Padres Farm System Updates: Breaking Down Padres Mission's New Top 20 Prospect List

[Steve Drumwright]

It is prospect update time here at Padres Mission and, boy, do we have some updates.

Padres Mission Top 20 Prospects List (May 2026)

1. Ethan Salas, C
2. Kash Mayfield, LHP
3. Miguel Mendez, RHP
4. Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP
5. Ryan Wideman, CF
6. Jorge Quintana, SS
7. Ty Harvey, C
8. Kale Fountain, OF-1B
9. Braedon Karpathios, OF
10. Lamar King Jr., C
11. Jagger Haynes, LHP
12. Alex McCoy, OF
13. Truitt Madonna, C
14. Tucker Musgrove, RHP
15. Garrett Hawkins, RHP
16. Michael Salina, RHP
17. Eric Yost, RHP
18. Rosman Verdugo, SS
19. Bryan Balzer, RHP
20. Deivid Coronil, SS

No, that doesn't mean that someone has supplanted catcher Ethan Salas as San Diego Padres' top prospect. He remains a clear No. 1, a position he has more than solidified with his start to the 2026 season.

But there was movement among the Padres Mission's Top 20 prospects,  which includes four new entries. Those players joining our list are outfielder Braedon Karpathios (No. 9), outfielder Alex McCoy (No. 12), right-handed reliever Tucker Musgrove (No. 14) and shortstop Rosman Verdugo (No. 18). Two other players previously ranked came back onto our list with right-handers Michael Salina (No. 16) and Bryan Balzer (No. 19). You can check out the previous scouting reports on Salina and Balzer.

As far as movers, shortstop Jorge Quintana, acquired at the trade deadline last year from the Milwaukee Brewers in the Brandon Lockridge trade, jumped six spots to No. 6, while center fielder Ryan Wideman climbed four spots to No. 5 and catcher Truitt Madonna also went up four notches to No. 13. Right-handed reliever Bradgley Rodriguez graduated from prospect status, while Humberto Cruz was dropped from the list following his recently reported legal issues.

Let's take a deeper look at the newcomers:

No. 9 Braedon Karpathios, OF, Double-A San Antonio Missions

Bats-throws: Left-Left

Age: 22

Acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent in 2022.

The soon-to-be 23-year-old has been a developmental win for the Padres. Signed in 2022 as an undrafted free agent after one season as a two-way player at Hartford Community College in Maryland, Karpathios has been a solid if unspectacular contributor while in the Padres' system, but continues to climb the ladder.

The biggest calling card for Karpathios (5-foot-11, 186 pounds) is his patience at the plate. While topping out at a .252 batting average in 2024 at Low-A Lake Elsinore, he has had walk totals of 44 in 42 games in 2023 at Lake Elsinore, 95 in 119 games in 2024 while playing a full year at Low-A and 73 in 124 games between High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio in 2025. That doesn't mean he doesn't swing and miss. While not chasing a great deal (19% chase rate), Karpathios struck out 145 times in 2024 and 146 times in 2025 as he has trouble against pitches that aren't fastballs.

When he does make contact, he at least hits the ball hard. In 2025, Karpathios ranked in the 90th percentile in exit velocity at 105.8 mph, helping him nearly double his home run total from eight in 2024 to 15. He also has shown an ability to hit to all fields. Karpathios put together a .249/.357/.413 slash line last year.

Karpathios was invited to the Arizona Fall League in 2025, where he had a .211/.333/.298 slash line with no homers and five RBIs. This year, Karpathios has a slash line of .217/.311/.357 through May 13, with two homers and 12 RBIs. He has 16 walks and 41 strikeouts in 33 games.

While not blessed with speed, Karpathios has the ability to play all three outfield spots, but his strong arm—still around from his days as a pitcher—makes him best-suited for right. Karpathios will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason if the Padres don't put him on the 40-man roster.

No. 12 Alex McCoy, OF, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Bats-throws: Right-Right

Age: 24

Acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent in 2024.

After four years of college, no one took a chance on the well-built McCoy (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) in the 2024 draft, so the Padres pounced and signed him as an undrafted free agent. His 2021 season at Maryland-Eastern Shore was wiped out by the pandemic, but he showed an ability to hit the ball in 2022 and 2023 before transferring to Hofstra for his senior season, playing for former MLB infielder Frank Catalanotto. He hit .306 with 11 homers, 44 RBIs and 22 steals in 56 games.

His hit tool has continued to shine since joining the Padres' organization. Making his debut in 2025 at Low-A Lake Elsinore, McCoy put together a season slash line of .315/.393/.521, hitting seven homers and driving in 40 while stealing 14 bases in 17 attempts over 58 games. His 2025 included a stint on the seven-day injured list as he dealt with hamstring and quad injuries, missing more than two months, and a brief rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League.

Moving up to Fort Wayne this year, McCoy has kept chugging along. He has a .293/.359/.560 slash line following Wednesday's game with six homers, 17 RBIs and five steals in 32 games. McCoy hasn't unleashed his power yet, which might be the best in the Padres' system and reportedly reaching a peak exit velocity of 118 mph last year, but that could come as the season progresses. His hitting ability can be attributed to a short and controlled swing that allows him to attack pitches.

McCoy had a 21-game on-base streak this season, which included a 15-game hitting streak. He was named the Midwest League Player of the Month for April with a .354/.386/.683 slash line.

While McCoy's power ranks a 60 (well above average) on the 20-80 scouting scale, his running, throwing and fielding ability rank just below average. Left field is probably his best positional fit, but a move to first base is also possible. He played the position some in college.

No. 14 Tucker Musgrove, RHP, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Bats-throws: Right-Right

Age: 24

Acquired: Seventh-round draft choice in 2023 out of University of Mobile (Ala.).

After having Tommy John surgery following his selection by the Padres in the seventh round of the 2023 draft and missing all of 2024, the right-hander made his pro debut in late-April 2025. Armed with a triple-digit four-seam fastball and a sinker that sits in the 97-98 mph range, Musgrove is one of the arms to keep an eye on. He was drafted as a two-way player, but has since ditched the hitting part of that to focus on pitching.

The Friars were very cautious with Musgrove's workload in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. He appeared in just 14 games, throwing 20 innings overall, going three innings just once and didn't have more than 43 pitches in any outing. In fact, only three of his appearances lasted more than 30 pitches. Still, he gave glimpses of what the Padres hoped they would be getting, as he struck out 26 in those 20 frames.

The 6-foot-1, 174-pounder also has a sharp-breaking sweeper, as well as a slider and a curveball. He is looking to develop a changeup, too. He has nearly seven feet of extension, which gives hitters less time to figure out which pitch he is throwing and how to react.

Musgrove has made nine appearances thus far in 2026, never throwing more than 34 pitches, with his longest outing 1⅔ innings.

No. 18 Rosman Verdugo, 2B, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Bats-throws: Right-Right

Age: 21

Acquired: Signed as an international free agent in January 2022.

The 21-year-old doesn't do anything that great, but he does a lot of things decently. The Padres have moved Verdugo off shortstop, playing him at second base this season after working mostly at third base in 2025. Both seasons have been spent at High-A Fort Wayne, which indicates that Verdugo isn't doing a lot to make himself noticed in the Padres' system.

Since debuting as a 17-year-old in the Arizona Complex League, Verdugo has a .223/.329/.370 slash line with 38 homers and 206 RBIs. That includes a .218/.310/.376 slash line this year through Wednesday, with five homers and 15 RBIs in 29 RBIs. He doesn't steal much, either, with 15 of his 32 career thefts coming in 2022 with Lake Elsinore. He can draw walks, receiving a career-high 72 free passes in 2025, but he also strikes out a lot with a career-worst 158 last year. He has a short, compact swing that could produce more power—Verdugo had a career-high 13 in 2025—which would make his slash line a lot more palatable, but that power potential is dependent on improving his approach at the plate.

Defensively, his arm strength is probably more suited for second base. Considering he is repeating a second full season at Fort Wayne, this feels like an important season as to whether Verdugo progresses in the system or stagnates.

View full article