Synopsis: The 2025 San Antonio Missions roster will house the bulk of the prominent prospects in the San Diego farm system. With four of the top starting pitchers in the system and two of the more dominant relievers in the bullpen, San Antonio should be anchored by their pitching staff in the pitcher-friendly confines of Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium.
The Strikes with Mike Daly, Assistant Director of Player Development
Ethan Salas works at the Peoria Sports Complex during spring training in 2025. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Last year, you managed the Fort Wayne TinCaps and saw Ethan Salas as much as anyone in the organization. You’ve been in development for a long time and know how big a jump it is from High-A to Double-A. After he had a .599 OPS last year, what shows he ready for Double-A?
Mike Daly: I think hitting is the hardest thing to do in all sports. Going into Double-A for Ethan and everyone, hitting is going to be a challenge because the pitching is so much better.
The first thing about Ethan is his work ethic, which is off the charts. Even when he struggled, he always did everything he could to improve. As a group, we continued to see him get better last year, in the offseason, and here at spring training. We know it’s going to be a challenge, but we also feel really good about his position. We think he will be in a good spot to compete.
Jagger Haynes came out and had a really strong spring. What did you see?
Mike Daly: I think Jagger’s progression over the past 18 months has really been impressive. Everyone in the organization has done a lot of work with him, and he should be proud of the jump from 30 innings to over 100 innings.
Each time we have challenged Jagger, he has answered the bell. He had as good an offseason as anyone, returned 15 pounds stronger, and took a step up with his velocity. He came in on that line of going back to High-A or San Antonio, and with his credit, he had an outstanding camp, which made it very easy for us to send him to Double-A.
He’s going to be part of a very strong group of starting pitchers. Seeing his maturation and taking ownership of his career has been fun, and we think he’s in a great spot.
Tyler Robertson is a dynamic force on the basepaths. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Tyler Robertson has always been one of the better athletes in the system but has fought off many injuries. If he’s healthy, what should we expect?
Mike Daly: He has always had a really exciting skill set. Our scout, Tyler Watson, was his first sign as an area scout. He’s tall, can run, great strength. He can get down the line in four flat, defensively, he can play all three outfield positions, and he’s started to develop an approach at the plate. Last year, we were happy about how he was fighting with two strikes.
With his speed, it’s hard to keep him in a slump because he’s turned into a really good bunter. With his speed, he has the ability to stay on the ball for an extra split second to make sure the bunt gets down. It’s something he has developed into his arsenal.
Projected Lineup:
1B Romeo Sanabria OF Tyler Robertson
2B Anthony Vilar OF Joshua Mears
3B Marcos Castañon OF Kai Murphy
SS Francisco Acuña UTIL Wyatt Hoffman
C Ethan Salas
* indicates left-handed or switch-hitter
Pitching Staff
RHSP Braden Nett RHRP Bradgley Rodriguez
RHSP Henry Baez RHRP David Morgan
LHSP Jagger Haynes LHRP Ryan Och
RHSP Victor Lizarraga RHRP Stephen Jones
RHP Jose Espada RHRP José Geraldo
LHP Jackson Wolf RHRP Eduarniel Nuñez
MadFriars’ Top 20 Prospects in San Antonio: Ethan Salas, C (# 2), Henry Baez, SP (#6), Braden Nett, SP (#8), Jagger Haynes, SP (#9), Romeo Sanabria, 1B (#11), Bradgley Rodriguez, RP (#14), Victor Lizarraga (#16)
Catch a Rising Star: After he struggled at times 2024 season in High-A Fort Wayne, the San Diego Padres have decided to have Ethan Salas start 2025 in San Antonio. Defensively, Salas has nothing left to prove. Highly regarded within the organization, and across major league baseball, for his soft hands, receiving, lighting fast transfers, and plus arm, Salas caught 27.7% of would-be base stealers last season.
The question remains whether the bat can continue to take steps forward. Salas, even during his struggles, showed he has an excellent feel and knowledge of the strike zone. Posting a walk rate above 10% is no small feat.
Last August, Salas did flash the offensive upside many saw in his 2023 debut with Lake Elsinore, registering a 114 wRC+ and .181 ISO while hitting two home runs.
Those results came on the heels of some slight mechanical changes he made, which included a more relaxed and athletic lower half, holding his hands just a bit higher, closing his front side, and, at the organization’s urging, beginning to use his leverage at the plate better. This offseason, Salas continued to hammer home those adjustments until they became muscle memory.
Henry Baez looked solid in his first taste of Double-A. (Photo: San Antonio Missions)
Starting Pitching: There is a compelling argument to be made that San Antonio boasts the best starting pitching staff in the Texas League this season.
The Padres’ 2024 MiLB pitcher of the year, Henry Baez, returns to the rotation. The 22-year-old isn’t a strikeout or whiff savant, posting just a 20.1% whiff rate in 2024. What he lacks in swing-and-miss he makes up for in ground balls, as he posted an impressive 57.3% ground ball rate in San Antonio last season.
Perhaps the ying to Baez’s yang in San Antonio is Braden Nett. The 2022 undrafted free agent is quickly becoming, not just one of the best storylines of the Padres minor league system, but possibly one of the best scouting finds of AJ Preller’s tenure.
Nett’s arsenal is raw and explosive, headlined by a fastball that sits 96-98, topped out at 99, and averaged 18.1” iVB. Nett also features a high-80s sweeper/slider that, last season, generated a 38% swing-and-miss rate thanks to its tight spin and depth. The make-or-break for Nett is seeing if he can improve his command. While 2024 was a step forward, a pitcher cannot survive long while posting a 14% walk rate.
Jagger Haynes, now almost three years removed from Tommy John surgery, continues to flash upside and show why he earned a $300,000 signing bonus in the fifth round of the 2020 draft. He ended 2024 on a high note, as from May 1 to mid-August, posting a 3.61 ERA, 24% K rate, and holding opponents to a .201 batting average. The 4-seam sits at 93 to 95 but peaking at 97, with 15 to 17 inches of IVB. Haynes best secondary remains his mid-80’s curveball.
Much like Haynes, Imperial Beach native Victor Lizarraga will look to pick up where he left off in the later half of 2024. From May 18 to July 31, fans got a glimpse of what Lizarraga can be when his full pitch mix is working, as he posted a 3.38 ERA, 3.77 FIP, and 26.7% strikeout rate in 13 starts. Lizarraga’s fastball sits in the low 90s, but he relies most heavily on his changeup and a slider with exceptional depth and late break.
Padres prospect Bradgley Rodriguez has a dangerous arsenal. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Bullpen: Bradgley Rodriguez is the biggest name returning to the San Antonio bullpen in 2025. Across three levels last season, he generated a 29.5% K rate, 2.64 ERA, and 3.23 FIP while holding opposing hitters to a .179 batting average. After two promotions, he made 12 appearances with San Antonio, posting a 35% strikeout rate as a 20-year-old. Already able to dominate, Rodriguez spent the spring working on another offering.
David Morgan will also be back in San Antonio for 2025. Morgan has seen a kick in velocity after sitting in the mid-90s last season when he worked 60 innings between Fort Wayne & San Antonio. While he posted a 5.04 ERA, his 4.00 FIP and a 24.4% K rate suggest he’s due for some positive regression. Combine that with some of the better stuff in the system [more on that shortly], and he’s a possible breakout reliever.
Ryan Och also makes a return to the Missions bullpen. Last season, he was one of the most effective relievers in the Texas League, posting a 1.77 FIP and 2.76 ERA, with a stellar 34.7% strikeout rate fueled by a 27.9% whiff percentage. His arm slot makes him extremely deceptive, while his low-80s slider has solid depth and late break. The sinker generated 16 inches of iVB and 13.9 of horizontal movement while spinning at 2318 rpm. During his time in big league camp, Och changed the grip of his slider to that of a baby spike in the hopes of increasing spin. He also looked to add more crossfire.
Catchers: Ethan Salas is the clear headliner and unquestioned starter here, but he isn’t the only top 30 backstop on the Missions roster to start 2025. With Brett Sullivan returning to the El Paso roster, Brandon Valenzuela finds himself, a bit unexpectedly, starting the year in San Antonio. Valenzuela is a great backstop defensively, thanks to his plus blocking skills and ability to call a game. The real question for the now-24-year-old is can he squeeze more out of the bat. In his time in Double-A last season, he posted just a 97 wRC+ and .321 wOBA.
Anthony Vilar will likely also see innings behind the dish. The versatile University of Miami graduate posted a 110 wRC+, .341 wOBA, and 15.5% walk rate across two levels last season while logging time at every infield position when not catching.
Romeo Sanabria will anchor the Missions lineup in 2025. (Photo: San Antonio Missions)
Infielders: The San Antonio infield will have several moving pieces this season, relying on several players with the ability to play multiple spots. The player who will not move is first baseman Romeo Sanabria. The Padres’ 2024 MiLB hitter of the year returns to Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium. In 32 games in San Antonio last year, the 22-year-old posted a 107 wRC+ and .387 wOBA.
Marcos Castañon will get plenty of time at third again. Since 2023, Castañon has made 98 starts at the hot corner for San Antonio, though he’ll also get some time at second and DH. Last season, he posted a 96 wRC+ and .320 wOBA. Devin Ortiz will also likely see a heavy workload at third base, where he played 79 games for Fort Wayne in his second full season after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia.
Minor league free agent Francisco Acuña and Wyatt Hoffman should split time between shortstop and second base from the Missions. The son of Padres Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman posted a 12.1% walk rate and .335 wOBA between Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne last season and showed solid twitch and athleticism on the bases swiping 17 bags.
Outfielder: Robertson flashed some solid upside in 2024. A 14th-round selection in 2022, Robertson posted a 115 wRC+ and .384 wOBA, with a 9% walk rate for Fort Wayne. Last season Robertson put together his bet pure contact season, posting a 66% contact rate. Robertson made 44 starts in left field last season, but has showcased the ability to play all three spots.
Joshua Mears will be back patrolling the outfield for San Antonio to start the 2025 season. The 2019 second-round pick has struggled mightily to find the barrel, but there were positives down the stretch last year. In the final month of the season between Fort Wayne and San Antonio, Mears posted a 126 wRC+ and .505 slugging percentage. That stretch also included home runs in back-to-back games for the Missions on August 23 and 24.
Second-generation Padre Kai Murphy and minor league free agent Moises Gomez will round out the outfield. Like Mears, Gomez has showed huge power and huge strikeout risk coming through the Rays and Cardinals systems.
Brandon Valenzuela was in El Paso at the end of 2024, but will need to work to get back again. (Photo:Jorge Salgado)
On the Spot: Brandon Valenzuela
To put it bluntly, this is not where Valenzuela was expected to start the season. Six weeks ago, he seemed to be in line for the primary catching job in El Paso. But with Luis Campusano not making the MLB roster and Brett Sullivan making it through waivers, the 24-year-old Valenzuela finds himself on a Mission again.
Yes, the organization puts high value on defense, the part of his game that Valenzuela is most proficient at. Still, at this point in his career, his offensive profile needs to see more noticeable improvement. He has an excellent feel for the strike zone with a career walk rate above 10%, but with slower bat speeds, he has struggled to find consistent power despite his towering build.
David Morgan showed big velo for the Missions. (Photo: San Antonio Missions)
Under the Radar: David Morgan
I hesitate to call David Morgan an under-the-radar arm, as I ranked him inside my top 30. Still, he’s a prospect few have on their radar.
For Morgan, it all comes down to whether or not the stuff will match up results. His four-seam graded out well in limited public data from this spring, averaging 97.8 mph on the radar gun with 15.4″ iVB and spinning at 2297 rpm. During his time at the AFL, it reached above 17.5″ iVB and a good 6.8 inches of run. The pitch also played up due to its flat approach angle of VAA of -4.58.
Morgan’s slider is also a plus offering. During his eight innings of work in the Arizona Fall League, the pitch drew a 56.2% whiff rate while getting 4.1″ iVB and -4.1 HB while spinning at 2295 rpm. Morgan rounds out the pitch mix with a curveball that spins at 2526 rpm and generates -8.6 iVB and a sinker that has 9.9″ iVB and 14.5″ of arm side run.
As not only a seasoned Missions arm, but the owner of some of the best stuff on the roster, Morgan will likely work high-leverage innings. Should he succeed in those spots, he could climb quickly.
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