Spring Training Backfield Notes: March 22

PEORIA—On the backfields today, the two Single-A teams were in action against the Texas Rangers minor league clubs. The Double-A and Triple-A clubs had the day off.

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Even though he is slated for Triple-A with the Chihuahuas, lefthander Jay Groome got his first action this spring against someone other than his organization mates. He threw two innings and looked sharper in the second as he found a more consistent release point. Still, against the Texas Rangers High-A squad, he allowed an opposite-field double but no runs.

Groome’s fastball was 89-92 with movement, but his offspeed, particularly an improved sweeper, was impressive.

“I had a very light quad strain, which kept me off the mound, but I was still able to throw but not really run,” said a smiling Groome after his outing. “My arm was fine the whole time.

“I’ve been throwing bullpens, so the volume is still there. I’ve also been working on a new sweeper and was happy with some of the swings and misses I got today.”

Groome came over from the Boston Red Sox for Max Ferguson, Corey Rosier, and the now-retired Eric Hosmer. After a good half-season in 2022, Groome experienced the worst year of his career in 2023, with an 8.55 ERA in 134.2 innings.

If the Padres can get him back to where he was in 2022, when he had a 3.16 ERA in 10 starts with the Chihuahuas, he could be an option for the big club at the break. The big key, probably more than any other pitcher, will be the command of his fastball, which deserted him last season.

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Tirso Ornelas was also in the High-A game, this time with a first baseman’s mitt. In his six minor league seasons, the left-handed-hitting Ornelas has made only one appearance at the position, a late-inning move during the 2022 campaign. The Padres, who have a large group of veteran outfielders in line for El Paso, began playing him at first base this past week.

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Leo De Vries continued to impress with the Low-A club. He’s hit several balls hard the past few days but also showed an advanced eye at the plate, laying off pitcher’s strikes early in the count. Early in the game, he drew a walk and got a tremendous jump in stealing second.  

Defensively, he moves well and has a plus arm. With the Arizona Complex League start moved up a month this year, he could begin the season there, but if he continues to play as he has in the spring, he should be in Lake Elsinore for much of the summer.

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J.D. Gonzalez was the Padres’ third-round draft pick last year out of high school in Humaco, Puerto Rico. The left-handed hitting catcher has a smooth, easy swing. His knee, which kept him out of action last year, is not showing any remaining issues. Today, as a designated hitter, the 18-year-old showed solid command of the strike zone. Long term, the organization sees him as a weapon behind the plate.

Gonzalez will probably move a little slower than De Vries, but will be one of the key members of the 2023 draft class to watch this year.

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Dillon Head has put on some very good weight and now looks like a star halfback at 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds. The center fielder from Illinois has been working on getting the ball in the air more and plans to run much more this year than in his brief debut in the Arizona Complex and Cal Leagues last summer. 

In early batting practice, he put on a show, easily driving the ball to all fields and consistently finding the barrel. After popping up on the first pitch he saw in the game, Head came back with a line-drive single to right in his second plate appearance.

While Head is a tremendous athlete, evaluators might be most impressed with his baseball acumen. He doesn’t swing at many bad pitches and last year posted a .363 on-base percentage in 124 plate appearances.

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Saturday is the make-up of last week’s rained-out Spring Breakout game with the Mariners. We will have coverage and photos from the showcase.