The San Diego Padres have some stars on the roster, so Roundtable's Anthony and Hunter talk about the pre-season rankings on this week's episode of the podcast.
The San Diego Padres have finally arrived at Spring Training, getting closer to the regular season.
Anthony opens the show expressing the excitement for the 2026 season and the importance of staying healthy to have a successful season. One area of the roster that has gained a lot of hype is the bullpen, which is highlighted by right-hander Mason Miller -- arguably the best closer in the majors.
With Miller at the helm, the Padres bullpen is projected to be the best in Major League Baseball. The club also boasts the arms of right-handers Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada and lefty AJ Morejon. All three hurlers wound up on MLB Network's Top 10 Relievers Right Now, via the Shredder, with Miller at No. 2, Morejon at No. 8 and Adam at No. 10.
Continuing to look at the Shredder's rankings, centerfielder Jackson Merrill came in at No. 4 in the respective positional top 10, solidifying San Diego's budding star as a name to watch.
Anthony and Hunter then take a look at the Spring Training hats, and have a lot of praise for the Padres' cap -- so be sure to watch the full podcast for some analysis on that.
Then, the pair debates who might be the leader of the pitching staff, noting that righty Michael King is the runaway favorite early on. The 30-year-old has taken a step toward being one of the hurlers who is heavily involved in aiding in bullpen sessions for some of the younger pitchers on the roster.
Anthony and Hunter discuss a report that King was heavily active in Joe Musgrove's session, se be sure to give that segment a listen and let us know in the comments if you're glad to see King taking these steps.
Next on the projections was list that has outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. in elite company, being part of the 30+ home runs and 20+ stolen bases club. Hunter is confident that Tatis can reach the stolen bases mark, but thinks the home run number would be one to watch closely.
To close out the show, the duo gives their ideal batting orders -- so leave a comment if you agree with their list or if you disagree with their takes.
As always, be sure to listen to the full podcast and join Roundtable's Padres site to ensure you won't miss anything with the club, especially with Spring Training underway and the regular season creeping up fast.