The San Diego Padres have put together an impressive roster.
They were eliminated in the NL Championship Series last year and want to make the Fall Classic.
They brought in Xander Bogaerts and Nelson Cruz, plus the re-signing of Robert Suarez and other moves.
There are a couple of players, however, with something to prove.
1.Trent Grisham
Trent Grisham is a fantastic defender in center field.
He is also a powerful hitter, capable of finishing any given season with more than 15 home runs.
He also has some wheels and can steal 10-15 bases.
The problem, with Grisham, is batting average.
He was already at .242 in 2021, but declined all the way to a .184/.284/.341 line in 2022.
.184 is glaring. But if you need more evidence his OBP from him was .318 with .341 SLG. OPS of a blistering .626. He was atrocious at the plate this year. 150 Ks in 451 ABs. He led MLB in called 3rd Ks.
— BornAPadre (@BornAPadre) November 4, 2022
He showed in the postseason that he can be better than that.
However, he needs to prove he can make enough contact to remain a passable hitter throughout a full season.
The Padres need him to be a productive offensive player in order to lengthen the lineup.
2. Juan Soto
Juan Soto is one of the best hitters in baseball, and there is no question about it.
However, he needs to prove that he can return to his MVP form in 2023, instead of the merely-good one he displayed in 2022.
Last year was still productive for him, as he slashed .242/.401.452 with an .853 OPS, homering 27 times.
His OBP is what made (and makes) him great, but last season wasn’t the most productive when it comes to a batted ball standpoint.
Vintage Soto won’t let his OPS fall below .900
It was .923 in 2018, .949 in 2019, 30 in 2020, and .999 in 2021.
He is great, but needs to prove to his doubters that he is elite.
