Aggressive trades have depleted San Diego's farm system, leaving them with baseball's weakest prospect pool. Can Ethan Salas lead a resurgence?
The San Diego Padres have been a well-drafting team in the decade, but they no longer have much to show for it. After general manager A.J. Preller took over in San Diego, he made his mark on the trade market, sending several key prospects to other teams in the process. It’s been the same strategy over the last few seasons, leaving the Padres dry in the prospect department.
Because of this, San Diego ranks dead last in The Athletic’s new farm system rankings heading into the 2026 season.
“They’ve traded so many guys that there’s very little left in the system, with relievers and longshots populating most of their top 20,” Keith Law wrote next to the ranking. “Many of those trades have brought the team to the playoffs, or into contention, and they are probably a playoff contender again in 2026, but the supply of prospects is not infinite, not even for a very scouting-focused organization like this one.”
The Padres have sent out their first two selections from each of the 2020, 2021, and 2022 drafts. They continued that trend into 2023, where their first three selections are each now with other organizations. More of the same in 2024, with the club’s second and third-rounders all now filling other teams’ prospect lists.
Last season’s trade deadline saw Preller send away top prospect, shortstop Leo De Vries, for reliever Mason Miller. Miller was electric for the Padres in the second half of 2025 and into the postseason, but his name was already being tossed around in trades this offseason. After trading the fourth-best prospect in baseball in De Vries, you’d hope the Padres would have gotten a piece that will be in town for the foreseeable future, not already looking to trade after half a season.
Catcher Ethan Salas is now the highest-rated prospect in the Padres organization, though his ranking has taken a huge hit over the last couple of seasons. Previously a top ten prospect in baseball, Salas barely cracked the top 100 this offseason. With their lack of depth in their system, the Padres are banking heavily on a resurgence from Salas in 2026.
Pitchers Kruz Schoolcraft, Humberto Cruz, Kash Mayfield, and Miguel Mendez round out San Diego’s top five prospects. They are still names to keep an eye on for Padres fans, but their potential doesn’t instill much confidence in the future of the club. Instead, the Padres will have to continue to be aggressive in trades to keep their team afloat, which will only strengthen their position at the bottom of the league in terms of farm system.