Spring Training Backfield Notes: March 21

PEORIA—With the big league club en route back from Seoul, the top two levels of the Padres minor league system were in action against the Texas Rangers Triple-A and Double-A squads at the Peoria Sports Complex. They have one more week of spring training before they’ll break to head out for the start of the minor league season.

Ryan Bergert was the opener on the Double-A side and again showed his fastball with elite ride (‘induced vertical break’ in the language of pitch design) – and generated more than a few swings and misses from the Rangers farmhands. His fastball was sitting around 91-94, but what Bergert was focusing on the most was throwing more changeups and sweepers than in his past two years. Both pitches were still less consistent than he would have liked, but the Padres are working with him to develop a better pitch mix.

He left before finishing his third inning when he took a hard bouncer off the back of his leg. It didn’t appear serious, as the team pulled him out of the game in a cautionary move, but he probably would have remained in the game in a regular-season outing.

With the trade of Jairo Iriarte and Drew Thorpe, Bergert should be the number three starter on a very strong Missions’ staff, behind Robby Snelling and Adam Mazur.

***

When Nathan Martorella hit a squibber off the plate on a potential double-play ball, he was able beat the throw down the line. The Padres have been very impressed by his dramatic body transformation in the offseason. While he weighs about the same as last year, he has significantly more lean muscle, helping him move better on the field.

After getting a bit of exposure in left field last year, he is attempting to build on that versatility this season and may see more time in both outfield corners. Coming into the year, the industry consensus was that he will be limited to first base, so the work on conditioning could open new opportunities.

***

As he has been since coming down from his first big league camp, Ethan Salas was behind the plate with the Double-A group. In his first at-bat, he hit a hard line drive to right field. It still looks like he will start the year in San Antonio just about the time he would have been preparing for his senior prom if he had stayed in Florida during his childhood. Although his offensive numbers were spotty in short stints in Fort Wayne and San Antonio last year, the organization doesn’t seem concerned that the offense will come.

So far this spring, the point of emphasis has been on his throwing and continuing to work with pitchers on developing and executing game plans.

***

On the Triple-A side, Sean Reynolds, who came over from the Marlins in last season’s trade for Ryan Weathers, worked two innings. The 6-foot-8 converted first baseman, who is on the 40-player roster, showed better control than we saw after the trade last year. His fastball sat 95-97, though several of his sliders didn’t show much movement.

Reynolds had a successful year in Double-A and Triple-A in the Miami organization before going completely off the rails with El Paso. In 16 innings last year, he allowed 27 walks and 26 hits completely losing his feel for control.

He will be 26 this year and only became a full-time pitcher in 2022 at 24. He is every bit of his listed height, and if he can somehow harness that fastball and occasionally mix it in with a slider, he could be a contributor during the year.

***

Brandon Valenzuela looks fully recovered from the knee injury that cut short his season last year. The organization believes that a leaner Valenzuela has better lateral movement behind the plate, so it was encouraging to see him come into camp in great shape. The 23-year-old from Mexico excels at calling games and working with a pitching staff. At the plate, he has significantly developed in his ability to pull the ball, particularly from the left side, compared to his first years in the system.

Valenzuela should return to San Antonio to start the year, where he will share time behind the plate as Salas gets used to a full professional work load, and rotate to designated hitter on the days he isn’t at catcher.