PEORIA, Ariz. — Talent runs rampant through all levels of the Padres’ farm system. It is, by most accounts, the top system in the game. It is deep enough that players who would rack up headlines in other organizations tend to get overlooked.



Consider Nick Margevicius, a strapping left-hander who ended last season in Lake Elsinore. On Monday, he threw two Cactus League innings against Kris Bryant, Javy Báez and the Chicago Cubs. He did not surrender a hit.



“A kid in High A is able to get big-league hitters out,” said Chris Stewart, who was behind the plate and has caught for eight different organizations. “… We just have that much good talent in the system to where guys aren’t where they possibly could be during the season, just because there are guys in front of them.”



Often, however, underperformance has just as much to do with a prospect’s standing. Take Cal Quantrill, a right-hander once...