Centerfielder Manuel Margot has played himself back into the conversation for the San Diego Padres, per MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell.
If it seems like Margot has been around forever, that’s because he’s not only in his third season as a regular contributor in San Diego, but before that he was a key piece in the trade that sent Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox – after which he instantly became the top-rated prospect in the Padres’ system by MLB.com. He was the 26th-ranked prospect in the game at the start of 2016 when he looked like a potential future star in center, batting a projectable .263/.313/.409 as a 22-year-old rookie.
The Padres have had so many prospects enter the national conversation since that 2015 blockbuster that Margot has faded well into the background, not only on the national level but for the Padres as well. As it stands today, Margot’s career line of .251/.303/.394 doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence as the centerfielder of the future.
Still, he’s remarkably only 24-years-old, and as Cassavell points out, for a little over a month now, he’s raked. Since June 23, he’s holding a .260/.387/.519 line. Consider positive career defensive ratings in center (19 DRS, 11.8 UZR), and Margot may yet contribute to the next contender in San Diego.
Despite San Diego’s deep farm system, they don’t necessarily have their next centerfielder bookmarked. That plays in Margot’s favor, but it might also make the Padres all the more proactive in seeking an outside solution. Unless he can consistently put together quality results against right-handers, he’s more likely pegged for a future as a fourth outfielder, whether in San Diego or elsewhere.
The Padres best bet is to play out the string for the remainder of 2019 and hope he does enough to improve his stock for a potential offseason trade. His youth is encouraging, but he’s also approaching his first season of arbitration, making 2019 a put-up-or-shut-up season for Margot. His first time through arbitration won’t break the bank, but it does change his valuation moving forward. Another couple of months like his last, however, and Margot could change that valuation once again.
Really thought this article was going to be the headline and then, simply: No.
Alas, they got a few hundred words out of it.
Twins fans felt the same about Aaron Hicks. Byron Buxton too, despite the fact that at 25 he’s got an outside shot for his second 5 WAR season. Sometimes it takes guys awhile to figure it out.
And Aaron Hicks and Byron Buxton have a grand total of two good seasons between them, with one coming for the Yankees.
Hicks is 2 for his last 2 so I’m going to have to disagree with you there. I’m pretty sure many many teams would take a CF with a 114 OPS+ this year as well. Buxton is doing just fine for a CF again this year also.
Agree to disagree.
Hicks hits some homers — which everyone does at Yankee Stadium — but isn’t a quality hitter and plays a passable outfield. Hardly some CF that you need to lock up. He’s just a guy.
I mean 4-5 WAR CFs don’t just grow on trees. Hicks has 8.7 WAR last two years. Buxton had a 5 WAR season two years ago and is on pace for 4.5 WAR this year.
They’re not scrubs.
Yeah, not everyone has an Acuna or Trout out there. Absolutely nothing wrong w Hicks or Buxton. Two firmly above average CF’s.
We can agree to disagree. I am not a buyer on Hicks. Willing to wait and see on Buxton.
Think Margot got a lot of hype as a young Red Sox spec and has failed to deliver (so far) but it much has shown him to be a CF of the future.
It’s typically easy to rag on guys but could you give me 10-11 CF’s who are better than Hicks?
Buxton, Springer, Trout, verdugo, Kiermaier, Laureano, Cain (maybe if he hits again)
Those are really the only clear cut cases. Then it gets down to guys like JBJ, and Marte who you can start arguing for or against there. Hicks is firmly above average. Really no debate for that. Whether or not you’d put him in your top 10 I suppose could be debated. But he is without a doubt top 15.
Hicks is a really good player. Not sure what games you are watching. He regularly makes an impact on both sides of the ball. I wasn’t a huge fan of him, but he has changed my mind between the 2nd half of last year and this year. That’s a greet contract for the Yankees.
Kiermaier is horrible hitter. hicks is much more patient and gets on base.
It’s way to early say anything about Laureano. until a couple months ago he was defense first player like JNJ, pillar, keirmaier
You can disagree, h0wmyd0ing, but you’re wrong and you have a surface level understanding of baseball, thinking you can do much better at CF. Not every prospect becomes Trout.
If we are going with guys who have played center this year…Acuna and Bellinger are both better than Hicks as well.
Relax, he was just trolling.
Why not just disagree?
What type of player and stat wise does Margot to project to be?
Basically what he is .250-.260 with a little pop (10-15 HRs and 20+ SBs). I mean maybe if you’re really bullish on him you could envision him hitting .270 but I’d say that’s definitely where he peaks IMO
Buxton shows that either WAR is broken or it’s just one stat. The latter. Great glove, world class speed but you can’t steal first.
He isn’t good because he isn’t great is a weird logical path to go down.
Great defense out in cf. But hes trash with the bat unless the Padres are playing my Mets seems like hes always on base causing havoc vs. Mets
Also this: He has 15 SB with zero CS – obvious excellence. In his prior seasons he’s accumulated 30 SB – but with 17 CS – not very good.
So super-dramatic improvement in that important part of his game as well.
Wouldn’t we all like to know?
Yes he is the CF of the future, until he either busts or is traded for the next CF of the future. That’s how the Padres and all other small market teams have to operate.
How can you consider the Padres a small market team?
statista.com/statistics/193645/revenue-of-major-le…
It ought to tick up in the coming years but at best they’re a mid market team. Small isn’t a crazy claim. I completely disagree w the premise that they’re stuck w Margot for that reason though. They have 10 billion prospects they could move for a CF if they don’t believe in Margot.
San Diego is a large city but small media market. Angels and Dodgers to the north, ocean to the West, Mexico to the South and Snacks to the east – their games are only broadcast in San Diego.
Because they behave like a small market team. The White Sox are in the 3rd largest city in the country and have always behaved like a small market team as well. Just like every woman has ever said to you, size really doesn’t matter.
Man, I wonder what other factors could be affecting the White Sox and their market?
Despite being in Chicago, the White Sox are definitely NOT a large market team.
How true. Only difference i noticed from 2007 (last time visited) and nearly 30y before that when was stationed there for a bit was 50cent bus ride it would have taken to the border for anyone to prop up gate receipts at the old Jack Murphy stadium Padres played in back then since security was non existent pretty much.
Otherwise. San Diego was known as a sailor’s town. Many bunked down onboard ship and only there with ships as long as they were in port and back out to sea again, also lots of Naval bases, schools and those swabbies were mostly staying on base. Same with the Marines staying at Pendleton which was by the SD airport.
Didn’t go all around SD in ’07, but that 30 later trip the place didn’t look that much bigger. Broadway and Main had cleaned it’s act up a “little”. Few other old haunts were fancier and Tijuana was same, only they had tried to polish up a tourist only area that had reached the border area and now requires a visa.
He has busted. Been given plenty of opportunities and has doesn’t squat with them.
The Padres biggest need is On Base Percentage.With most positions already locked down CF is one of only a couple positions they can upgrade.
I see them pursuing a guy like Ender Inciarte or a Adam Eaton type player.They’re also RH heavy in the lineup.
So a LH hitting CF great defender who can get on base is definitely on top of the want list.
Eaton sucks in CF. Ender can’t hit this year but his defense is there. Not sure either one is a CF upgrade tomorrow over Margot.
How about Conforto from the mets? His D is subpar, but the bat and obp is there. Package him and Thor for a bunch of prospects, including Margot? Mets are a LH dominate lineup, and pads are the opposite. Another trade I would like to see is Kirby Yates for Gavin Lux.
An outfield of Renfroe, Conforto, and Reyes? Brutal in that big park.
Also you are high if your think the Dodgers are giving up Lux for Yates.
Better than renfroe, Myers and Reyes.
And Yankees got #1 prospect in all of baseball from the cubs, and more, for 2 years of control for a top reliever. And Yates’ numbers are better. Lux is a d liability at short, will have to move to 2nd. His value will never be higher than right now. But yes, Dodgers will have to give up Lux +1 to get Yates. And no, not high in the least
Cubs only got 2 months of Chapman.
If only Reyes and Renfroe could cut their K’s in half they would be potential All Stars but I say trade either one plus a pitcher and get a SP what does it take AJ. This team needs some seasoned SP as their Ace to make a difference. Padres also need more or a higher overall OBP. Too many guys going for the long ball and way too many K’s.
Get rid of Myers throw him in a trade eat half his salary for three yrs.
I would say to trade Yates even though I love the guy, along with Reyes and get us a SP for three yrs or more. Dump Myers he is wasting space on the bench bring up a good rook from AAA.
Padres and Dodgers are division rivals. I see absolutely no scenario where that happens.
Right, like when they would never trade Grandal for Matt Kemp. It happened. And it happens. If Dodgers would have traded for Brad Hand 2 years ago, they would have won their first World Series in 30 years. They need a shut down closer (Yates), or they may not even make it back to the WS this year. The stars don’t even have to be aligned for this one. It can, and should happen. Yates for Lux and Josiah Gray. Dodgers finally get their ring, and next year the rivalry is ON…
I like him, but its going to take a higher BA, and OBP to love him. He should be a 20/20 guy, keyword “should”
He probably wont be a 20 hr guy. I think the hope is that his BB rate goes up and he can be a 30 SB guy with a .340+ OBP.
All he needs to do is get on base and steal bases when asked. Last two weeks obp close to .400 and he can steal bases now. Keep playing him until he fades or someone better emerges.
Someone should really an write an article about Buxton and whether or not he’s really the Twins centerfielder of the future as well. I get that he’s been healthy for most of the year so far and has also been much better at the plate as well, but he’s still not the superstar scouts projected him and Sano to be, and I’m not convinced he will.
I mean, Kepler plays a good centerfield, why not move Buxton and bring in a true superstar like Mookie Betts; via trade or free agency.
Margot showed a plus hit tool all through the minors….he is just 24 and some guys take an extra 500 or so PA to get their approach right. This is a guys that can be a solid contrinutor for 10 years a la Denard Span/David DeJesus/Mickey Rivers. Maybe people thought he coukd be Devon White or Torii Hunter…not likely. Valuable but not expensive is the sweet spot now…he fits it with just a small uptick in his batting ability