Prospects Urias, Naylor produce in AFL opener

October 11th, 2017

Padres prospects Luis Urias and both had strong Arizona Fall League debuts in the Peoria Javelinas' 3-0 victory over Glendale on Tuesday to open the season.
Urias, a middle infielder, went 1-for-3 with a single and a run scored. The 20-year-old is San Diego's No. 3 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, and No. 48 overall. He posted a .296/.398/.380 slash line in 118 games for Double-A San Antonio this season.
Signed out of the Mexican League as a 16-year-old, Urias was named the Class A Advanced California League's MVP in 2016 at age 19. He's a line-drive hitter with excellent pitch recognition and sprays the ball all over the field, especially in the gaps. With his advanced approach at the plate, he's seen as an impact player at the Major League level.
Naylor, the Padres' No. 10 prospect, went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles for Peoria. San Diego acquired the 20-year-old first baseman in the trade that sent , and to the Marlins in July 2016. Naylor was a first-round selection (12th overall) by Miami in 2015. Between Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio this season, he slashed .280/.346/.415 with 10 home runs in 114 games.

Naylor has plus-plus raw power as a left-handed hitter, but his early results in the Minors are more reflective of his bat speed and excellent hand-eye coordination. His ability to keep the barrel in the zone longer than most hitters leads to hard contact to all parts of the field, and he projects as a middle-of-the-order hitter in the Majors, with the potential to produce 30-plus homers in a season.