Machado, prospects give San Diego huge boost

Some teams build through their farm system.

Some build through the free-agent market.

The 2019 Padres are constructed from both foundations.

The Padres Opening Day roster includes three key free agents led by third baseman Manny Machado plus three rookies ranked not only among their Top 5 prospects but among the Top 34 in all of the Minor Leagues.

The free agents: Newcomers Machado and second baseman Ian Kinsler plus first baseman Eric Hosmer, who signed with the Padres before the 2018 season.

The rookies: Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., catcher Francisco Mejia and right-handed starting pitcher Chris Paddack.

Going farther, the Padres’ Opening Day, 25-man roster numbers – players drafted by the Padres or developed in their top-ranked system.

But it is the mix of players from the system and talent acquired from the outside that gives Padres fans high hopes for a future that now seems sooner than later.

The Padres’ Opening Day lineup figures to include the three free agents, five players developed in the Padres’ system and left fielder Wil Myers.

Machado is the newest member of the Padres family. The 26-year-old, four-time American League All-Star signed a record, 10-year, $300 million contract with the Padres in February – the deal eclipsing the eight-season, $180 million contract signed by Hosmer a year earlier as the richest in Padres’ history.

Tatis is the youngest. The shortstop, who is ranked the No. 2 prospect in all the minor leagues, was born on Jan. 2, 1999. He will be 20 years and 85 days old when he makes his Major League debut in Thursday afternoon’s season opener against the Giants at Petco Park.

His age is significant on several fronts:

• Tatis will be the fifth-youngest player in Padres history and the youngest ever on the Opening Day roster. The youngest Padre ever was outfielder Brian Greer, who was 18 years and 122 days old when he made his Major League debut in 1977. Right-handed pitcher Jay Franklin was 18 years and 172 days old when he debuted followed by Mike Ivie (19 years, 27 days) and Roberto Alomar (20 years, 77 days).

• Tatis will be the youngest Padre position player since Aomar debuted on April 22, 1988. Roberto Alomar is in the Hall of Fame.

• And Tatis is the fourth-youngest player to start in the Major Leagues on Opening Day over the past 42 seasons. And the other three -- Adrian Beltre, native San Diegan Alan Trammell and Ken Griffey Jr. -- are also in the Hall of Fame.

Tatis, however, will not be the only Padre in the Opening Day lineup whose age makes him special.

Left-handed pitcher Eric Lauer will be 23 years, 298 days old when he takes the mound to start Thursday. He will be the second-youngest Opening Day starting pitcher in franchise history. Right-hander Clay Kirby was 23 years, 295 days when he was the Opening Day starting pitcher in 1972. Lauer missed the record it by three days.

The Padres will carry 12 pitchers, two catchers, five infielders and six outfielders on their Opening Day 25-man roster. They will not carry a fifth starter on the Opening Day roster.

The Opening Day roster:

Starting pitchers (4) -- Left-handers Eric Lauer, Joey Lucchesi and Matt Strrahm. Right-hander Chris Paddack.

Relief pitchers (8) -- Left-handers Robbie Erlin, Aaron Loup. Right-handers Phil Maton, Craig Stammen, Robert Stock, Adam Warren, Trey Wingenter and Kirby Yates.

Catchers – Austin Hedges and Francisco Mejia.

Infielders – Greg Garcia, Eric Hosmer, Ian Kinsler, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr.

Outfielders – Socrates Brito, Franchy Cordero, Manuel Margot, Wil Myers, Hunter Renfroe and Franmil Reyes.

Mejia is a switch-hitter. Hosmer, Cordero, Garcia and Brito, who was claimed Wednesday off waivers, are left-handed hitters.

Thirteen Padres are products of the farm system ranked No. 1 in baseball on Opening Day for each of the past two seasons – Erlin, Lauer, Lucchesi, Maton, Paddack, Wingenter, Hedges, Mejia, Tatis, Cordero, Margot, Renfroe and Reyes.

Six of those were drafted by the Padres – Hedges (second round, 2011), Lauer (first round, 2016), Lucchesi (fourth round, 2016), Maton (20th round, 2015), Renfroe (first round, 2013) and Wingenter (17th round, 2015).

Cordero and Reyes were signed by the Padres as members of the 2011 international signing class.