San Diego Padres Prospect All-Star Team: 2026

While the minor leagues include a number of players who aren’t prospects, particularly at the upper levels, the focus of the farm system is about developing those who have long-term futures with a team.

For the San Diego Padres, that is very true. The Friars’ Triple-A team was made up mostly of players trying to get back to the majors or journeyman minor-league free agents.

Why is that important? Because this part of Padres Mission’s awards season for the minors is all about the prospects. There will be no players who have had any MLB experience or are past prospect age. So, welcome to the 2026 Padres Mission Prospect All-Star Team.

It is with that caveat why you will not find two players on this team. One is obvious: Left-handed starter Kash Mayfield would have been an easy choice for this list, but he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in the Casey Mize deal. Another is Carlos Rodriguez, the outfielder for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. I ruled him out due to his age (26 in December) and the fact that he has already been a six-year minor-league free agent. That was a tough call because Rodriguez had a very nice season this year.

Without further adieu, here is this year’s all-prospect team.

2026 Padres Mission Prospect All-Star Team

Catcher: Ethan Salas

Team(s): Double-A San Antonio, Triple-A El Paso

Season stats: .296/.374/.448, 96 games, 54 R, 19 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 61 RBI, 17 SB, 8 CS

The no-brainer of no-brainers. Padres Mission’s No. 1 prospect set career highs in pretty much every offensive category while playing 17 fewer games than 2024 in his first full pro season at High-A Fort Wayne. The performance of the left-handed hitter was even more significant considering Salas, who turned 20 on June 1, missed all but 10 games of the 2025 season with a stress reaction in his lower back. That caused him to fall down most national prospect rankings. He won’t be on this list in the future after making his MLB debut down the stretch and is destined to be the Padres’ starting catcher starting in 2027.

First base: Albert Fabian

Team(s): Double-A San Antonio

Season stats: .268/.326/.432, 107 games, 59 R, 20 2B, 3 3B, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 12 SB, 2 CS

The 24-year-old split time between first base and the two outfield corners, logging the most time at first. The left-handed hitter, signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2018, re-signed with the Padres after becoming a minor-league free agent last offseason. Fabian was also coming back from a major injury. He returned late in the 2025 season from a significant leg injury in May 2024. This year, he had the best slash line of his career, with his slugging percentage just down from the .441 mark he put up in 2022 and 2023, when he hit 16 homers in each season. He has done a nice job of cutting down on his strikeouts, posting an 18.6% strikeout rate this year, the best of his career. 

Second base: Jose Verdugo

Team(s): Low-A Lake Elsinore

Season stats: .277/.333/.362, 105 games, 27 R, 12 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 54 RBI, 37 SB, 7 CS

Playing his first season in the U.S. and doing it as an 18-year-old, Verdugo is a very good defender who mainly played second base this season, although he started all five of the Storm’s playoff games at shortstop, with Jorge Quintana (Padres Mission’s No. 7 prospect) shifting over to third and 2026 second-round draft pick Elliot Lascelles at second. The 5-foot-7, 150-pound Verdugo, signed as an international free agent out of Mexico in 2024, doesn’t hit for much power, but did do a nice job when he did make contact with a .277 average. Of the right-handed hitter’s 104 hits, only 20 went for extra bases, with 12 doubles, four triples and four homers. His size will always have people doubting him, but the Padres gave him a good look this year and he held his own.

Third base: Kerrington Cross

Team(s): Low-A Lake Elsinore, High-A Fort Wayne, Double-A San Antonio

Season stats: .277/.415/.500, 115 games, 78 R, 25 2B, 2 3B, 18 HR, 64 RBI, 24 SB, 7 CS

The Padres’ seventh-round draft choice in 2025 out of Cincinnati did in his first full pro season what he did in his college career: hit. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter had a .313/.467/.608 slash line with 11 homers in 58 games for the Storm before getting bumped up to the TinCaps, where he didn’t have the same success (.239/.365/.392) in 52 games. He got a brief, end-of-season promotion to Double-A San Antonio, where he went 6-for-20 (.300/.364/.500) with a homer. One other big piece of Cross’ game is getting on base. He easily led the Padres’ system with 80 walks. Cross played both infield corners and has a chance to stick at third.

Shortstop: Justin DeCriscio

Team(s): Low-A Lake Elsinore, High-A Fort Wayne, Double-A San Antonio

Season stats: .270/.358/.425, 121 games, 70 R, 29 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 59 RBI, 22 SB, 11 CS

Selected in the 10th round of the 2025 draft out of North Carolina State after three years at the University of San Diego, the former Orange Lutheran High School hit a total of 14 home runs in four years in college (182 games), then turned around and hit 13 in his first full pro season while reaching three levels. Like other draft picks, he got his feet wet at Low-A Lake Elsinore in his draft year, then began 2026 back with the Storm. There, he opened the season with a .311/.363/.544 slash line with three homers and 18 RBIs in 28 games. He went up to High-A Fort Wayne and while the slash line suffered a bit (.259/.355/.403), he did hit nine homers in 73 games. DeCriscio went up to Double-A San Antonio and posted a slash line near his Fort Wayne mark in 20 games (.257/.366/.343). While shortstop was the position he played most, he also showed versatility by playing second, third and a bit in the corner outfield spots.

Left field: Alex McCoy

Team(s): High-A Fort Wayne, Double-A San Antonio

Season stats: .278/.355/.467, 123 games, 74 R, 31 2B, 1 3B, 19 HR, 71 RBI, 24 SB, 9 CS

The 24-year-old undrafted free agent was the breakout star in the Padres’ system this year. The hulking right-handed hitter (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) isn’t just a power hitter, though. Yes, Padres Mission’s No. 8 prospect did tie for the system lead with 19 homers, but he also finished second in the chain with 31 doubles. Even with 25 games at Double-A, he still finished third in the High-A Midwest League with 27 doubles, just two off the lead. There is more power to be had as McCoy has 90th percentile exit velocity, according to FanGraphs. That is, there's more power to be had if he resolves the one big hole in his game: strikeouts. He struck out 142 times in 123 games, good for a whopping 26.2% strikeout rate. McCoy will look to refine that as he participates in the Arizona Fall League this autumn. The corner outfielder has a little speed in his game, too, just missing a 20-20 season by one homer as he swiped 24 bases. 

Center field: Ryan Wideman

Team(s): Low-A Lake Elsinore, High-A Fort Wayne

Season stats: .286/.350/.406, 109 games, 73 R, 24 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 59 RBI, 65 SB, 22 CS

One of the brightest stars in the Padres’ system, the 2025 third-round draft pick out of Western Kentucky possesses game-changing speed. After stealing 43 bases in the first half of the season at Low-A Lake Elsinore, Padres Mission’s No. 2 prospect stole another 22 with High-A Fort Wayne before an injury sidelined the 22-year-old for the final three weeks of the season. The right-handed-hitting center fielder led all of the minors in steals for much of the season, with his 65 bags falling just five short of the minors lead. After a .314/.389/.504 slash line in 65 games with the Storm, he slumped to a .246/.292/.267 mark in 44 games for the TinCaps. It was a little surprising not to see Wideman not picked for the Arizona Fall League, but perhaps the Padres felt he needed a break. In a brief debut last year with Lake Elsinore, Wideman had a 28.6% strikeout rate over 26 games. That improved to 20.6% between his two stops this year, a nice bit of progress. His walk rate, however, had a precipitous drop from 10.7% to 6.8%. Getting on base more frequently will help him take advantage of his blazing speed.

Right field: Braedon Karpathios

Team(s): Double-A San Antonio, Triple-A El Paso

Season stats: .258/.344/.423, 130 games, 64 R, 22 2B, 3 3B, 17 HR, 73 RBI, 64 BB, 174 K, 6 SB, 6 CS

Another surprise this year, Padres Mission’s No. 9 prospect put together a nice season at Double-A San Antonio before playing the final two weeks with Triple-A El Paso. With San Antonio, the left-handed hitter had a slash line of .268/.353/.444 with 17 homers and 73 RBIs. The 23-year-old had gotten his feet wet with the Missions last year with 21 Double-A games after an okay year at High-A Fort Wayne (.254/.370/.410, 12 HRs, 55 RBIs, 103 games). Karpathios had an impressive 13-RBI week before his promotion, then struggled in his brief time with the Chihuahuas. Strikeouts remain a problem for the young outfielder, who led the Padres’ system with 174 K’s (more than 30 clear of No. 2) for a 32% strikeout rate, up from 28% the year before. Karpathios is eligible for the Rule 5 draft this offseason, but it would be surprising to see the Padres add him to the 40-man roster without a major carrying tool.

Designated hitter: Jake Cunningham

Team(s): High-A Fort Wayne, Double-A San Antonio

Season stats: .283/.369/.516, 96 games, 60 R, 18 2B, 2 3B, 19 HR, 61 RBI, 10 SB, 6 CS

The only player to have a three-homer game in the chain, the 24-year-old outfielder resurrected his career in his first season in the Padres’ system. The 2023 fifth-round pick out of North Carolina-Charlotte was released by the Baltimore Orioles after a .206/.295/.303 slash line in 2025, his second in which he missed good chunks of time with injuries. He mostly avoided major injuries this year, only missing the final month of the season. Cunningham had his three-homer game June 5 vs. Lake County, the fourth three-homer game in Fort Wayne history. He had a nice showing with the TinCaps, posting a career-high slash line of .269/.369/.560 in 57 games, hitting 15 homers and driving in 35. But he improved those numbers when he moved up to Double-A San Antonio, going .301/.370/.459 in 39 games. Since the Padres signed him as a minor-league free agent, Cunningham will hit the market again this offseason and his return is uncertain.

Right-handed starter: Ian Koenig

Team(s): Double-A San Antonio, Triple-A El Paso

Season stats: 8-10, 4.19 ERA, 29 games (all starts), 148⅓ IP, 140 H, 82 R, 69 ER, 38 BB 130 K, .248 opponent average

Another successful undrafted free-agent signing, the 25-year-old right-hander has put himself on the radar for the Padres. After 24 starts and a 4.60 ERA over 121⅓ innings at Double-A San Antonio, Koenig jumped up to Triple-A El Paso and had a tremendous final five starts: He turned in a 2.33 ERA over 27 innings. The biggest reason for Koenig’s success this year was his improved control. He walked 38 over 148⅓ innings this year after issuing four fewer walks in 45 less innings. He also dropped his opponent batting average by 20 points to .248 this year. However, one issue exists: He gives up homers. Koenig is a fly-ball pitcher, with a 35.4% mark this year that produced 22 homers. That fly-ball rate improved after three straight seasons between 40% and 43.3%. The question for his offseason will be whether the Padres protect him in the Rule 5 draft.

Left-handed starter: Adler Cecil

Team(s): Arizona Complex League, Low-A Lake Elsinore

Season stats: 2-3, 4.09 ERA, 19 games (11 starts), 61⅔ IP, 41 H, 37 R, 28 ER, 38 BB, 107 K, .187

If you want to get excited about a Padres pitching prospect, the 21-year-old left-hander deserves the hype. When including a postseason appearance, the 2023 19th-round draft pick struck out an eye-popping 112 over just 64⅔ innings, finishing fourth in the system in K’s. The three players ahead of him had innings totals of 92⅔, 143⅓ and 135. That gave Cecil a 39.5% strikeout rate. Granted, 41⅓ of his innings came in the Arizona Complex League, but Cecil missed the entire 2025 season after having Tommy John surgery. He had two 10-strikeout games in the ACL (five- and four-inning starts), then topped out at eight in his six appearances at Low-A Lake Elsinore. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him start out with the Storm, then get an early promotion to High-A Fort Wayne based on his performance in 2027.

Right-handed reliever: Tucker Musgrove

Team(s): High-A Fort Wayne, Double-A San Antonio

Season stats: 2-2, 3.41 ERA, 34 games (all relief), 5 holds, 3 saves (7 chances), 34⅓ IP, 25 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 25 BB, 68 K, .200 opponent average

Originally thought of as a two-way player when the Padres took him in the seventh round of the 2023 draft out of NAIA school Mobile (Ala.), Tommy John surgery following the draft changed the right-hander's course. The Padres wanted Musgrove to ditch his dream as a center fielder and focus on what he can do on the mound. Musgrove spent 2025 getting accustomed to pro ball and just being a pitcher. What the Padres figured out, because of a couple of small setbacks in his recovery, is that Musgrove is best off in a relief role. The right-hander's stuff, which includes the ability to reach triple digits, has played up in the bullpen. He had a tremendous 42.8% strikeout rate, while his walk rate was at 15.7%. While his rates were slightly worse following his promotion from High-A Fort Wayne to Double-A San Antonio, he did post a better ERA (3.79 to 2.93). Musgrove, whose season ended early due to injury, should be back at Double-A to begin 2027.

Left-handed reliever: Braian Salazar

Team(s): High-A Fort Wayne

Season stats: 3-4, 4.25 ERA, 38 games (all relief), 5 holds, 1 save (1 chance), 55 IP, 45 H, 26 R, 26 ER, 31 BB, 67 K, .225 opponent average

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022 out of Venezuela, the 21-year-old left-hander ended the season on the injured list, but finished strong otherwise. Salazar had a 10⅔-inning scoreless streak before being sidelined in late August. He made the second-most appearances for High-A Fort Wayne (38). After spending most of 2025 at Low-A Lake Elsinore with three appearances at Fort Wayne, Salazar made some strides this year. While pitching almost the same innings this year (55) as he did last year (55⅔), Salazar allowed fewer hits (53-45), runs (40-26) and walks (45-31), but also struck out fewer batters (80-67). His opponent average also went down from .244 to .225, though he gave up five homers after not giving up a single one last year. The biggest target area for improvement remains his control, as his 12.9% walk rate remains too high for comfort.

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Interested in learning more about the San Diego Padres' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!