February is here and spring training is just about underway, which can mean only one thing around these parts: it’s time to rank minor-league prospects. Every team across the majors is selling hope to their fans: some are selling it in a more immediate fashion, in the form of active offseasons full of free-agent signings and trade acquisitions. Others, meanwhile, are selling it in the personage of prospects who could make the difference over the coming years.
CBS Sports continues examining the top three prospects in each organization. Our definition of “prospect” is simple: does that player have rookie eligibility remaining for the 2025 season? If so, they’re a prospect; if not, that’s probably why your favorite young player is absent from the proceedings.
As always, these lists are formed following conversations with scouts, analysts, player development specialists, and other talent evaluators around the industry. There’s a fair amount of firsthand evaluation, statistical analysis, and historical research mixed in, too. Plus a heaping of personal bias — we all have certain traits and profiles that we prefer over others, there’s no sense pretending otherwise.
Keep in mind that there’s no one right answer with these sorts of things. Besides, these are merely our opinions, meaning they have no actual bearing on the future. We already published our ranking of the top 25 prospects in all of the minors.
With all that out of the way, let’s get to ranking the top three prospects in the San Diego Padres system.
1. Ethan Salas, C
Top 25 rank: No. 18
The short hook: Patience is a virtue
Your mileage may vary on Salas. The twain seldom meets when it comes to extreme youth and upper-level minor-league baseball. Yet Salas, who won’t celebrate his 19th birthday until June, has already recorded 120 games at the High-A level. That combination makes it tough to hold his poor offensive results against him; after all, he was more than four years the junior of his average opponent. Behind the plate, Salas is unthinkably polished. At the plate? Well, George Harrison sang it best: “It’s gonna take time, whole lotta precious time.” We’ll give him another year, at least, before we start seriously considering moving him down lists. MLB ETA: Spring 2026
2. Leodalis De Vries, SS
Top 25 rank: No. 19
The short hook: Teenage switch-hitting shortstop with big upside
The Padres, always game to challenge their best young prospects with an aggressive assignment, tasked 17-year-old De Vries with a full season in the California League just months after signing him for more than $4 million. Although he would’ve been young for the draft, and although he was facing competition that was on average four years his senior, he produced at a level 16% above the league-average mark. (Later, in the Fall League, he hit a ball with a 110 mph exit velocity that would’ve qualified as the fastest of the season save for the likes of J.T. Realmuto, Rhys Hoskins, and Mookie Betts.) That kind of age-relative performance bodes extremely well for De Vries’ long-term outlook, and makes it easy to justify giving him a bullish ranking despite his youth. MLB ETA: Spring 2027
The short hook: Strike-throwing lefty with mid-rotation promise
Mayfield improved his velocity and floated into the back of the first round of the 2024 draft thanks to some springtime helium. The Padres overlooked his overage status (he turned 20 on Feb. 8) because of his above-average athleticism and advanced feel for pitching. Mayfield, a tall southpaw, combines an easy delivery (that features crossfire deception) and the potential for three average or better offerings. Put it all together and Mayfield’s middle-of-the-rotation upside makes him the top pitching prospect in the system. MLB ETA: Spring 2027
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