short hop
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Tokuhei Taniguchi, 1b San Diego Hops (Photoshop and Painter, Dec. 2017)-corrected version! The original is LH, so I did some fancy rotation work in Painter to get his big right hand without a glove…

Maybe because it’s age, what with Bill Atteberry turning 65 and me turning 63 this Thursday, Dec. 22, or maybe it was just a case of best player available for the holes in the lineup, but the Hops approach to this season looks a lot like a veteran’s paradise.

The Hops’ lineup for 2030 has undergone some dramatic changes since the offseason, without the benefit of any trading, which Hops’ management claims is due to unexplained phenomena. Speaking of phenomenal transactions, Jean-Claude Petit, Goldi Lebel, Ken Abbot, and Addy de Zeeuw all added via contraction draft, free agent signing or Rule 5 draft, so a mute trading season nonetheless led to four upgrades in the daily nine.

Heck, that might mean a record approaching .500? 2029, ten under .500, but a 14 win improvement. Upgrade four positions, significantly, and .500 is not an unseemly goal.

Starting Pitching

The crux of the problem, yet no attention in the off-season. Why the confidence? Juan Vásquez, the designated ace of the staff, is only 27, and seems to have corralled some of his significant talent. Salah bin Atif, the lefty, is 26, and improved by nearly two points in ERA while throwing 100 more innings than the season prior. At 6-6, and 4.24 ERA, “Skates” will be an interesting story to play out. Jim Phillips, another southpaw, was excellent in a September cameo, and looks to be a 30 game starter, and is a mere 25. Gonzalo Diéguez, is the grizzled vet at 29. Expect a solid, if uneventful, campaign. Vying for starter five are Naomi Kobayashi, and the grand old man, José “Smooth” Ramos.

Bullpen

Son Mai improved 16 saves in 2029, and has secured the closer role, with a team friendly contract.

Setting him up, lefty, Ajdir Kasakya, sporting a 1.64 ERA from the ’29 season, and righty Zong-yuan Sang, who lowered his ERA three points to 2.59 in ’29. Yo Watanabe seems poised to take a middle relief role, or sneak into the rotation, and like Phillips, a result of the ’28 blockbuster trade with Duke City. Kendrick Dobson, Abdul-Fattah Arfan, Dong-soo Bruce and Ernesto López are all in the mix.

C

Addy de Zeeuw, the switch-hitting, 25 year old, Rule 5 pick, has won the SD starting job. This will be 3^rd his major league season, having reached the bigs for two cups of coffee for two other clubs.

1b

Tokuhei Taniguchi took possession of 1b, and in his sophomore season, playing every game, and socking 34 HRs and 104 RBI, on top of a .300/.340/.505 slash at only 26.

2b

Jean-Claude Petit, first pick for Diablo in the compression draft, brings a superlative batsman and banner glove work, and is signed for six more years, when he’ll only be 32.

3b

Who would have thought the name of SD’s hot corner guard would be Ken Abbot? After a rancorous free agent breakup, the two sides seemed to have settled differences amiably, and Abbot , of the .300/double digit home run, capabilities, coupled with glove wizardry, and one senses something might be going on in San Diego.

SS

Akira Kato cracked 22 homeruns in only 135 games, and brings a good eye on both sides of the ball to ’30.

LF

After a year away from the SoCal confines, Tom Cassidy returned in glory, smashing 27 HRs while clubbing at a .288 clip. At 33, if things go south, he might be trade bait.

CF

Goldi Lebel was a star in SD for many years, and is somehow back and bringing one of the biggest upgrades to the Hops/ defense. Even at 33, he is producing, and will hit out of the 9 hole.

RF

Jejomar Butardo is hoping for a bounce-back 162, after hitting .246 in ’29. Afield, he is still a three-time gold glove winner, including the last two seasons.

DH

Clinton Miller, has seemed to find a home in SD after a nomadic career. Solid contribution, perhaps ready for an upgrade.

Bench

Hae-nim Kim was last season’s starter behind the plate, and he’s ready to step in if Addy falters. Motoki Hayakawa is odds on favorite to make the bigs as a utility player. Yoshi Nishimura is also in the infield mix. Ricardo Romo and Daniel Lopez return, and perhaps Jason Donovan makes the roster.

Futures

Martin Árias is ripping up the Winter League, and the scouting find is only 18. An-yi Bian, 20 year old, 2029 first round pick, had a very nice debut starting in AA with an .830 OPS. Another international signee to watch is Manuel Rios.

Pitching is a little thin, with Jacksonville’s Nakagawa closest to the bigs. Wilson and Rivera in AAA may have peaked. 16 year old Jose Rodriguez, signed on an international agreement, is 4-2 in the Winter League, with a 2.83 ERA in six starts and six relief appearances.

Hops could win 82. If they win 84, it would be the highest win total in ten years.

Post season 2029, Hops in review

RHP Zong-yuan Sang

Hops post-season report

71-91 sounds like a pretty poor record, but anytime a team can improve by fourteen victories, something is going right. However, the good news was tempered by the announcement that the infield’s captain, Ken Abbott, that he will exercise his player option and end his tenure with the Hops after five great seasons. San Diego hopes to replace him, either with their other star, outfielder Jejomar Butardo, or in the consolidation draft.

The Hops’ improvement was highlighted by the coming of age of first-baseman, Tokuhei Taniguchi. Originally a Rule Five pickup in 2026, he made a big splash his rookie season, hitting .291 with 18 homers, but fell off dramatically in 2028. This season he was arguably the comeback player of the year. He played all 162 games, hit .300 and crushed 35 homers with 104 RBIs. He is under team control for a while, and is only 25 years old.

Shortstop was ably manned in 2029 by Akira Kato. The veteran was an All-Star for the third time in his career, the first time for San Diego. His infield partner was another veteran, Don Cameron. At 38, he still hit .271, but did miss six weeks due to injury. Their backup, San-Pao Chio was one of the reasons San Diego did not do as well as hoped, appearing in 90 plus games, but only hit .171 in over 200 at bats.

Waiting in the wings are An-yi Bian and Manny Rios, but both are only 19. The rest of the minor league infielders are more utility types than stars.

The outfield was a very mixed bag, with stars in left and right, and a huge void in centerfield. Tom Cassidy’s slash line, .288/.353/.463 with 27 dingers was tops, while Butardo had a bit of a drop-off, .246/.319/.373, all numbers down 50 or more percentage points from ’28. Center was a barren rotating cast, with Julio Ruiz, Andy Sabean, and the since released, Christian Chevalier all spending major time between Cassidy and Butardo. Ruiz had the only positive numbers in the field, but hit a mere .267/.307/.356 with limited speed. At 31, he is not the long-term solution needed in SD. Ricardo Romo and Clinton Miller were more a platoon option at DH than an outfield starter.

Shunen Miyazaki, if he continues to improve, could be a solution as early as 2030. He shot through all three minor league levels, finishing with an impressive .409 average once called up to AAA. The lefty hitting speedster is only 23, and though slated to start 2030 in Coronado, he could end up in the SD outfield in short order. Jason Donovan, also 23, had a cup of coffee at the end of the ’29 season.

Catcher Hae-nim Kim was given the starting job, and though he hit only .245, he was a solid upgrade there, but more importantly, behind the plate. There are a lot of catchers in the system, but none stand out as offensive stars thus far. Eduardo Rosario was the main backup, but not distinctive, in ’29.

Pitching continues to be the bane of San Diego hopes. Juan Vasquez led the team in innings, but led the league in losses with 18. Salah bin Atif became part of the rotation in the last quarter of the season and did quite well, finishing 6-6, 4.24. Jim Phillips was asked about by other teams, and though he only registered one win, he did compile a 3.03 ERA in 65 innings. Gonzalo Diéguez, Jesus Ramirez, Kendrick Dobson and Mal Tosewell, all fared around .500 with ERA in the high fours or worse.

The bullpen was not a whole lot better. Closer, Son Mai, compiled 34 saves, but blew eight on his way to an ERA near five. Ajdir Kasakya was the best arm out of the pen, averaging 11 K/9 with a miniscule 1.64 ERA. He and fellow set-up man, Zong-yuan Sang, were excellent together, but getting to them was often a misadventure from the likes of Jose Ramos, Ernesto Lopez and “Tangles” Ortiz. Dong-soo Bruce, the Rule 5 pickup, will be better off in the minors in ’30.

Pitchers in the minors to watch include Yo Watanabe, Naomi Kobayashi, Yoshino Nakagawa, and Tetsuzan Ono, though all are still in need of seasoning at the minor league level.

In order for the Hops to take a next step forward, they will have to make great decisions in the upcoming drafts, particularly the consolidation, since it will expose seasoned players to the mix. Look for San Diego to flirt with .500 in 2030, but playoff considerations are still a few seasons out.

'29 mid-season report

Injuries and bad baseball doom San Diego once again. Here is an illustration that bled through to the other side of my sketchbook, and inspired me to create this:

Two pitchers tell the story of the Hops' season

Hops Preview 2029

Hops preview 2029

San Diego, gutter-dwelling poor, looks to improve to at least middle-class as the rebuild of a dismal team begins. For the first time in many seasons, the Hops had an opportunity to spend money, and landed former SD stalwart, Tom Cassidy, signed to a three year deal during the off-season. The other addition was curious, Rule 5 selection, Dong Soo Bruce, a 25 year old righthander with solid minor league credentials in the Jersey system. Otherwise, a 57-105 squad returns virtually the same roster. How does a team plunged 16 games worse last system, hope to move back to a .500 squad?

Catcher:

Hae-nim Kim, after an 18 game rookie debut in ’28, has been handed the starting job behind the plate. This is a major shift from the now backup backstop, ‘Tangles’ Calderon.

Season to Season Foresight Rating: ++

1b

Tokuhei Taniguchi blasted 24 homeruns in the bigs in ’28 with nine more in AAA. If he can get 30 during the ’29 campaign, the Hops will win some games. If he stalls at the plate, look for Yamamoto lurking in the AAA wings.

2b

Akira Kato, at 29, is maturing into a steady presence at the keystone position. He will be hitting lead-off, and will be expected to set the table for the Hops’ heart of the order.

SS

Donald Cameron, at 36, appeared in a career high 132 games. Now, at 37, Cameron is expected to at least repeat his .300 batting pace. San Pao Chio backs up.

3b

Ken Abbott, 34, set career highs in hits, batting average and slugging percentage with a slash of .326/.365/.453. If he can be anywhere near those marks, he will be a centerpiece in the Hops’ offense.

OF/Dh

As usual, a lot of great candidates for the corner outfield positions, and nobody who can really play is in the middle of the diamond. Christian Chevalier, who has 36 career starts in CF over eight seasons, is slated to begin the season in center. If he falters, the next best option is 17 year old, Martin “Bizarre” Arias, down in single A, though SD may opt for the much abused Jim Wood or Xavier Encarnacion, or the trade and waiver route.

LF and RF will feature two hitting stars of SD’s recent past, Tom Cassidy and Jejomar Butardo. That relegates Ricardo Romo to the DH slot. All three should hit close to .300 with double digit pop.

SP

Salah bin Atif, 1-12 in his big league career, will be atop the rotation, but he has electric stuff with a fastball that touches triple digits. Juan Vasquez, also young, is 5-17 career. Gonzalo Dieguez is 6-11 with 30 career starts, which says something about the Hops’ bullpen, not in a good way. Jorge Ortiz is the vet of the five, with a 71-63 career mark over 257 big league games including 182 starts. He’s the best of the current crop, having tallied an 8-8 mark in ’28. Jesus Ramirez has more career starts, at 233 in 400 games, but is perhaps headed to the bullpen eventually.

Bullpen

Mal Tosewell starts the year in the bullpen, but has an 80-48 record over 171 starts in his 202 appearances. Newcomer, Ernesto Lopez, brings a veteran presence to the relief corps. Rule 5 pickup, Dong soo Bruce hopes to prove he belongs in the bigs. Son Mai is the closer after saving 18 in the second half of 2028. Displaced closer, Ajdir Kasakya sets up from the southpaw side, and youngster Zong yuang Sang will be the right-handed setup man. That leaves middle relief to Jose Ramos and Kendrick Dobson. The latter went 7-13 as a starter in ’28 and is filling a new role as a long man.

Names to watch include Jim Phillips and Yo Watanabe in AAA, and 17 year old Javier Sanchez in Bethesda, single A.

The best hope for SD is to not lose 100 games. Anything beyond those 62 wins is garrulous gravy.

Hops mid-season 2028

San Diego Hops, mid-season 2028

Thirty games under .500, good for last place, 36.5 games back of the division leaders, and fresh off a series of trades at the July 31 deadline that has left Hops’ fans wondering, “What the heck is going on?”

Clearly, this is a team struggling to find an identity, and in the midst of an eight game losing streak, that identity is hard to fathom. The best pitcher (depicted above), Jorge “Tangles” Ortiz, is a journeyman hurler who has spent the last five years of his career in San Diego after coming over from Eureka in ’23. This season, his 3.50 ERA is the Hops’ best, and has bounced him back to the starting rotation. His 5-5 record shows what little support he is getting from the offense, and how bad the bullpen has been this season. Mal Tosewell is the only other arm that has been consistent, going 8-5 in a dozen starts coupled with another fifteen appearances out of the pen. From there it is downhill. Though the fans rebelled at the departure of James Thompson in a deadline deal, he was 4-12 this season, and 12-32 in his Hops’ career. Walt Lawson, also in a different uniform after the deadline flurry, was 22-32, also with an ERA well over 5. Their replacements are at least inexpensive, the reason most frequently cited for the San Diego roster makeover. After the deals that also saw Kyle Reader and Tom Cassidy leave the southland, the front office now enjoys an opportunity to spend money in the offseason on free agents, as well as extend those left on the roster.

HOP UPS

Besides Ortiz and Tosewell on the mound, what else is there for SD fans to cheer about? Start with veteran third-sacker, Ken Abbott. He’s clicking along at a .311/.349/.430 rate while contributing a decent glove at the hot corner. Next to him, another vet, Donald Cameron, is also hitting at .313 with a bit more pop, nine homers to Abbott’s seven. In the outfield/DH role, Ricardo Romo, .338/.369/.504 with 14 HR, and Danny Lopez, .294 in part time play are the veteran presence. Asked about often at trade deadline time was the future of the franchise, Jejomar Butardo, who leads the team with 20 HR, and his 63 RBI is one less than leader, Romo.

HOP DOWNS

Pitching is deplorable in the Brew Stade, with some hope for some of the prospects brought over in trade. John Calderon is doing an adequate job behind the plate but is struggling again at the plate. Akira Kato is having similar problems with the stick, though his defense at 2b has been above par. Tokuhei Taniguchi is going to see increased time at 1b, and his 16 HRs are good, but his sub .300 OBP is not a plus. CF has been a black hole named either Jim Wood or Xavier Encarnacion. The bench is thin and shaky.

YOUNG HOPS

All three minor-league teams are struggling as well, though a recent hot-streak has put Coronado close to .500 at 56-57. Catcher Hae-nim Kim may be a September call-up, as the 6^th round pick has hit around .300 two seasons in a row at the AAA level. Phil Phillips was 17-1 in the SoCal system, but lost his first game for AA Jacksonville. Yo Watanabe, also part of the trade glut, from Duke City, is in AAA, and rated the top pitcher in the Hops’ system. Jim Phillips, also from Duke, is thought to have a major league future.

HOP Sleepers

Salah Bin Atif will be in the Stade soon, and with his 100 mph heater. He is currently 8-4 in AAA after moving from the pen to the rotation. Adjir Kasakya has bided his time in Coronado after leading the Hops in saves last season. Two teenagers in Bethesda, the A affiliate, to watch are, 17 year old, Javier Sanchez, and 19 year old Yoshino Nakagawa, both potential starters in a couple of years. 2026 first rounder, John Curnew seems to have stalled in his development in A ball, though his ERA is down a full point from the five and a half of 2027.

OUTLOOK

Dim, but at least there is some money in the bank for the first time in three seasons.

Hops mid-season 2028

San Diego Hops, mid-season 2028

Thirty games under .500, good for last place, 36.5 games back of the division leaders, and fresh off a series of trades at the July 31 deadline that has left Hops’ fans wondering, “What the heck is going on?”

Clearly, this is a team struggling to find an identity, and in the midst of an eight game losing streak, that identity is hard to fathom. The best pitcher (depicted above), Jorge “Tangles” Ortiz, is a journeyman hurler who has spent the last five years of his career in San Diego after coming over from Eureka in ’23. This season, his 3.50 ERA is the Hops’ best, and has bounced him back to the starting rotation. His 5-5 record shows what little support he is getting from the offense, and how bad the bullpen has been this season. Mal Tosewell is the only other arm that has been consistent, going 8-5 in a dozen starts coupled with another fifteen appearances out of the pen. From there it is downhill. Though the fans rebelled at the departure of James Thompson in a deadline deal, he was 4-12 this season, and 12-32 in his Hops’ career. Walt Lawson, also in a different uniform after the deadline flurry, was 22-32, also with an ERA well over 5. Their replacements are at least inexpensive, the reason most frequently cited for the San Diego roster makeover. After the deals that also saw Kyle Reader and Tom Cassidy leave the southland, the front office now enjoys an opportunity to spend money in the offseason on free agents, as well as extend those left on the roster.

HOP UPS

Besides Ortiz and Tosewell on the mound, what else is there for SD fans to cheer about? Start with veteran third-sacker, Ken Abbott. He’s clicking along at a .311/.349/.430 rate while contributing a decent glove at the hot corner. Next to him, another vet, Donald Cameron, is also hitting at .313 with a bit more pop, nine homers to Abbott’s seven. In the outfield/DH role, Ricardo Romo, .338/.369/.504 with 14 HR, and Danny Lopez, .294 in part time play are the veteran presence. Asked about often at trade deadline time was the future of the franchise, Jejomar Butardo, who leads the team with 20 HR, and his 63 RBI is one less than leader, Romo.

HOP DOWNS

Pitching is deplorable in the Brew Stade, with some hope for some of the prospects brought over in trade. John Calderon is doing an adequate job behind the plate but is struggling again at the plate. Akira Kato is having similar problems with the stick, though his defense at 2b has been above par. Tokuhei Taniguchi is going to see increased time at 1b, and his 16 HRs are good, but his sub .300 OBP is not a plus. CF has been a black hole named either Jim Wood or Xavier Encarnacion. The bench is thin and shaky.

YOUNG HOPS

All three minor-league teams are struggling as well, though a recent hot-streak has put Coronado close to .500 at 56-57. Catcher Hae-nim Kim may be a September call-up, as the 6^th round pick has hit around .300 two seasons in a row at the AAA level. Phil Phillips was 17-1 in the SoCal system, but lost his first game for AA Jacksonville. Yo Watanabe, also part of the trade glut, from Duke City, is in AAA, and rated the top pitcher in the Hops’ system. Jim Phillips, also from Duke, is thought to have a major league future.

HOP Sleepers

Salah Bin Atif will be in the Stade soon, and with his 100 mph heater. He is currently 8-4 in AAA after moving from the pen to the rotation. Adjir Kasakya has bided his time in Coronado after leading the Hops in saves last season. Two teenagers in Bethesda, the A affiliate, to watch are, 17 year old, Javier Sanchez, and 19 year old Yoshino Nakagawa, both potential starters in a couple of years. 2026 first rounder, John Curnew seems to have stalled in his development in A ball, though his ERA is down a full point from the five and a half of 2027.

OUTLOOK

Dim, but at least there is some money in the bank for the first time in three seasons.

San Diego prepares for Opening Day, 2028

Jejomar Butardo, #63, switch-hitting corner outfielder for the San Diego Hops.

Created from a sketchbook image worked in Corel Painter, June, 2016

Dateline, Del Mar, CA

June 29, 2016

ABL Date: April 2, 2028

San Diego faces one of its toughest seasons as Opening Day, 2018, looms in Chicago’s, South Side Park. With perhaps the exception of young star, Jejomar Butardo, the expectations for the Hops’ nine, lead most prognosticators to rightfully place San Diego in the cellar of the CLatillupe Division. As spring training wound down, former stars, Stan Cheslin, Carlos Avila, Lorenzo Pueblo, and veterans like Cip Sousa, were all designated for assignment. All were rumored to be on the trading block, but it seems that the Hops’ management is willing to mortgage the financial present for some relief in years to come.

Rotation:

The top of the rotation, James Thompson, has an 8-20 career won lost record, and he’s the ace of the staff. However, perhaps he has been rushed, and is still a mere 23 years old. The rest of the forgettable five are, Walt Lawson, career ERA north of 5.2 in close to 200 career starts; Mal Tosewell, 72-41 lifetime, but a career marred by serious injuries; Gonzalo Dieguez, 4-6 career with a 6.98 ERA; and finally, Jorge Ortiz, 38-33 in a San Diego uniform. The brightest star in the minors, is only 16 years old, one Javier Sanchez, so sometime in the next decade there is a big arm headed to SD.

Bullpen:

The new name is, Son “Little Bull” Mai, a closer who starred in spring training, and is the bright spot resulting from the Leeder trade. In a 40 man roster move, last season’s closer will start the year in AAA. Adjir Kasakya is reported to be none too happy at the way he has been moved around. Jose Ramos, Jesus Ramirez, and Kendrick Dobson are all awaiting their trials in the rotation while they spit seeds in the Hops’ pen. Shiro Hatsutori and Zong-Yuan Sang are both opening the season on the major league roster because they’ve run out of minor league options.

Catcher:

John Calderon has wrestled the starting backstop job into his locker, now he needs to step up in the prime of his career to shine. A career .269 hitter with little pop, we’ll see. He’s backed up by young rookie, 24 year old, Devin Davis, who not only catches, but can man 1b and the outfield in a pinch, though never in the big leagues.

1b:

Kyle Reader is a career .341 hitter, and held off the challenge in spring of young 1b, Toku Taniguchi. Like many of the moves made by San Diego, this seems to be to appease the veteran, despite evidence that the batting title seasons of ’21 and ’22 are more distant in the rear-view mirror.

2b:

Akira Kato comes in to replace Gerard Leeder at the keystone, in the controversial trade with Maple. However, Kato has one of the most solid career batting pedigrees of most anyone on the Hops, and is 28, so still possible that there is a decent season on the horizon.

3b:

Ken Abbot is 33, and has never broken into the super star level in a workmanlike career. If he falters, there is not much support at the hot corner.

SS:

There are four legitimate shortstops on the SD roster, Donald Cameron, San-Pao Chio, Tae-Kyun Hong, and Taro Omori. Chio has the most potential, while Cameron will probably be the starter at 36.

LF:

Tom Cassidy is one of the few real power threats on the opening day roster, but has fought injuries throughout his career. Ricardo Romo will probably DH as like Cassidy, he swings right handed.

CF:

Jim Wood made the opening day roster after signing in ’27 as a minor league free agent. Xavier Encarnacion is his backup, but has not shown a major league bat.

RF:

One of the only bright young stars on San Diego is Jejomar Butardo. The 25 year old switch hitter had the best season of his young career in ’27, and hopes to break out in ’28. Daniel Lopez or Romo will back him up.

San Diego struggles with financial consistency, and it is showing in the aging roster. The goal for ’28 is to avoid 100 losses.

Spring Training in San Diego: 2027

Ken Abbott, 3b

San Diego Hops

Pre-season 2027

San Diego enjoyed only its second .500 season in the last seven, and notched its best record since 2019. The 83 wins tied for the second best record in franchise history, so fans rightfully are more optimistic than recent seasons. As spring pints are quaffed, Hops stalwarts are looking with interest at this year’s outlook.

Rotation: Jeff Kimball was the lone off-season trade acquisition, coming over from Eureka in exchange for reliever Javier Galindo, and OF prospect Will Trenholm. Kimball will likely start the season in the rotation, (but is now on the disabled list until at least May), joining Lorenzo Pueblo, 15-9 in ’26, 200 inning eater, Mal Tosewell, 11-11, Jose Ramos, 11-9 and waiver claimer, Kyoji Mizutani. Veterans, Walt Lawson, Francisco Rolon and Chris Hastings, wait in the wings should there be an opening. Pueblo was the ace in 2026, but there are hopes that another star emerges from the host of .500 pitchers.

Bullpen: Ajdir Kasakya rose to the closer role, and nailed down 29 saves to go with a 9-7 record. With confidence gained from his increased presence in the ninth inning, he looks to be the breakout pitcher for the Hops in ’27. Jesus Ramirez and Cipriano Sousa are the right-left setup combo, and have ample bodies, if not talent, with the likes of Barnes, bin Atif, Dieguez, etc. waiting in the wings.

Catcher: Easily the weakest position in the San Diego system, though major leaguers, John Calderon and Manny Fernandez are seasoned big league ballplayers. AA prospect, Hae-nim Kim is the highest rated catcher in the system, but has an attitude that needs adjusting if he’s going to make a big league impact.

1b: Kyle Reader spends most of his time at the corner sack, but can also play the outfield. With Reader and his .344 career average, and two-time batting champion, entrenched, San Diego can afford to wait on prospects Tokuhei Taniguchi and Susumu Yamamoto. Jejomar Butardo will also see some time at 1b, as well as the hot corner, DH and outfield.

2b: Gerard Leeder continued to blossom into a star at the keystone for the Hops. While starting 150 games, the slick middle-infielder cut down his strikeout total by 20%, and for the second straight season, scored over 100 runs. Carlos Gamboa backs him up in veteran fashion.

SS: San-Pan Chio emerged as the Hops’ starting SS in ’26. He displayed surprising alacrity with the stick, hitting .311 and garnering an .867 OPS. With 88 starts at the six hole, Chio fielded well above average, committing only nine errors. Tae-Kyun Hong looks not quite ready for the bigs, and it is hoped he can spend ’27 in AAA.

3b: Ken Abbott gives veteran solidity to the hot corner, and is hoping to continue anchoring the position for years to come. A product of a deal with South Carolina in ’24, Abbott has been consistent, but it is hoped he can drive home more runs in ’27. Paul Miller backs up 3b, and can play 2b and SS.

OF: Tom Cassidy is poised to make his first All-Star appearance, given his continuing improvement over the last three seasons. He starts in LF, while it is a rotating cast in the rest of the outfield. RF will most likely be Jejo Butardo, spelled by Ricardo Romo and Dan Lopez who both also play LF. The only true CF is Xavier Encarnación, who hit a paltry .193 in ’26. That opened the door for aging vet, Stan Cheslin, who started 40 times in CF to the dismay of the Hops’ pitching staff. Daniel Lopez was even worse, so watch for experimentation in CF this spring. Carl Questi and Jaen Rossell are both years away from producing in CF for SD, so like the catching position, this is one to watch deal-wise, in coming months.

Though picked to finish above .500, San Diego is not poised to contend unless the C/CF/rotation questions are answered.