1. Simon Castro
Starting Pitcher/RHP

2009: After Mat Latos, Castro was the best pure pitching prospect in the Padres’ system last season. The big Dominican has an electric arm that features a big two-seam fastball and his four-seamer touches 94 to 96. He has a much better idea of where it was going than when he began with the organization three years ago.  The big jump for him at each level has been the improvement with his fastball command and development of his changeup.

Scouting Report: Castro needs to continue to refine his changeup, which will give him a consistent third pitch. He has begun to use it more but still needs to continue to improve his pitch sequencing. The Padres believe as Castro continues to refine his mechanics his velocity could increase to the mid-90’s.

2010: As good as Castro was this year, he is not as far along in his development as Mat Latos and will take some more time to reach the majors.  The California League is brutal on pitchers, but Castro has top of the rotation potential and the stuff, particularly with his two-seamer, to challenge any hitter.  He’s improved by leaps and bounds every season and this year could be the an even bigger breakthrough.

2. Jaff Decker
Outfielder

2009: A supplemental first round pick in the 2008 draft, Decker,19, finished first in on-base and second in slugging percentage in the Midwest League and was arguably the best player on a team that won 101 games and the championship. An underrated fielder, he held his own in left field and has the arm to play right.

Scouting Report: Throughout his life, people have always doubted that Decker is the same player that put up all those numbers, and each time he has responded by being among the best everywhere he has played. Many scouts have expressed doubts about not only Decker’s ability to become more athletic but also his ability to maintain his body structure. There are also concerns that a slightly complex swing will catch up to him. Skill wise he is a nearly finished product, the big question is how much he will or won’t develop his body.

2010: In the thin air and hard infields of the California League, he may put up some staggering offensive numbers, particularly in a park like the Diamond that favors left-handed hitters. Decker is a truly advanced hitter that is a much better all-around player than given credit for.

3. James Darnell
Third Baseman

2009: Another product of the very strong 2008 draft, Darnell destroyed the Midwest and Cal Leagues with a combined 59 extra base hits and a .459 on-base percentage.  Athleticism, burgeoning power, and plate discipline fuse together to make a big talent. The question is will he be able to stay at third base. If not, he has the arm for right.

Scouting Report: His defense, particularly the accuracy of his arm, is the big negative many see within his game. Darnell, 23, has a line drive swing that added a touch of lift this season, giving him true plus power potential as he continues to refine the nuances of his swing.

2010: He should begin the year in San Antonio, the toughest place to hit in the organization - and really just about anywhere in the minors - particularly for right-handed hitters. If he can find a position in the field, he has a true impact bat with plus tools across the board that make him valuable at a variety of positions.

4. Cory Luebke
Starting Pitcher/LHP

2009: A big step forward for the lefty that rebounded from a disappointing 2008 campaign.  Luebke dominated the Cal League and was the starting pitcher for the Cal-Carolina League All-Star game after undergoing a total revamp of his delivery.  While he wasn’t as effective in the Texas League, his 3.70 ERA was inflated by two bad outings in nine starts.

Scouting Report: The 6’4” Luebke relies on a good two-seam fast ball that comes in around 88-92, mixed in with a slider and improving change He now has a better downhill plane to finish pitches which enhanced his ability to work low in the zone. He doesn’t have a true plus pitch but mixes his fastball effectively enough along with his secondary pitches to be an effective starter in the big leagues. He profiles as a middle of the rotation starter.

2010: He should return to San Antonio to begin the year and with better mechanics and growing confidence may have a shot to be in San Diego by mid-season.

5. Logan Forsythe
Third Baseman

2009: After stroking the ball extremely well in the Instructional League, Forsythe followed with an outstanding year in High-A Lake Elsinore.  Promoted in mid-season, his power slowed down in the Texas League, particularly at home, hitting .246/.324/.323 after hitting .322/.472/.504 in Lake Elsinore.

Scouting Report: Many question if Forsythe, 22, has enough power to stay at third and are unsure if he has the range to play second, where he played some in college. He does not have the power of Darnell but profiles as a high average hitter that could do plenty of damage at the plate. He is by far the best defensive third baseman in the organization.

2010: With Darnell behind him, it’s likely he will begin the season in Portland. A solid all-around player, the only real question is if he can hit enough at third, especially with the competition in front and behind him.

6. Edinson Rincon
Third Baseman

2009: Rincon, 19, may have the highest ceiling of all the third base prospects after hitting .300/.415/.468 in Eugene, as he more than held his own in what is traditionally a college heavy league.  Blessed with an impressive physique, everyone is excited about his potential, despite faltering slightly at the end of the year. The big question is will it be at third base?

Scouting Report: The most impressive aspect of his game is patience, which is not often seen in a young Latin American player and should allow him to develop more power as he refines his approach at the plate. The big downside on him was 22 errors in 70 games – 44 in the field – and there are some concerns about how thick his body may eventually become.

2010: The cold weather and the uneven infields of the Midwest League will be a challenge for the young Dominican, particularly if the Padres keep him in the infield.  He’s a long-term project, and although the defense causes some questions about where he will eventually end up, the offensive potential is bright.

7. Lance Zawadski
SS/2B/3B

2009: Zawadski took a big step forward, flashing the five-tool talent that the switch-hitter possesses. Eighteen extra-base hits in 36 games caught everyone’s attention in the Cal League before being promoted to San Antonio, where he finished among the team leaders in extra-base hits and on-base percentage.  Additionally, his defense picked up quite a bit from last year, as the team played him primarily at shortstop.

Scouting Report: He needs to cut down on his strikeouts, and although he has a terrific arm, his footwork and balance must improve. He must also work on maintaining a healthy weight during the long season. While he will have to improve upon pitch selection, Zawadski has power from both sides of the plate and excels as a base runner with good speed.

2010: He’ll turn 25 next year, so he will be slightly old for the minors, but by the end of the year, he could be the best candidate to take over second base from David Eckstein in 2011.

8. Wynn Pelzer
Starting Pitcher/RHP

2009: Pelzer, 24, is the pitcher everyone believes is going to be better than he has shown so far, and so far he has been pretty good.  In Lake Elsinore, he struck out nearly a batter an inning and had a 147/59 K/BB ratio. He combines a moving two-seam fastball with a wipeout slider.  How fast his changeup can catch up with his other pitches will determine not only how quickly he can make the majors but also whether it will be as a starter or reliever.

Scouting Report: Pelzer is hurt by being a bit of a perfectionist, constantly tinkering with his delivery and occasionally has a tough time getting into a flow; but his mechanics have improved each season.

2010: He could put up some great numbers in San Antonio, which is heaven for right-handed pitchers.

9. Aaron Poreda
Starting Pitcher, LHP

2009: With his size and mid-90s fastball, this is a prospect The problem is he frequently has no clue where the pitch is going and doesn’t have the secondary stuff to pitch effectively on the major league level as a starter. The number of lefties that are his size with his raw stuff are rare, and the Padres hope his previous minor league numbers are more indicative of his ability than his tenure at Portland last year.

Scouting Report: He has to command his fastball first and foremost.  If he plans on staying a starter, Poreda, 23, will need to make strides with his changeup and breaking ball in addition to his fastball.

2010: He should begin the year in Portland after the team works with him on a plethora of mechanical issues. If he can regain command of his fastball along with some basic secondary pitches, he has big time potential. But that is a very big “if”.

10. Adys Portillo
Starting Pitcher/RHP

2009: Only 17, he flashed plus stuff but also caught too much of the plate, which was evident with his 1-9 record and 5.13 ERA. It’s important to remember, particularly at his age and level, what he could be capable of in a few years is more important than where he is now.

Scouting Report: Portillo has mechanical issues that do need to be ironed out, but he has plenty of time to solve these issues. The most important lesson he should have learned this year is that it’s not only about throwing strikes but where he throws strikes.  He tends to nibble too much early in the count, which forces him to throw too many fat pitches over the plate. He has the potential to be a future top of the rotation pitcher and could go the path of Castro in his development.

2010: This is another long-range project that the organization should see noticeable improvement in next year after a bout in extended spring training and then onto short-season Eugene.

11. Rymer Liriano, OF
A potential five-tool talent with tremendous raw power who is also very far away.   His biggest challenge now is just getting more games under his belt and learning the strike zone.

12. Everett Williams, OF
Considered one of the best high school hitters in the 2009 draft, he has exceptional speed in his legs and with his bat.  Some questions if he will turn out to be a “tweener”, not fast enough for center or big enough for the corners.

13. Keyvius Sampson, Starting Pitcher/RHP
Sampson has a mid-90s fastball that has downward movement and easy arm action. He also flashes a plus curveball.  Tremendous talent but like most young pitchers needs to improve upon repeating his delivery.

14. Jeremy McBryde, Starting Pitcher/RHP
His changeup needs work, and he needs to catch a little less of the plate with his fastball, but he is very much on his way. He profiles as a mid-level starter but there are some concerns about how serious his back injury is from last year.

15. Drew Cumberland, SS
When he is healthy, he is an electric player that will gain gap power as he matures. Exceptional speed and pitch selection highlight his attributes with the bat.  Hard really to gauge what he can do in a full season; in three years has yet to play eighty games.

16. Sawyer Carroll, OF
He began to use the whole field in 2009, and the team believes that more power will show up this year as the new approach becomes incorporated into his game. If he’s going to have a shot in the majors he is going to need to put a few more over the wall.

17. Jerry Sullivan, Starting Pitcher/RHP
A hard-thrower, Sullivan has had to change his mental approach from being a strikeout thrower to a pitcher that will accept contact.  Good command of three pitches but must become more efficient.

18. James Needy, Starting Pitcher/RHP
Needy uses his height to get a great downward plane on his ball and the tweaking of his mechanics has added velocity, but he is very far away.

19. Anthony Bass, Starting Pitcher/RHP
A very polished pitcher with a deceptive delivery, his development will be in refining what he has and improving on the mental side of the game.  He doesn’t have a real “out” pitch so in order to succeed he will need to have three or four pitches working all the time.

20. Jonathan Galvez, Shortstop/Second Base
A big talent that combines a wide array of tools and already understands the importance of pitch selection. Mental maturity will be a big test for the young Dominican along with finding a defensive home at either second or shortstop.