Track Record: Fernando Tatis had a quality decade-long career, but his son Fernando Jr. projects to be even better. The younger Tatis was lightly regarded as an international amateur in the Dominican Republic and wasn't even invited to MLB's international showcase when he was 16. The White Sox went against the consensus and signed him for $700,000. Shortly after signing, Tatis grew two inches and filled out, developing newfound leverage and power. The Padres scouted Tatis heavily and, before he ever played a pro game, acquired him and righthander Erik Johnson from the White Sox for James Shields in June 2016. Almost immediately, Tatis blossomed into one of baseball's top prospects. A unique blend of power, speed and athleticism, Tatis became the first 18-year-old to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the Midwest League. He was on pace for another 20-20 season at Double-A San Antonio in 2018, but he suffered a broken left thumb on a headfirst slide in late July and had season-ending surgery.

Scouting Report: Strong and lithe in his long, athletic physique, Tatis has a chance to be a rare everyday shortstop who is a true power-speed threat. Tatis has a loose, rhythmic swing with a lot of moving parts that sometimes get out of whack, but when everything is in sync, he is an offensive force. Tatis tracks pitches deep and powers his barrel through the zone, driving the ball with excellent extension and leverage. Balls explode off his bat from gap-to-gap, and he shows off his plus-plus raw power with towering pullside home runs. Tatis has bouts of over-aggressiveness that lead to elevated strikeout totals, but he generally self-corrects. An above-average hitter with plus power and possibly more, Tatis enhances his offensive game with his speed. While he previously stole bags with average speed and advanced instincts, he improved his body composition and is now a plus runner who reaches plus-plus underway. That improved fitness also led to quicker reactions and more range at shortstop, silencing concerns about him moving off the position. With plus-plus arm strength, reliable hands and now wide lateral range, Tatis could be an above-average or plus defender at short.

The Future: Tatis has the talent to be a perennial all-star shortstop and the personality to be the face of the Padres franchise. He'll begin 2019 at Triple-A El Paso and has a chance to make his ML debut at 20 years old.