” southpaw touches the upper-90’s but is uber young and will take some patience as he develops. Mendez might have the best two pitches in the system with his fastball and slider both arguably 70-grade. There is a good chance we see him in Sand Diego in 2026. Cruz has the stuff to be an impact arm, but the results have just not been there yet. Quintana, an 18-year-old acquired from the Brewers, has power-speed upside but struggled with his first taste in Single-A. (@JMahyfam)

Tier 4

7. Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP, 23, MLB
8. Tirso Ornelas, OF, 25, MLB
9. Deivid Coronil, 3B/SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
10. Kale Fountain, 1B, 20, Single-A
11. Sung Mun Song, 3B/2B, 29, KBO
12. Isaiah Lowe, RHP, 22, High-A

Rodriguez has filthy stuff and if not for Mason Miller he could be the closer of the future. Ornelas could be an average everyday big leaguer on a different team, but in San Diego he is likely no more than a fourth outfielder. As with so many of the Padres prospects, infielders Coronil and Fountain are loaded with talent but also very young and need development. Song, the Padres recent KBO signee, looks like Jake Cronenworth 2.0 albeit with significantly more speed. Lowe took a bit of a step backwards while repeating High-A last season but still has the stuff to be a number five starter or a middle reliever. (@JMahyfam)

Tier 5

13. Ty Harvey, C, 19, Single-A
14. Bryan Balzer, RHP, 21, Single-A
15. Garrett Hawkins, RHP, 25, Double-A
16. Lamar King Jr., C/1B, 22, High-A
17. Ryan Wideman, OF, 22, Single-A
18. Jhoan De La Cruz, SS/2B/3B, 18, Rookie (DSL)
19. Kavares Tears, OF, 23, Single-A
20. Romeo Sanabria, 1B, 23, Double-A
21. Jagger Haynes, LHP, 23, Double-A
22. Tucker Musgrove, RHP, 23, Single-A
23. Francis Pena, RHP, 24, Triple-A
24. Victor Lizarraga, RHP, 22, Triple-A
25. Rosman Verdugo, 3B/2B, 20, High-A
26. Eric Yost, RHP, 23, Double-A
27. Braedon Karpathios, OF, 22, Double-A
28. Michael Salina, RHP, 21, College
29. Kannon Kemp, RHP, 21, Single-A
30. Carlos Alvarez, LHP, 18, Rookie (DSL)
31. Truitt Madonna, C/1B, 18, Single-A
32. Josh Mallitz, RHP, 24, Double-A
33. Luis Gutierrez, LHP, 22, Triple-A
34. Kai Roberts, OF, 24, High-A
35. Lan-Hong Su, RHP, 18, International signee
36. Nick Schnell, OF, 25, Triple-A
37. Luis Maracara, RHP, 18, Rookie (ACL)
38. Manuel Castro, RHP, 23, Triple-A
39. Manuel Davila, RHP, 18, Rookie (ACL)
40. Luis De Leon, 2B/OF, 19, Rookie (ACL)
41. Zach Evans, 3B/2B, 23, High-A
42. Yimy Tovar, SS/2B, 19, Single-A
43. Kerrington Cross, 3B, 23, Single-A
44. Enmanuel Pinales, RHP, 24, Double-A
45. Kasen Wells, OF, 22, High-A
46. Carlos Rodriguez, C/1B, 22, Single-A
47. Jose Verdugo, SS/2B, 18, Rookie (DSL)
48. Jeronimo Palmeros, LHP, 18, Rookie (DSL)
49. Ryan Jackson, SS/3B/2B, 24, Double-A
50. Jack Costello, 1B/OF, 24, High-A

Harvey had some of the best exit velo in last year’s draft, the development of his hit tool will determine his ultimate ceiling. Wideman has double plus speed and enough bat speed to project future doubles power. De La Cruz is not flashy, but he can hit, run, and play defense at a high level. If he adds power, his profile could become much more interesting. Musgrove made his debut in 2025 (TJ surgery in 2023) and features a triple-digit fastball and spin heavy breaking pitches. He is one to keep an eye on. Southpaw Gutierrez made an impression last season pitching well across four levels and is one to watch in 2026. A riding fastball and big bending curveball has Castro racking up the K’s unfortunately, he is also racking up the walks too. MadFriars named De Leon San Diego’s ACL Position Player of the Year. The Padres DSL Gold team made the playoffs last season thanks to strong performances from Verdugo, .942 OPS with more walks than strikeouts and Palmeros, 48K/10BB in 40.2 IP. (@JMahyfam)

Prospects1500 is your comprehensive dynasty league resource, featuring deep MLB/MiLB top prospect lists, news and rankings.

Jeremy covers the St Louis organization and contributes on Prospects of the Week for Prospects1500. Born and raised in the Midwest, he is a lifelong fan of the Birds on the Bat. You can follow him on Twitter @JMahyfam for more baseball content.

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good, too." -Yogi Berra

President of Prospects1500. Founder of Diamond Duos dynasty fantasy baseball leagues and the MLB Fantasy Playoffs Parlay. Participant and champion in several dynasty/fantasy baseball and football leagues. Sales Manager for Reminder Publishing by day. Huge Bruce Springsteen and pro wrestling fan. Along with his wife and two boys, lives in Longmeadow, MA. Follow on Twitter at @Scotty_Ballgame.

Greg covers the Toronto Blue Jays organization for Prospects1500. Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, a long-suffering fan of both the Blue Jays and the Toronto Maple Leafs. For more than 15 years now a participant/commish in many dynasty baseball leagues, all with extremely deep minor league rosters. Follow on X @gregbracken07.

Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

2 Comments

    • Actually, it was an oversight. He should have been on the list in Tier 5, 7th rounder out of Cincinnati. The list has been corrected and Cross is slotted in at #43. Thank you.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*