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.

San Diego at One Third=Even

San Diego Hops
June 8, 2026
29-30, 16 GB, Fifth Place

San Diego made some cost-cutting moves that have led to a lack-lustre opening to the 2026 campaign.

The offseason pre-Christmas gift, featured this blockbuster:

Followed by:

Meaning former first overall pick, Goldi Lebel, long considered the anchor of the franchise was gone, and veteran Stan Cheslin and a number of seeming journeymen had joined the Hops contingent. How has that paid off for San Diego? The answer is mixed, at best.

Catcher: Grade=B
With Lebel not an option, Manny Fernandez, obtained in the Lebel deal, has stepped in to the tune of a .261 average, but more important, has handled a fragile minded pitching staff. Five-time All-Star, 37 year old, Phillip Smith, is playing out his career string as his backup. In the minors, South Korean import, Hae-Nim Kim is showing promise in AA, while the AAA duo of "Tangles" Calderon, and Ekansa Sathiamoorthy has stalled short of the majors.

First Base: Grade=A
Kyle Reader seems to mellow with age, but like a fine wine, or barrel-aged porter, keeps getting better. His .360 average stands fourth in the division, and he looks to be headed to his fifth All-Star game. He is spelled by former phenom, Jejomar Butardo, whose sheen has dimmed somewhat at only 23. Susumu Yamamoto, a 2nd round pick in '23, has 10 homers, destined to top his career high of 14 in AAA Coronado.

Second Base: Grade=B+
Gerard "Mastodon" Leeder is the captain of the team at 23, and is gaining momentum towards a career topping season. Although he led the league in the unenviable category of strikeouts at 244, he is on course for under 200 this year while increasing his OBP from .320 to .380. He continues to look like the fielder that won a Gold Glove in '25. The only other potential keystone mainstay in the system, is injured infielder, Paul Miller, with no prospect in the minors.

Third Base: Grade=B-
Ken Abbott, veteran from the trade with South Carolina, has been a solid, if unspectacular, addition, with a slash line in '26 of .301/.361/.433. His lack of power, parallel to Reader at the other infield corner, means the San Diego offense relies almost exclusively on its outfield for the long ball. Paul Miller backs up adequately, but little depth in the system leads to the overall downgrade from B to B-. Butardo is having a two-week tryout while Abbott is on the DL.

Shortstop: Grade=C
Paul Miller has been playing out of position here, then hurt his back and is out until September. San-Pao Chio will have an opportunity to warrant his international signing back in 2018 as a 17 year old Taiwanese import. "Racetrack" Hong, a waiver pickup, has been brought up as a backup for now. In the minors, Aanand Selvam, is looking to be the first Bangladeshi major leaguer.

Outfield: Grade=B
Left field: Tom Cassidy is in his fourth season as a Hops starter, and may be heading to his first All-Star appearance. An early power surge has him at 14 dingers, leading the team, and until recently ranking high in the division. He is on course for 200 hits for the first time in his career. Ricardo Romo is an adequate backup, and has been part of a modest DH group including Butardo and Stan Cheslin. No corner outfielders of note are clamoring for attention in the minors.
Center field: Two time All Star, Carlos Avila, is in severe decline, batting only .190 in AAA after manning CF the last few seasons in San Diego. No outfielder has stepped up at the major league level, with waiver pickup Xavier Encarnacion the latest attempt until he landed on the DL this week. Another waiver claim, Julio Ruiz has been called up to shore up defense, but this is a huge weakness for SD. It is hoped that nineteen year old International signee, Jayden Rossell, from England, will be the future answer, but he just got moved from A to AA, and is the youngest member of the Jacksonville squad.
Right field: Stan Cheslin has nine Gold Gloves, and at 32 still has gas in the tank as evidenced by his .314/.397/.568 slash line. He did not look good in CF, so the move to RF should pay dividends for a San Diego team looking for answers on both offense and defense. His backup, Daniel Lopez, slides into the DH position and is mashing at a .300 clip. As mentioned, beyond Butardo, nothing looks promising as a power-in-waiting option for the Hops.

Bullpen: Grade=C+ to B
One of the multiple Achilles heels of the San Diego team, the bullpen is showing signs of hope as the Hops have concentrated on pitching during its last few drafts. South African, Ajdir Kasakya, a fastball-slider slinging southpaw, has been moved into the closer role, and has responded well after replacing aging veteran, Ed Downing, no doubt in his last season with SD after a venerable twelve season run. His 222 career saves promise to be a San Diego record far into the next decade. Cipriano Sousa brings a 100 mph heater to the mound, and he seems to finally have harnessed his command. Jesus Ramirez has also contributed. Down on the farm, Zong-yuan Sang, Abdul-Fattah Arfan, Gonzalo Dieguez, Fu Po Eng, Javier Galindo, Shiro Hatsutori and Jeff Hodge are all clamoring for attention, and many will see major league action this season or next.

Starting Pitching:=B-
Hope springs eternal in the southland, maybe this year will be the nectar of an Imperial IPA, or at least a rotation that can stand up to the rigors of the big leagues. Lo, this year's Speakeasy Blind Tiger is exquisite, but the rotation?
Erstwhile ace, Mal Tosewell, has shrugged off yet another long injury in '25, and is in good form with a 6-4 record, 2:1 K to BB ration and a presentable 3.76 ERA. José Ramos has moved out of the bullpen into the rotation, and after his last start, a shutout, he sports a 5-1 record with a 3.80 ERA. Along with his three saves, he has been the key player in the Lebel trade, paying off better than expected. This is the opposite result from the other starter coming to SD in the trade, as Walt Lawson has the worst ERA of his career at 6.48, and a dismal 1-7 record. He has been exiled to the back of the pen. Chris Hastings, part of the South Carolina trade, has also been put in detention with an ERA that has soared above the seven level. Lorenzo Pueblo has been maddeningly inconsistent, but does have a 3-1 record in his last five starts bringing his ERA down from 6.69 to 5.38. If this continues, he becomes a valuable commodity. The biggest surprise is lefty, Jorge Ortiz. Last season, a 5-12 7.02 ERA would never lead pundits to think he would be entering June with a 7-1 record and a meagre 2.82 ERA. Those are the numbers equivalent to an All Star consideration. Rookie, Kendrick Dobson, got called up to the rotation and promptly got hurt. It remains to be seen if his four pitch array translates to the bigs.
In the minors, Juan Vasquez is the number one prospect, having risen through the ranks from his International signing at 17. He features a 100 mph fastball with aggressive tilt, and is in the process of harnessing secondary pitches. He is currently the #10 prospect in the ABL. Dan Wilson, Gonzalo Dieguez, Salah bin Atif, Russell Numbers, Larry Barnes, and Francisco Rolon are all pitchers with potential major league credentials.

Overall, thanks to plentiful pints of IPA, San Diego is positive about its future. It only needs a shortstop, a center-fielder and a catcher, only this time in three different bodies rather than the one that Goldi Lebel possessed.

Hops Even at One Third: June 2026

San Diego Hops
June 8, 2026
29-30, 16 GB, Fifth Place

San Diego made some cost-cutting moves that have led to a lack-lustre opening to the 2026 campaign.

The offseason pre-Christmas gift, featured this blockbuster:

Followed by:

Meaning former first overall pick, Goldi Lebel, long considered the anchor of the franchise was gone, and veteran Stan Cheslin and a number of seeming journeymen had joined the Hops contingent. How has that paid off for San Diego? The answer is mixed, at best.

Catcher: Grade=B
With Lebel not an option, Manny Fernandez, obtained in the Lebel deal, has stepped in to the tune of a .261 average, but more important, has handled a fragile minded pitching staff. Five-time All-Star, 37 year old, Phillip Smith, is playing out his career string as his backup. In the minors, South Korean import, Hae-Nim Kim is showing promise in AA, while the AAA duo of "Tangles" Calderon, and Ekansa Sathiamoorthy has stalled short of the majors.

First Base: Grade=A
Kyle Reader seems to mellow with age, but like a fine wine, or barrel-aged porter, keeps getting better. His .360 average stands fourth in the division, and he looks to be headed to his fifth All-Star game. He is spelled by former phenom, Jejomar Butardo, whose sheen has dimmed somewhat at only 23. Susumu Yamamoto, a 2nd round pick in '23, has 10 homers, destined to top his career high of 14 in AAA Coronado.

Second Base: Grade=B+
Gerard "Mastodon" Leeder is the captain of the team at 23, and is gaining momentum towards a career topping season. Although he led the league in the unenviable category of strikeouts at 244, he is on course for under 200 this year while increasing his OBP from .320 to .380. He continues to look like the fielder that won a Gold Glove in '25. The only other potential keystone mainstay in the system, is injured infielder, Paul Miller, with no prospect in the minors.

Third Base: Grade=B-
Ken Abbott, veteran from the trade with South Carolina, has been a solid, if unspectacular, addition, with a slash line in '26 of .301/.361/.433. His lack of power, parallel to Reader at the other infield corner, means the San Diego offense relies almost exclusively on its outfield for the long ball. Paul Miller backs up adequately, but little depth in the system leads to the overall downgrade from B to B-. Butardo is having a two-week tryout while Abbott is on the DL.

Shortstop: Grade=C
Paul Miller has been playing out of position here, then hurt his back and is out until September. San-Pao Chio will have an opportunity to warrant his international signing back in 2018 as a 17 year old Taiwanese import. "Racetrack" Hong, a waiver pickup, has been brought up as a backup for now. In the minors, Aanand Selvam, is looking to be the first Bangladeshi major leaguer.

Outfield: Grade=B
Left field: Tom Cassidy is in his fourth season as a Hops starter, and may be heading to his first All-Star appearance. An early power surge has him at 14 dingers, leading the team, and until recently ranking high in the division. He is on course for 200 hits for the first time in his career. Ricardo Romo is an adequate backup, and has been part of a modest DH group including Butardo and Stan Cheslin. No corner outfielders of note are clamoring for attention in the minors.
Center field: Two time All Star, Carlos Avila, is in severe decline, batting only .190 in AAA after manning CF the last few seasons in San Diego. No outfielder has stepped up at the major league level, with waiver pickup Xavier Encarnacion the latest attempt until he landed on the DL this week. Another waiver claim, Julio Ruiz has been called up to shore up defense, but this is a huge weakness for SD. It is hoped that nineteen year old International signee, Jayden Rossell, from England, will be the future answer, but he just got moved from A to AA, and is the youngest member of the Jacksonville squad.
Right field: Stan Cheslin has nine Gold Gloves, and at 32 still has gas in the tank as evidenced by his .314/.397/.568 slash line. He did not look good in CF, so the move to RF should pay dividends for a San Diego team looking for answers on both offense and defense. His backup, Daniel Lopez, slides into the DH position and is mashing at a .300 clip. As mentioned, beyond Butardo, nothing looks promising as a power-in-waiting option for the Hops.

Bullpen: Grade=C+ to B
One of the multiple Achilles heels of the San Diego team, the bullpen is showing signs of hope as the Hops have concentrated on pitching during its last few drafts. South African, Ajdir Kasakya, a fastball-slider slinging southpaw, has been moved into the closer role, and has responded well after replacing aging veteran, Ed Downing, no doubt in his last season with SD after a venerable twelve season run. His 222 career saves promise to be a San Diego record far into the next decade. Cipriano Sousa brings a 100 mph heater to the mound, and he seems to finally have harnessed his command. Jesus Ramirez has also contributed. Down on the farm, Zong-yuan Sang, Abdul-Fattah Arfan, Gonzalo Dieguez, Fu Po Eng, Javier Galindo, Shiro Hatsutori and Jeff Hodge are all clamoring for attention, and many will see major league action this season or next.

Starting Pitching:=B-
Hope springs eternal in the southland, maybe this year will be the nectar of an Imperial IPA, or at least a rotation that can stand up to the rigors of the big leagues. Lo, this year's Speakeasy Blind Tiger is exquisite, but the rotation?