Manny Machado and top prospects give Padres major potential

Jacob Janower

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Manny Machado and top prospects give Padres major potential image

The Padres' signing of Manny Machado is the type of move that could alter the trajectory of a franchise.

Machado — owner of a new $300 million contract — has a resume that speaks for itself: Four All-Star Game appearances, two Gold Gloves, four straight 30 home run seasons, and there is much more.

He will be paired with fellow veteran and 2018 free agent Eric Hosmer near the top of the Friars' lineup, but that is just the start of a group that has potential to be among the most intimidating in the National League in the coming years. Of course, potential is never a guarantee. But the thought is something that should excite Padres fans.

MORE: 10 questions about Machado's 10-year deal

As it stands now, the Padres projected 2019 Opening Day lineup has some talent but isn't exactly one that screams playoff contender, especially with a rotation headlined by Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer.

But the Padres didn't make this deal so they could only contend in 2019. No, this was to add a star to an organization that has the best farm system in baseball. According to MLBPipeline, San Diego has 10 of the top 100 prospects, more than any other team.

Six of those top 10 prospects are pitchers, but it's the four offensive names that make the Padres' future even more exciting. If the youngsters within the organization can all pan out — a tall order but not completely out of the realm of possibility — the Padres can climb to the of the pyramid of MLB's most feared lineups. With Machado and Hosmer earning $444 million combined, they are solidly set at the corner infield spots. The youth infusion to the middle infield is coming soon. Within a few months, the Padres could have their ideal second baseman and shortstop in place. Urias — the No. 23 prospect in baseball — is expected to start the season at shortstop. He is a potential .300 hitter year-in and year-out who hit 30 doubles in 450 at-bats in Triple-A last year. He won't turn 22 until June.

Tatis is ranked behind only Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the top prospect in baseball and will likely force Urias to move to second base, in turn forming a formidable left side of the infield with Machado. Standing at 6-3 — tall for the shortstop position — Tatis is an athletic infielder who has been strong defensively and can do a little bit of everything at the plate. He spent all of 2018 as a 19-year-old in Double-A and had 42 extra-base hits with an .862 OPS. That happens just about never. With Hosmer-Urias-Tatis-Machado lining up from first to third, it's very feasible to think the Padres could have the best infield in baseball in the coming years. 

MORE: Internet loses its mind over Machado deal

Add Mejia — acquired in July for Brad Hand and Adam Cimber — to the fun and you have even more potential bashers at Petco. There are questions about whether Mejia will stay at catcher or potentially move to the outfield, but one thing is certain: his raw power. He blasted 17 home runs between the minors and majors in 2018 at the age of 22.

The future in-house outfield picture has already made its presences known; it's just a matter of who breaks away from the pack for starting jobs among Wil Myers, Hunter Renfroe, Franchy Cordero, Manny Margot and Franmil Reyes. All are still in their 20s.

With that said, here's a look at the starting eight the Padres could roll out as soon as 2020. They could have the rare outlook where anyone from 1-8 could punish you on any given day.

2B Urias
3B Machado
SS Tatis
1B Hosmer
LF Myers
C Arcia
RF Renfroe
CF Cordero

Again, none of this is certain. Some of these prospects probably won't pan out. But the potential is there for something special.

That's a lineup that could challenge the Dodgers and any other divisional contenders for NL West supremacy. Not to mention pitching prospects Paddack, Baez and Allen all reached at least Double-A last season and Gore, Morejon and others aren't far behind.

The Padres are going to be fun, folks.

Jacob Janower