Clint Barmes. Alexi Amarista. Jedd Gyorko. Will Middlebrooks. Alexei Ramirez. Luis Sardinas. Adam Rosales. Jose Rondon. Nick Noonan. Erick Aybar. Yangerivs Solarte. Dusty Coleman. Allen Cordoba. Chase d’Arnaud.

The list of players tried out at shortstop between the end of Everth Cabrera’s stay in 2014 and Freddy Galvis’s 2018 pit-stop is long and not exactly pretty.

It won’t continue much longer as shortstop has developed from an organization-wide black hole into arguably the strongest position group in arguably the deepest farm system in the game.

Fernando Tatis Jr. is the unquestioned shortstop of the future and is now a stone’s throw away from San Diego.


Thing is, he’s not the only one coming.

1. Fernando Tatis Jr.

Age: 19

19 Team(s): Double-A San Antonio

Double-A San Antonio 2018 stats: .286 avg., .355 OBP, .507 SLG, 16 HRs, 43 RBIs, 77 runs, 16 steals, 33 walks, 109 strikeouts (88 games, 353 at-bats)

.286 avg., .355 OBP, .507 SLG, 16 HRs, 43 RBIs, 77 runs, 16 steals, 33 walks, 109 strikeouts (88 games, 353 at-bats) Height/weight: 6-foot-3 / 185 pounds

6-foot-3 / 185 pounds Bats/Throws: R / R

R / R How acquired: Trade with White Sox in June 2016

Trade with White Sox in June 2016 Need to know: The son of a major leaguer, Tatis appeared to be ascending toward San Diego this summer when a season-ending broken thumb slowed his roll. The injury is not expected to affect him going forward and, from a roster management standpoint, will make it easy to require a start at Triple-A El Paso to at least start 2019 (think a couple weeks to delay the start of his service clock and perhaps a couple months if the Padres decide to push him out of the Super Two window). Of course, the fervor to bring Tatis to San Diego will hit an all-time high if his 2019 production matches 2018. After an ice-cold adjustment period in April (.564 OPS), Tatis hit seven of his 16 homers in May (1.054 OPS), remained hot in June (.941) and played his way onto the All-Star Futures roster alongside system-mates Luis Urias and Buddy Reed. Tatis even starred in the game in Washington D.C., one of the highlights of yet another lost season at the major league level. If Tatis – ranked behind only Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in MLB.com’s top-100 – continues to develop as hoped, there may not be many more of those in San Diego.

Padres shortstop prospect Gabriel Arias was 18 years old when he started 2018 at low Single-A Fort Wayne. (Jeff Nycz / Mid-South Images)

2. Gabriel Arias

Age: 18

18 Team(s): Low Single-A Fort Wayne

Low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018 stats: .240 avg., .302 OBP, .352 SLG, 6 HRs, 55 RBIs, 54 runs, 3 steals, 41 walks, 149 strikeouts (124 games, 455 games)

.240 avg., .302 OBP, .352 SLG, 6 HRs, 55 RBIs, 54 runs, 3 steals, 41 walks, 149 strikeouts (124 games, 455 games) Height/weight: 6-foot-1 / 201 pounds

6-foot-1 / 201 pounds Bats/Throws: R / R

R / R How acquired: Non-drafted free agent in July 2016 (Venezuela)

Non-drafted free agent in July 2016 (Venezuela) Need to know: MLB.com’s No. 5 international prospect in the 2016-17 class, signed for $1.9 million as a 16-year-old and found himself in the Midwest League the following summer at 17 years old. The lessons were just as tough upon returning in 2018 but the strides he took in August were tremendous as he paired four homers with a .286/.353/.562 batting line. On the defensive side, the most impressive aspect of his game, Arias boasts arguably the system’s best arm and very well could provide the Padres with an alternative option should Fernando Tatis Jr. outgrow shortstop. Arias is ranked No. 20 in the Padres system by MLB.com.

Xavier Edwards, a shortstop from North Broward Preparatory High School in Florida, reacts after being selected No. 38 by the San Diego Padres during the first round of the Major League Baseball draft Monday, June 4, 2018, in Secaucus, N.J. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin II / AP)

3. Xavier Edwards

Age: 19

19 Team(s): Rookie-level AZL Padres, short-season Tri-City

Rookie-level AZL Padres, short-season Tri-City 2018 stats: .346 avg., .453 OBP, .409 SLG, 0 HRs, 16 RBIs, 40 runs, 22 steals, 31 walks, 25 strikeouts (45 games, 159 at-bats)

.346 avg., .453 OBP, .409 SLG, 0 HRs, 16 RBIs, 40 runs, 22 steals, 31 walks, 25 strikeouts (45 games, 159 at-bats) Height/weight: 5-foot-10 / 155 pounds

5-foot-10 / 155 pounds Bats/Throws: B / R

B / R How acquired: First round (No. 38) in 2018 (North Broward Prep HS, Fla.)

First round (No. 38) in 2018 (North Broward Prep HS, Fla.) Need to know: A wrist injury prevented Edwards from swinging right-handed this summer, just about the only thing that slowed him in his pro debut. He wrapped a .384/.471/.466 batting line around a three-week absence and continued to hit following an aggressive promotion to the Northwest League, where he fashioned a .799 OPS and was 10-for-10 in steal attempts. A leadoff-hitter type with extra-base pop and the quickness to play on either side of second base, Edwards required a $2.6 million bonus – more than $700,000 over slot – to forgo his commitment to Vanderbilt and the Padres are more than pleased with the early return on their investment. Edwards is ranked No. 18 in the system by MLB.com.

Padres shortstop prospect Owen Miller advanced to low Single-A Fort Wayne in 2018. (Jeff Nycz / Mid-South Images)


4. Owen Miller

Age: 21

21 Team(s): Short-season Tri-City, low Single-A Fort Wayne

Short-season Tri-City, low Single-A Fort Wayne 2018 stats: .336 avg., .386 OBP, .460 SLG, 4 HRs, 33 RBIs, 40 runs, 4 steals, 19 walks, 41 strikeouts (75 games, 298 at-bats)

.336 avg., .386 OBP, .460 SLG, 4 HRs, 33 RBIs, 40 runs, 4 steals, 19 walks, 41 strikeouts (75 games, 298 at-bats) Height/weight: 6-foot / 190 pounds

6-foot / 190 pounds Bats/Throws: R / R

R / R How acquired: Third round in 2018 (Illinois State)

Third round in 2018 (Illinois State) Need to know: Undrafted out of high school, Miller ascended into the third round this summer after impressing the Padres brass in a Petco Park workout before the draft. He proceeded to collect 100 hits in rising from the Northwest League (.835 OPS) to the Midwest League (.846 OPS) and ultimately the Double-A Texas League postseason. There are questions as to whether he’ll have enough arm at shortstop, but the Padres are committed to allowing their middle infield prospects to remain at shortstop until they prove they can no longer handle the position. With average tools across the board and a plus baseball IQ, the Padres believe Miller is a good bet to overachieve his way all the way to Petco Park. He could resume his climb at Double-A San Antonio to start 2019. Miller is ranked No. 30 in the system by MLB.com.

San Diego Padres’ Javy Guerra bats during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers Sunday, Sept. 16, 2018, in San Diego. (Gregory Bull / AP)

5. Javy Guerra

Age: 22

22 Team(s): Triple-A El Paso

Triple-A El Paso 2018 stats: .223 avg., .269 OBP, .398 SLG, 13 HRs, 55 RBIs, 52 runs, 2 steals, 27 walks, 166 strikeouts (122 games, 430 at-bats)

.223 avg., .269 OBP, .398 SLG, 13 HRs, 55 RBIs, 52 runs, 2 steals, 27 walks, 166 strikeouts (122 games, 430 at-bats) Height/weight: 6-foot-1 / 155 pounds

6-foot-1 / 155 pounds Bats/Throws: L / R

L / R How acquired: Trade with Red Sox in November 2015

Trade with Red Sox in November 2015 Need to know: Once billed as the shortstop of the future when he was included in the haul received for Craig Kimbrel, Guerra has struck out 660 times in 582 games, including 35.8 percent of his minor league plate appearances in 2018. Elite defensive skills, however, led the Padres to add him to the 40-man roster after the 2016 season and earned him a September call-up this year. A lightning-quick bat continues to show flashes (.842 OPS in August), but Padres manager Andy Green acknowledged this month’s audition was a utility look rather than a true opportunity to become an everyday player.

Other names to know: Olivier Basabe (A, .789 OPS), Ruddy Giron (AA, .664 OPS), Chris Baker (A+, .668 OPS), Luis Guzman (A+, .624 OPS), Kelvin Melean (A+, .658 OPS), Jordy Barley (AZL, .599 OPS), Allen Cordoba (A+, .546 OPS), Reinaldo Ilarraza (A, .567 OPS), Yeison Santana (DSL, .746 OPS), Bryan Torres (DSL, .595 OPS).


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jeff.sanders@sduniontribune.com; Twitter: @sdutSanders