On my morning internet stroll through baseball prospect news, I came across this article at Gaslampball about San Diego Padres infielder Allen Cordoba. The author, roydjt, examines the similarities and differences between 2016 Rule 5 pick Cordoba and 2014 Philadelphia Phillies Rule 5 pick Odubel Herrera, who parlayed that opportunity into a 2016 All-Star slot and a new five-year contract.

As roydjt points out, one large difference between the two is experience level: Herrera had a year of Double-A under his belt when the Phillies plucked him out of the Rangers farm system, while Cordoba is attempting to make a much more difficult leap from rookie ball to the Show. And the difficulty of that leap has been evident this spring: he's hitting just .155/.222/.172 in 58 at-bats.

Still, the Padres have seen fit to give him considerable playing time, he has yet to get sent back to the Cardinals system, and there's still a chance he could make the Opening Day roster as a utility man. And apparently it is not a small chance: the Padres are doing "everything possible" to find a way to keep Cordoba in the organization according to Derrick Goold at the St. Louis Post Dispatch.

“What drew us to him in the first place was just his overall athleticism,” Padres manager Andy Green told MLB.com. “That gives him a fighting chance to make the roster. He can run, so he’s a pinch-runner. He’s looking at that 25th spot, and he’s fighting hard.”

Put another way, they don't care that he's hitting .155. They are looking at the other things he can do while hoping that the bat comes around a few years down the road.

What do you guys think about Cordoba? If you were the Padres, would you give him the roster spot? Or perhaps work out a side deal with the Cardinals to keep him?