Spring Temperature Check: Who's Hot and Who's Cold in Padres Camp? (March 13-15)

Can you believe we are entering the final week of spring training? In 10 days, the San Diego Padres will host two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and the Detroit Tigers at Petco Park for Opening Day.

Following the Dominican Republic's 2-1 loss to the U.S. in the World Baseball Classic semifinals, the Friars will get their two superstar position players, third baseman Manny Machado and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr., back earlier than the duo had wanted. Perhaps that is good news for the Padres, who can get a few days to do the final experimentation in setting their lineup.

As a reminder: Don't take anything too seriously in this recap. It is only spring training, where exhibition games often devolve into minor-league scrimmages. The information below is meant as basic information, not necessarily hardcore analysis.

The Friars improved to 11-11-1 in the Cactus League, beating the A's 13-9, using split squads to beat the Cleveland Guardians 8-2 and lose to the Texas Rangers 22-2, then tying the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-4.

Who's Hot? 🔥

Jase Bowen
The 25-year-old outfielder has been one of the feel-good stories in camp. He went 3-for-8 in back-to-back games with three extra-base hits and three RBIs. Bowen, who left the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor-league free agent and signed with the Friars, had a pair of doubles vs. the A's and a two-run homer for the only runs against the Rangers. Manager Craig Stammen recently pointed out the immense athleticism that Bowen has as a former football player (he committed to play wide receiver at Michigan State), but said his skills are still shifting to a baseball mentality.

Xander Bogaerts
The starting shortstop returned from the World Baseball Classic and picked up where he left off. After going 5-for-15 with the Netherlands, Bogaerts went 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI in his first game since the WBC. That is good news considering Bogaerts was 2-for-12 in Cactus League play before heading to the tournament. He should be in fine shape to start the season.

David Morgan
The surprise of last year's bullpen has been pretty sharp this spring, his first with an MLB job in his back pocket. Morgan pitched a scoreless inning vs. the Diamondbacks, keeping his slate clean in the Cactus League. In six innings, Morgan has allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out five. The undrafted free agent who signed with the Padres in 2022 out of college will have a big role in the bullpen again this season after a strong rookie campaign.

Who's Cold? 🧊

Marco Gonzales
I promise I'm trying not to pick on the left-hander, but being included here is a unavoidable following the stat line he put up against the Rangers. Gonzales could only get two outs in the first inning and left down 1-0 with the bases load. Those runners came in to score for a four-run inning. Gonzales came back out for the second and gave up a homer to the first batter he faced, Brandon Nimmo, before retiring the next three hitters. In the third inning, Gonzales fell victim to needing to get in a certain number of pitches and had to wear another six runs. He gave up a total of eight hits and walked six, with only one strikeout.

Logan Gillaspie
A candidate to make the bullpen as a long reliever, or as Stammen is calling him and Kyle Hart, a "bridge" arm, Gillaspie followed Gonzales and had a similar fate, lasting just 2⅔ innings and coughing up nine runs on 11 hits. He walked three and struck out one. With questions at the back end of the rotation and the favorable early-season schedule, the Friars could go with four starters and nine relievers, giving Gillaspie and/or Hart a shot at the Opening Day roster.

Luis Campusano
The backup catcher got a couple of days off to clear his head as he endures a subpar spring, with Rodolfo Duran getting back-to-back starts. But Campusano returned to the lineup Sunday and went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. The offense-first catcher saw his splash line drop to .148/.233/.185. Campusano is out of minor-league options, so he will either make the Opening Day roster or be designated for assignment, with either a free agent being signed or Duran possibly making the roster and his MLB debut instead.