Gabriel Arias, 17, plays in Padres spring training game
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mesa, ariz. — Gabriel Arias will turn 18 on Tuesday.
On Saturday, he made a diving grab on a grounder to third base and threw out a runner in the eighth inning of a major league spring training game.
The Venezuelan also struck out in two trips to the plate, including a meek swing and miss on a pitch that darted down and away to end the Padres’ 8-3 loss to the Oakland A’s.
“He’s going to be good,” manager Andy Green said. “He should be in high school class right now instead of playing in major league spring training games at 17 years old. That play he made down the line is pretty special. Offensively, he’s made a huge adjustment with his hands where I saw them previously, where his launch position is. He’s going to be fine. He’s not used to 3-2 sliders in (8-3) baseball games. That’s like, ‘Welcome to the big leagues.’ He’ll get used to that kind of stuff.”
The exposure of Arias and numerous other prospects to a major league atmosphere is a big part of what Padres camp has been about, especially before many veterans begin playing regularly in Cactus League games.
There is no bad in this exercise. There is just learning, like the education of free swinging 19-year-old Fernando Tatis Jr. A day after subbing in and hitting a home run in his debut, the Padres’ top minor league prospect started at shortstop and struck out all three times he batted against the A’s.
“The experience is great for them,” Green said.
Also playing the final few innings Saturday were second baseman Luis Urias and first baseman Josh Naylor, both 20. Hudson Potts, 19, played in Friday’s spring opener.
Potts and Arias are among the prospects up from minor league minicamp who have for the past couple days been doing drills in big-league camp in the morning. Also working with the major leaguers on Saturday morning were 17-year-olds Justin Lopez and Tirso Ornelas.
“We’re trying to build a culture where you build continuity,” Green said. “The way you have that is if Chase Headley has Hudson Potts standing next to him, because maybe Hudson Potts is our third baseman in a few years. That said, he’s got a long way to go. So does Gabe Arias. … They’re incredibly talented young baseball players.”
