Padres' Outfield Prospect 'Did Everything He Could' In First Spring Training, Says Mike Shildt

Padres manager tips his cap toward the No. 12 prospect.

The San Diego Padres are just under a week away from the start of their 2024 season. The team will travel to Seoul, South Korea, to take on their rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, for a two-game series to get the season rolling.

While the roster is almost set, the Padres have had to make some tough cuts as spring training winds down. One of the players who wasn't able to make the Opening Day roster is their No. 12 prospect per MLB Pipeline, outfielder Jakob Marsee. 

The 22-year-old was re-assigned on Monday, however, he made a significant impact on manager Mike Shildt. Shildt recently praised the 22-year-old, saying he "did everything he could" this spring training. 

"He looked like he belonged. He did everything he could have possibly done. He's on track to have a long career with us at the big league level. Just the decision ... was, is there going to be everyday time for him? Didn't think there was going to be those at-bats. Let him go down, get those at-bats, and continue to work on his craft."

—Mike Shildt, via 97.3 The Fan

Marsee was solid in his 11 games. In 21 at-bats, he slashed .238/.370/.333 with a .703 OPS, five hits, three RBIs and five walks. 

The lefty hitter showed he can be a big-league player this spring, and Shildt is confident of that. The six-foot slugger controls the strike zone as well as anyone in the Padres' farm system. Although his defense is questionable, he relies on his instincts and reads to get to balls quickly. 

While Marsee didn't make the Opening Day roster, he could still very well debut at some point this season. For now, though, he'll focus on continuing his hot start to the season in the minor leagues.