PEORIA – On the eve of the Spring Breakout game, Ethan Salas and Jorge Quintana put on big performances on the backfields in what was much more of an exhibition than a formal game against the Texas Rangers prospects.
Jorge Quintana looked solid in the field and at the plate on Thursday. (Photo: Robert Escalante)
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Quintana, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers at the trade deadline last season, had the most impressive day on the field. A switch-hitter, Quintana crushed a ball from the left side over the batter’s eye in center field on Field 2 and was solid in the field. As we have noted before, the Padres were surprised that Quintana was available in the trade with pitcher Nestor Cortes for Brandon Lockridge.
Quintana, who turns 19 the first week of the season, will be the everyday shortstop for the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm this season. The organization expects him to put up much better numbers than his 25-game cameo last year. The swing looks noticeably quicker and shorter to go along with at least ten pounds of solid muscle.
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According to the Padres’ development staff, Salas is fully back. He looked impressive at the plate with a double and a hard hit single to the right side. Salas’ stance is slightly more upright, and the organization claims that during the last year, when he lost all but 10 games to injury, they did extensive work with his approach and are working on pitches where he can drive the ball.
The organization contends that his health, rather than his performance in High-A Fort Wayne in 2024, will be the biggest determinant of his offensive success in Double-A San Antonio this season.
He showed no signs of the back injury, running the bases well and looking exceptionally smooth behind the plate. He has also put on at least ten to fifteen pounds of muscle in the offseason.
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Dylan Grego also had a good day with a few hard-hit balls, including a pull-side double down the line from the left side. Grego, 22, was last year’s 13th-round draft pick from Ball State. He had some moments with the Storm, especially at home, where he slashed .310/.375/.552 in 14 games, but only posted a .487 OPS on the road. He hopes to be more consistent this year at Fort Wayne.
The Padres believe the switch-hitter can play three different positions around the infield for the TinCaps and has more power than most believe. The organization has had success with similar lower-profile college infield picks in the last few years, including Ryan Jackson and Brandon Butterworth, who was traded to Baltimore at the deadline last year.
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After spending the offseason getting his body in better condition for a full season, Romeo Sanabria had a loud showing in big league spring training. The left-handed batter, who got the start at first base Thursday morning, had a notable drop in bat speed over the last three months of the 2025 campaign, leading to an unsightly .591 OPS after he was among league leaders in the first two months of the year.
The smooth left-handed swing is still there, but the organization hopes that, in better shape and with an improved approach, he will be able to show the line-to-line approach he displayed in San Antonio in April and May.
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Triston McKenzie, 28, got work against competition that was more than a few years younger. McKenzie, who had some solid years in Cleveland working with Ruben Niebla, should be in the rotation in Triple-A El Paso to start the year if he doesn’t find another club willing to give him a spot on the 40-man roster. He flashed some solid velocity, but it was offspeed and breaking pitches that were getting younger hitters out.
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Two of the notable bullpen sessions were Kruz Schoolcraft and Kash Mayfield, throwing their side sessions to prepare for Saturday evening. Mayfield was only throwing about 70% and was able to hit most of his spots with two seemingly distinct four-seam fastballs from two different arm angles. He missed some time with the Storm last year and only threw a little over 60 innings. The organization is counting on a lot more from the 21-year-old in 2026.
The star on display was Schoolcraft. Still only 18 for another month, last year’s first-round draft pick is every bit – and perhaps more than – his listed 6-foot-8 height. He is another player who added a good 10 to 15 pounds over the offseason. He could easily blow through the Cal League in the first few months with his overpowering fastball.
The Padres had him as a top-10 overall prospect in last year’s draft and were pleasantly surprised that he was still available when they picked at 25. Schoolcraft was supposed to go to the University of Tennessee as a two-way player, but San Diego was able to buy his way out of his commitment.
Right now, it looks like a great deal for both parties.
