We are proud to announce The San Diego Padres Top 30 Prospects for 2012. Peter Friberg has been studying minor league and amateur baseball players for nearly 10 years and has been writing about Padres minor leaguers for approximately eight. Peter has compiled his top 30 prospects in the Padres system for 2012, we are now into the top 10, continuing with #2 Jedd Gyorko. It should be noted that this list was complied before the trade of Mat Latos. An updated list will be posted next week, with the additions of players acquired by the Padres.

View 11-15 here

View 16-20 here

View 21-25 here

View 26-30 here

2011 San Diego Padres Top 30 Prospects

2.

Good: Gyorko does everything you want your offensive 3B to do. He hits for average, he hits for power (not a ton, but lots of doubles and at least average HR power), and he controls the strike zone. He profiles as the offensive 3B the Padres thought they had in Chase Headley.

Bad: There are two legitimate concerns with Gyorko: 1. Jedd’s 5’10” listing is generous. While pitchers are never going to knock the bat out of his hands, you can’t help wishing your MLB third baseman looked more like Adrian Beltre rather than David Eckstein. 2. Jedd’s defense gets mixed reviews; some say Gyorko will thicken-up and become too immobile to play 3B while others say he’ll never be elite but he’s more than adequate…

Outlook: As long as Gyorko doesn’t embarrass himself defensively (and in most reports scouts are surprised by his positive defensive acumen), you let him keep hitting while playing the hot corner. He hits like a guy you want batting third. Gyorko was more than adequate in AA but he didn’t destroy it. Unless the Padres trade Chase in the offseason (they may do it at the trade deadline) Gyorko will likely be back in AA and we should expect a mid-season promotion; maybe even to the bigs.