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San Diego Padres top ten prospects for 2020

By David Hill

AMARILLO, TEXAS - AUGUST 02: Pitcher MacKenzie Gore #13 of the Amarillo Sod Poodles walks off the mound between innings against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at HODGETOWN Stadium on August 02, 2019 in Amarillo, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
AMARILLO, TEXAS - AUGUST 02: Pitcher MacKenzie Gore #13 of the Amarillo Sod Poodles walks off the mound between innings against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals at HODGETOWN Stadium on August 02, 2019 in Amarillo, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by John E. Moore III/John E. Moore III)
(Photo by John E. Moore III/John E. Moore III) /

3. Taylor Trammell

Minors (AA): 514 plate appearances, .234/.340/.349, ten homers, 12 doubles, 20 steals, 67 walks, 122 strikeouts

AA is considered a proving ground for prospects. For Taylor Trammell, it was a roadblock in 2019.

Selected with the 36th overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, Trammell worked his way through the Reds system, slowly climbing the ladder as he spent a year at each level. He had established himself as a consensus top 100 prospect, until hitting the wall in the Southern League. Nonetheless, he was considered the prize for the San Diego Padres in the three team swap that sent Trevor Bauer to Cincinnati.

The tools are still there with Trammell. He has a natural, fluid swing that generates plenty of power as he drives the ball. Trammell has a strong eye for the zone, and solid contact skills. His speed not only plays on the basepaths, where he can be a stolen base threat at any time, but also in the outfield.

Nonetheless, the 2020 campaign may well determine Trammell’s future. Plenty of prospects dominated in the lower minors, only to hit that wall at AA. It is a level where prospects are made or broken. Given Trammell’s performance last season, a return to AA would appear to be in the cards. This time, he will need to show that he can handle the increased challenge.

Taylor Trammell is still one of the top prospects in the game. However, he may be coming to a reckoning in the upcoming season.

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