Luis Patino
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Patino had an excellent Class A debut in the Midwest League upon being promoted to full-season ball from Extended Spring Training in May. He’s an impressive mix of plus stuff and advanced pitchability, showing the ability to limit walks well for a young power arm. Patino’s fastball touches the high-90s and sits comfortably in the 95-to-96 mph range. His hard slider is a devastating pitch at its best, a no-doubt plus that’s a real separator and weapon. He works with four pitches, backing up those two offerings with a curveball (77-to-80 mph) and changeup (87-to-91 mph). The curve is ahead of the change, though there’s reason to believe he’s athletic and projectable enough to make strides with his changeup to add a third speed. There’s always risk with teenage pitching prospects, but Patino’s ceiling is as high as any Padres prospect not named MacKenzie Gore. He’s a potential #2/#3 starter who could move even higher up prospect lists with a strong 2019 season. |
