We are proud to announce The San Diego Padres Top 30 Prospects for 2012. Peter Friberg has been studying minor league and amateur baseball players for nearly 10 years and has been writing about Padres minor leaguers for approximately eight. Peter has compiled his top 30 prospects in the Padres system for 2012 and this is our third installment featuring prospects 16-20
2011 San Diego Padres Top 30 Prospects 
16. Jonathan Galvez, SS, 6’2” 175, Born: Jan. 18, 1991
Galvez is a hitter. He came up as a shortstop but after several years of that failed experiment, the Padres moved Galvez to 2B full time in 2011. He doesn’t have Spangenberg’s elite speed or his upper-tier strike zone judgment, but he does have a lot more power potential and is roughly the same age. It is easy to imagine Galvez rather than Spangenberg holding down the keystone for the Padres.
2011 Statistics:
A+ (Cal. Lg.): .291/.355/.465 in 488 AB with 36 2B, 5 3B, 13 HR, 41/123 BB/SO ratio, 37/9 SB/CS
17. Edinson Rincon, 3B/1B/OF/DH, 6’1” 185, Born: Aug. 11, 1990
If the Padres current and obvious 1B solutions fail to develop into long-term answers at that position (Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Blanks, and/or Jesus Guzman), Rincon could be the next player to get a legitimate chance to hold down the position. He is athletic and known for having above-average defensive potential. Despite that potential, Rincon failed miserably as 3B in 2011. Many failed 3B (or below average) end up being above-average first basemen. Rincon has the contact-ability, power potential, and strike-zone discipline to be a legitimate 1B solution.
2011 Statistics:
A+ (Cal. Lg.): .329/.394/.497 in 298 AB with 24 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 32/59 BB/SO ratio, 1/1 SB/CS
Rk (AZL): .300/.364/.300 in 10 AB with 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1/1 BB/SO ratio, 0/0 SB/CS
18. Brad Brach, RHP, 6’6” 210, Born: April 12, 1986
18. Brad Brach was a nobody-roster filler drafted as collegiate senior out of a small east coast college in the 42nd round. All he’s done is strike out virtually everybody. As a minor leaguer Brach had an 11.8 K/9 rate in 2011. Even in his brief MLB debut he struck out well over a guy per inning. Brad racked up 34 saves in 2011 and Padres are watching him closely to determine if he can handle the MLB job (though he probably will not be asked to do that role in 2012). The one knock on Brach is that some claim his 94-95 mph fastball is a bit straight. People have been saying that for awhile though… He just keeps striking them out.
2011 Statistics:
AA (TL): 2-2, 2.25 ERA, 44.0 IP, 32 H, 5/64 BB/SO ratio, 3 HR allowed
AAA (PCL): 1-3, 3.90 ERA, 27.2 IP, 28 H, 7/30 BB/SO ratio, 1 HR allowed
MLB: 0-2, 5.14 ERA, 7.0 IP, 9 H, 7/11 BB/SO ratio, 0 HR allowed
19. Juan Oramas, LHP, 5’10” 215, Born: May 11, 1990
Juan Oramas was described by outgoing Padres Scouting Director, Jason McCloud, as biggest potential to surprise in the system. Surprisingly, I actually have him ranked lower this year than I did last year. That’s a function of talent in the organization not a dip in ability with Oramas. At worst (barring injury), Oramas is a lefty out of the ‘pen. At best, he’s another #3 starter. He’s another vertically-challenged Padres pitcher with ability that exceeds his physical profile.
2011 Statistics:
AA (TL): 10-5, 3.10 ERA, 104.2 IP, 99 H, 28/102 BB/SO ratio, 10 HR allowed
AAA (PCL): 0-1, 14.73 ERA, 3.2 ERA, 7 H, 1/4 BB/SO ratio, 3 HR allowed
20. Simon Castro, RHP, 6’5” 210, Born: April 9, 1988
Simon Castro is still a prospect and I hate to have him ranked this low. I just can’t help it. His 2011 was painful. He didn’t handle pitching in Tucson and that caused some mechanical adjustments to fix what didn’t need fixing and that led to minor injuries which led to a demotion back to AA San Antonio. In San Antonio Castro continued to struggle for about a month before turning things back around… He can still bring it well into the mid-90’s, he still avoids giving up free passes and despite his AAA performance, he does not give up a lot of HRs. It’s uncertain of the Padres will give him a second shot at Tucson, send him back to San Antonio, or bring him straight up to the MLB ‘pen…
2011 Statistics:
AAA (PCL): 2-2, 10.17 ERA, 25.2 IP, 37 H, 18/21 BB/SO ratio, 5 HR allowed
AA (TL): 5-6, 4.33 ERA, 89.1 IP, 95 H, 16/73 BB/SO ratio, 9 HR allowed
Original Story:
http://www.friarhood.com/on-the-farm/...
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December 06, 2011
