[Sundance]

SP Beau Burrows – Burrows is coming off of what may have been his best year as a professional. Burrows still maintains a massive arm, hitting 97-99 MPH with his fastball, but early indications are that his stuff isn’t quite as electric as it used to be. A number of his offspeed pitches have lost some of their bite. He’s still got great control and movement, and batters still have a hard time getting any of his pitches up in the air, but there could potentially be a lot of balls in play when he’s on the mound. He’s on the wrong side of his prime, but there’s more in the tank. Some good defensive play paired with a slow decline will mean that Burrows could still put up some good numbers. However, should he implode, the Padres will be in some trouble.

SP Nacho “Doberman” Castillo – The 25 year old appears to be the heir to the throne of San Diego’s pitching staff. He pitched well for Seattle, but only has 9 games under his belt for San Diego. The 25 year old has some big shoes to fill since he is essentially replacing former Pitcher of the Year Eric Confer. It still remains to be seen if the young man can cope with that sort of pressure.

SP Bryan Hoeing – Hoeing is sort of the forgotten man in San Diego’s rotation. Hoeing originally burst onto the scene in 2019 – winning both the Rookie of the Year and Pitcher of the Year Awards. He followed that performance with another Pitcher of the Year Award in 2020. However, since 2023, the baseball world seems to have forgotten about him. Despite extremely solid numbers, Hoeing has received no accolades, no All-Star selections. He has become the unsung hero of the Padres. If Burrows, Castillo, and Barosio are the engine of the staff, then Hoeing is the oil that keeps everything running smoothly. For the Padres to be successful, they need the consistency of Hoeing in the middle of their rotation.

SP Gustavo Spotelli – The feeling among the scouts is that Spotelli could potentially have a breakout season in 2028. He’s one of the Padres’ slower growing prospects, but he has displayed constant growth, which is encouraging. He’s put up some good numbers in his young career, but the Padres are still waiting to see if he’ll develop into the star that they’re hoping for.

RHP Raul Barosio – Despite his protests, the Padres have decided to continue to use Barosio as a starter. Over the last 2 years, Barosio has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the league. In 2026, working strictly out of the pen, he went 9-3 with a 2.93 ERA, a 10.1 K/9 ratio, and a 1.5 WAR. As a starter in 2027 he went 18-2 with a 2.07 ERA and a 5.3 WAR. His attitude will play a large role in San Diego’s success. If he continues to give it his all as a starter, the Padres will be just fine. However, if he continues to be unhappy about his role on the team and his performance dips, the team could be in some trouble.

C Jose Rodriguez – I know I’m going to sound like a broken record here, but how ‘bout that 27th round draft pick! Rodriguez continues to defy all odds and has turned into one of the best offensive talents at catcher. The Padres will be hoping for a little more power from the 27 year old, but if he can produce similar numbers as last year, he’ll be looking at another All-Star caliber year.

1B Juan Hernandez – Padres GM Syrio Forel isn’t known for making big splashes in the free agent market, so the acquisition of Hernandez surprised everyone. He really came into his own after being traded from the Tigers to the Blue Jays, and the Padres are hoping that they can get similar production from him. He brings some much needed power to San Diego’s lineup, and should help to relieve some of the pressure off of Rodriguez.

2B Chris “Ant” McKinney – Ant is coming off of a career year in 2027. He doesn’t necessarily light up any stat category, but he does everything right. A very consistent and well-balanced hitter. He’s one of those guys that quietly goes about his business, but who needs to produce if the Padres wish to defend their title.

SS Brendan Rodgers – The long time face of the Padres is looking to bounce back from a career worst year. His numbers dropped across the board last season, and fans have begun to wonder if Father Time is starting to catch up with him. The Padres, on the other hand, are hoping that last year’s troubles were just a fluke. Throughout his career, Rodgers has been one of the most consistent hitters in San Diego’s lineup. The team will be counting on a return to that consistency in 2028.

LF Tim “Pumpkin” Elmore – According to the scouts, Tim has reached his full expected potential. But what kind of player Elmore is remains to be seen. Similar to McKinney, Elmore is a player that doesn’t do any one thing spectacularly, but he does everything well. The biggest concern is his consistency. The Padres simply don’t know if they have the .300 hitter from 2026, or the mid .260 hitter of 2027. San Diego will need some solid production out of Elmore if they want to succeed this season.

RF Bernardo “Horseface” Orosco – The 25 year old star will begin the 2028 season on the DL. He’s expected to miss a minimum of 8 weeks. Still, he will play a key factor in San Diego’s success. His ability to put the ball in play, get on base, and put pressure on the pitcher and defense with his speed simply makes the rest of the lineup better. His presence will surely be missed by San Diego, but once he returns to the lineup, watch out.