The Padres will not be as experienced (or as expensive) as they were a year ago. But, that doesn't mean they have to be less talented.
The Friars got their first Cactus League win of the year with a 7-0 shutout of the Cubs on Sunday afternoon. The lineup featured several youngsters who made a positive impression, starting with the guy San Diego is giving every opportunity to win a starting outfield job.
Jackson Merrill, the club's #2-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline and a shortstop by trade, had a pair of hits and reached base three times. His biggest knock came with the bases loaded in the 2nd inning when he shot an opposite-field single through the famed 5.5 hole to plate two runs.
Fellow outfield prospect Jakob Marsee, the reigning Arizona Fall League MVP, is also in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot. In the 9th inning he lofted a flare over 1st base and hustled his way to 2nd base for an RBI double that capped the scoring. On the mound several promising arms threw well.
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Randy Vasquez got his first San Diego start. One of the pieces acquired from the Yankees in the Juan Soto trade, he did nothing to hurt his chances of earning a spot in the starting rotation. Vasquez tossed 2.0 shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts and a pair of walks. Drew Thorpe, another piece of the Soto deal, threw a scoreless 4th inning while Adam Mazur, a 2nd round draft pick in 2022 who's already advanced to Double-A, handled a shutout 5th inning.
It is your proverbial small sample size but it lends credence to those who think the Friars farm is as good as it's ever been, and might be able to help provide some impact big leaguers sooner than expected.
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