PadresRunDown.com Top-Shelf Analysis of Padres Minor Leagues and Prospects

Top 5 Position Players: Middle Infielders

Programming note:

Tuesday’s Five Questions is with a big-time celebrity. Somehow Bud Selig found out and asked me to delay it since he is very sensitive about having his All Star Game upstaged… Since I’m such a good guy, I said that would be fine. I have not decided if I will run the Five Questions on Thursday or hold it until next week…

We will be running these “Top 5” at each position. I am grouping the 8 positions into 4 groups and will be running them in this order: Middle Infielders, Corner Outfielders, Corner Infielders, and Catchers and Centerfielders.

Middle Infielders:

2B

1. Eric Sogard

Last season, Sogard had 55 XBH while hitting .308/.394/.453, so far this season Eric is hitting .290/.377/.385 with 16 XBH. San Antonio reportedly makes PETCO play small and is especially tough on left-handed hitters. Eric has maintained a solid batting average and well-above average plate discipline and bat control (37 walks, 28 strikeouts in 262 at-bats – 10.7% strikeout rate). There are questions about his defense but while he may not be above average he should be at least passable at the keystone.

2. Matt Antonelli

Antonelli is easily the most athletic of the bunch. He also has the shortest leash. After hitting .314/.409/.499 in 82 games at Lake Elsinore in 2007, the Padres aggressively promoted the second-baseman to Double-A San Antonio. He continued to knock the cover off the ball through July but then struggled in August/September. His overall Double-A numbers ended good (.294/.395/.476) but they just masked how much he struggled at the end of the season. 2008 saw more struggles from Antonelli – this time in AAA Portland (.215/.335/.322). 2009 is more of the same… Antonelli is hitting .193/.301/.353 in his second tour of duty at AAA. He is easily athletic enough to handle 2B but if he doesn’t start hitting soon the Padres will have to make a decision to make as others are promoted up through the system.

3. Cole Figueroa

Cole was a good-hitting SS in college (and still plays there occasionally) but his future is second-base. He is hitting .280/.372/.398 between two levels.

4. Jorge Minyeti

Last year, as a seventeen year old in the Dominican Summer League, Minyeti hit .288/.459/.380 with 13 doubles, a 61/36 BB/SO ratio, and was successful on 17 of 30 stolen-base attempts. DSL numbers simply do not translate, but these numbers do tell us that he has some plate discipline and at worst, gap power…

5. Jeudy Valdez

Jeudy does not have the patience/plate discipline that the Padres covet but he is surprisingly strong for his size (6’0” 155 lbs.) and has good plate coverage (think Alfonso Soriano – but not the same talent level). He batted .281/.346/.406 in the AZL but hasn’t hit over .230 since and has hit .240/.307/.356 on his minor league career. It will be interesting to see what his future is in the San Diego Padres organization.

SS

If you ask people what they think is the Padres biggest positional weakness, most would reply Shortstop. However, as I worked on this list, I found more legitimate prospects than I expected… (Also, keep in mind, this list could be headed by Rule 5 acquisition, Everth Cabrera.)

1. Jonathan Galvez

Galvez has an absolutely HUGE upside. He batted .272/.449/.370 in the DSL and is hitting .375/.507/.625 in the AZL (it’s early but those are better numbers than either Cedric Hunter or Jaff Decker put up in the AZL – both of whom won the league MVP in their respective seasons). He hits for average, power, he runs, he has a strong arm, he has solid plate discipline… There are questions about his ability to remain at SS but those questions center around his size 6’2” 175 and whether he will outgrow the position. He might be the best hitter in the Padres organization.

2. Drew Cumberland

Cumberland is easily athletic enough to play SS and while there have been questions about his arm – those questions are frequently and mistakenly thought to be about his arm strength. Cumberland has the arm-strength to handle the position, but he needs to improve his throwing consistency/accuracy. He can hit, he can run (is 15-1 in stolen base attempts), and will draw a walk… The other (and more worrisome) knock on Drew is his ability to stay healthy. He played only 56 games (out of roughly 130) in 2008 and has played only 50 this year (out of 87 so far).

3. Lance Zawadzki

Lots of minor league experts doubt Zawadzki’s ability to stay at SS but no one doubts the arm. His 65-70 arm is the strongest middle infield arm the system. He has above-average speed and is showing good pop this season as well (combined 18 doubles and 13 home runs in 2009). Combined on the season, Zawadzki is hitting .305/.387/.526 on the season between High-A and Double-A. While Lance has played quite a bit of second base Grady Fuson told MadFriars.com that Zawadzki would play almost exclusively at SS in the second half of the season. His future may still be second (especially with Everth Cabrera looking as good as he does) but the Padres want to maximize his value.

4. Beamer Weems

Weems is the best defensive shortstop in the system. I have seen him play and he’s smooth. He simply makes the play. He looks completely natural taking the feed from the second baseman and making the pivot. The question… is the bat. So far this season, Weems is answering that question (.287/.448/.380). Weems is still not showing much power and his future is likely that as a back-up middle infielder, but he should be more than adequate for that role.

5. Alvaro Aristy

Aristy was considered the top defensive SS in the International Free Agent market in 2008. He is playing in the DSL now… He had all the tools to play a sublime defensive SS but needs to develop the bat. At best he will have gap power. He is has shown a little plate discipline but will need to refine that skill as well.