San Diego Padres Minor League Hitter of the Year: Franmil Reyes
Level(s): AAA El Paso, MLB Padres
Stats: Minors: .324/.428/.614/1.042, 58 G, 250 PA, 16 HR, 37/59 BB/K; Majors: .280/.340/.498/.838, 87 G, 285 PA, 16 HR, 24/80 BB/K
After spending five seasons in the San Diego Padres system with plenty of raw talent, Franmil had a big breakout in 2017 in AA, hitting 25 home runs and driving in 102 runs. At 6’5″ and 270+ pounds, Reyes had always had the physique of a power hitter, but he was never able to match results to the raw talent.
In 2018, he took another step forward, adding tremendous contact ability that caught the attention of anyone paying notice in the early season in AAA, as he pounded out his statistics that earned him this award in AAA in just 58 games, and he was also able to show control of the strike zone in a new way as well, with a 14.8% walk rate and 23.6% strikeout rate in AAA before going to the majors.
If you were to combine his numbers between AAA and San Diego, he would have a slash line of .299/.381/.550 over 535 plate appearances, with 86 runs, 20 doubles, 32 home runs, 83 RBI, 11.4% walk rate, and 26% strikeout rate. That includes missing a few weeks due to injury as well.
His overall line is absolutely breathtaking on the year, especially for a guy who was not expected to be a major piece of the San Diego Padres future. Reyes will be in the outfield for the Padres in 2019, swinging his bat in the middle of the lineup.
Runners-up
The Padres drafted Ty France in the 34th round of the 2015 draft, and they likely did not imagine that the San Diego State product would end up leading their organization in so many statistical categories in 2018 while splitting time between AA and AAA. The 23-year-old third baseman hit a combined .267/.355/.464 with 30 doubles, 22 home runs, and 96 RBI, posting a 46/89 BB/K over 589 plate appearances.
Part of the package that the San Diego Padres received when trading away longtime Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte to Toronto, Oliveras produced beyond even what the most optimistic observer could have thought. He spent his entire season at high-A, hitting .277/.321/.429 with 25 doubles, 10 triples, 12 home runs, and 21 stolen bases. Oliveras has a depth of raw talent, but he’s still unpolished at 22, so how he finishes as a prospect starting in 2019 in AA will be interesting to watch.
Most guys coming out of a top college program like Florida are ready to move quickly, but Buddy Reed was still very unpolished when the Padres nabbed him in the 2nd round. Reed struggled in 2016 and 2017, but he flashed his raw ability. In 2018, that raw ability broke out, even with a bit of struggle in AA after he was promoted. Overall, Reed hit .271/.319/.435 with 28 doubles, 7 triples, 13 home runs, and 51 stolen bases.
It is a rare thing to find a catcher with a bat that is truly impressive that can also work behind the plate. Austin Allen is that kind of catcher, though the defense is more “passable” than elite. His offensive ability, though is tremendous, as he had the exact same number of doubles (31) and home runs (22) for the second year as he moved up to AA, slashing .290/.351/.506 on the year.