I was watching the Futures Game in Cleveland with a Padres contingent. Manager of scouting Preston Mattingly was keeping one eye on the team’s game at Dodger Stadium on his phone, with scout Luke Murton and special assistant to the GM David Post gathered around him. Fernando Tatis Jr. homer. Play, replay. Another Tatis homer. Play, replay. Tatis diving stop and missile throw, Pads’ sweep in Dodger Stadium saved, play, replay.



“How good?” was the question that bounced around the seats in Progressive Field for the next half-hour. Actually, it has been a question asked all over, from San Diego to Los Angeles to Anaheim to Philadelphia to Washington, anywhere the 20-year-old has played in his rookie season. “How good can this kid be?” I asked. “The sky’s the limit,” came a voice from the row behind us.



One week later, when the Padres finished their Braves series and Tatis had four hits, his slash line was...