Padres Organization Players of the Week: August 26-September 1

Here are the standout players from the past week in the Padres organization.

Farm batter: Taylor Trammell (AA)

The Padres surrendered Franmil Reyes and Logan Allen to the Indians to acquire the Reds’ number one prospect Taylor Trammell. Giving up a fan favorite and a promising starting pitcher will only be forgiven if Trammell turns into the center fielder the Padres need. This week, he hit like a highly touted prospect (MLB Pipeline ranks him as the 27th-best prospect in all of baseball and San Diego’s number two).

He's heating up ??
.@Padres prospect Taylor Trammell belts his second dinger in three games for the @sodpoodles ?

?️: https://t.co/iAoGIEv9p2 pic.twitter.com/ylxgWfdZZE

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 2, 2019

Since coming over to the Padres organization, Trammell has four home runs with a .650 OPS and 85 wRC+. His bat still has some maturing to do, but the tools are there. On Friday, he went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run. With his solid defensive play, if his bat continues to develop, he can become the Padres’ center fielder of the future.

Farm pitcher: Jacob Nix (AAA)

Nix has had a long road back to Triple-A. He had a partial UCL tear and spent much of this season down in Arizona rehabbing. Now he has worked his way back up and made a very solid start for El Paso on Friday, throwing six innings of one-run ball with no walks and six strikeouts. That was just his second start since returning to Triple-A, where he made just one start last year before getting the call to the big leagues.

Nix started nine games for the Padres in 2018 with mixed results and ending up with a 7.02 ERA. He is confident that this time around will be different, especially with a healthy and strengthened elbow.

MLB batter: Ty France

France is starting to make the fight for next year’s second base spot interesting. While top prospect Luis Urias continues to struggle, France found his stroke this week and punctuated the week with a two-homer performance in Sunday’s win over the Giants. The SDSU grad posted a 1.203 OPS in 14 plate appearances this week.

Want to watch #Padres rookie Ty France hit a baseball 424 feet?

Of course you do.

The @SDSUBaseball product smacked 27 dingers in 74 games for @epchihuahuas this year and now has three in 49 #MLB games. pic.twitter.com/JBPWJ8EtTa

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 1, 2019

France is hitting himself into the second base conversation, now with his season totals exceeding that of Urias’ with a .663 OPS and four home runs and has shown raw strength at the plate. If he can find a way to get on base more and show a more professional approach at the plate, he may yet make some noise in the second base race for 2020.

MLB pitcher: Chris Paddack

The Chris Paddack of April made an appearance on Thursday in San Francisco. Paddack posted a 1.91 ERA in six starts in March and April but has had a bumpy road since. Thursdays win over the Giants was a good stepping stone, giving him some momentum as his season winds down. He struck out eight without issuing a walk in seven innings.

Chris Paddack is through 7 strong ?

His line: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO #FriarFaithful pic.twitter.com/Krj7kt2IIj

— FOX Sports San Diego (@FOXSportsSD) August 30, 2019

The days on Paddack’s season are likely numbered. It has been, overall, a successful rookie year as he has posted a 3.69 ERA with a 117 ERA+ in 23 starts. He will not win Rookie of the Year, but he has plenty to move forward with to have an even better 2020, where he is sure to be near the top of the rotation.

Nick Lee

Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.