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A look at the two Padres who will be playing the futures game today.
The 2014 All Star Futures Game will take place at 2 PM PT today at Target Field in Minnesota and will be shown on MLB Network. Because of how the game is scheduled, many of you will be watching the Padres game instead. However, in case you are not, or you plan to DVR the game, here is a look at the two Padres players that will play today.
Hunter Renfroe is the more famous of the two players. He was the Padres' 1st round pick in 2013. He will start in RF and bat 8th for the U.S. team. Recently Baseball Prospectus wrote about him in their Futures Game preview for the US Team ($):
Hunter Renfroe, RF, Padres (Double-A San Antonio)
Scouting Report (most recent) Link
2014 Mid-Season Ranking No. 44
Speaking of classic right field profiles, Hunter Renfroe is exactly that, showing loud tools across the board. He possesses a plus arm and is capable of playing an adequate right field. Renfroe’s calling card is his double-plus raw power that he can tap into with a swing that is short to the baseball. But the polish isn’t there yet, as Renfroe still has adjustments to make with his swing path and must still improve his pitch selection. He will finally be forced to make those adjustments in Double-A, where he will see a higher quantity and better quality of breaking balls.
Unlike the preview, which was for subscribers only, the scouting report link is free and has plenty of details about one of the top Padres' prospects. What you get in Renfroe right now is a player that almost anyone who watches will tell you will become a major leaguer with decent power in the next couple of years, but scouts will point out all the things he can sharpen up before being ready for a big league promotion.
The other Padres prospect in the Futures Game is Tayron Guerrero who made a great leap forward this season in his status as a prospect. Baseball Prospectus also wrote about him in their Futures Game preview for the International Team ($):
Tayron Guerrero, RHP, Padres (High-A Lake Elsinore)
The 23-year-old is a lanky 6-foot-8, but looks even taller when he’s on the mound. Guerrero generates mid-90s fastball velocity with incredible ease, leading me to believe there is more in the tank. The fastball plays up even more due to the incredibly steep downhill plane and ridiculous extension Guerrero creates. The slider is an upper-80s weapon with sharp break, but the fastball is the calling card.
The Padres have spent the last 5 seasons ironing out his delivery in order to harness the power of that big frame. Things have finally seemed to click this year as he has put up a 1.24 ERA combined between Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore working out of the bullpen. He has whiffed 49 batters in his 43.2 innings pitched and only walked 16. If he can maintain what he is done this season, then he could be a late innings force in future Padres' bullpens.
If you are interested in what some of the Padres' rivals have coming down the pipe, then look to watch RHP Braden Shipley (ARI), SS Corey Seager (LAD), LHP Edwin Escobar (SF), 17 year old LHP Julio Urias (LAD) and SS Rosell Herrara (COL). Also in the game is Cubs 3B prospect Kris Bryant, who was drafted 2nd overall out of USD in 2013 and ranks as one of the best prospects in all of baseball. SS Francisco Lindor (Cle), RHP Lucas Giolito (Was), RHP Noah Syndergaard (NYM) and RHP Robert Stephenson (Cin) are also considered some of the elite prospects in the game.