Fernando Tatis

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked San Diego Padres #1 prospect in 2019
  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.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #1 prospect in 2018
  Born in the Dominican Republic, Tatis nonetheless grew up around Major League Baseball. His father of the same name played 11 seasons as an MLB third baseman, and he often tagged along in clubhouses as a child. When it came time for Tatis Jr. to turn pro, he largely split evaluators because of a perceived weak physical frame and long swing. The White Sox were optimistic and signed him for $700,000. Tatis grew two inches and filled out after signing, and the Padres scouted him closely, ultimately trading James Shields to the White Sox in June 2016 and throwing in nearly $30 million to ensure they received Tatis. He has blossomed since. Playing at the same age as most high school seniors in 2017, Tatis became the first 18-year-old ever to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the low Class A Midwest League and was promoted to Double-A San Antonio in August. Early in 2017, Tatis would come to the plate without a plan and get caught swinging over breaking balls on the outer half, but he quickly adjusted and became a precocious mix of power and patience. He tracks pitches well and consistently drives hittable offerings with excellent extension and leverage through his swing. Balls jump off his bat from gap to gap, and he shows plus power with towering pull-side home runs. Tatis cut his strikeout rate each successive month at Fort Wayne, and at the time he was promoted, he led the Midwest League in walks. He enhances his offensive game with his basestealing ability. He is an average runner whose speed plays up on the bases with his instincts, reads and jumps. At shortstop, Tatis frequently makes highlight-reel plays and shows off a plus, accurate arm, but on a play-to-play basis, evaluators see fringy range and many project a move to third base if he grows bigger. Tatis will stay at shortstop for now and has the actions to stick there if he maintains his body. In addition to his physical talents, Tatis is a natural leader. He is nearly bilingual and an effective communicator with impressive self-awareness. Tatis has all the components of a middle-of-the-order shortstop, and even if he has to move to third base has more than enough bat to flourish. His mix of talent, personality and bilingualism sets him up to become the face of the Padres franchise.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #17 prospect in 2017
  The son of former big league third baseman Fernando Tatis split scouts as an international amateur because of what some felt was a weak physical frame. The White Sox went against the grain in 2015 and signed him for $700,000, then used him as the main prospect in a trade to the Padres for James Shields a year later. Tatis showed the White Sox were on to something. He grew two inches and improved his strength and coordination after signing. He now shows plus arm strength and impressive lateral range for his size at shortstop with reliable hands, combined with above-average feel for the barrel and power potential at the plate. Tatis has a lot of moving parts to his swing and struggles swinging at pitches outside the zone, most notably on breaking balls, but he showed he was capable of driving anything in the strike zone with good leverage. Big and strong at the plate and free and easy with his movements at shortstop, Tatis projects as an above-average everyday shortstop as long as he tightens up his strike-zone discipline. He will begin 2017 at low Class A Fort Wayne as an 18-year-old.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Texas League #1 prospect in 2018
  A left thumb fracture and ensuing surgery ended Tatis Jr.’s 2018 season in late July, but he clearly separated himself as the top position player prospect in the TL. All five of the 19-year-old shortstop’s tools drew plus grades from one evaluator. He’s made steady improvement with his speed, body and range. Tatis finished second in the league with an .862 OPS despite being its youngest player on Opening Day. Even on the rare days he didn’t get a hit, he found other ways to beat teams, drawing walks, stealing bases, and preventing hits with his glove. Though there were previous concerns about his ability to stick at short, those evaporated as he solidified himself as a plus shortstop with quick actions and a reliable glove. His 16 homers and 16 stolen bases in just 88 games showed his exciting 20-20 or potential. How recovery from his thumb injury will determine his time line to the majors.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #2 prospect in 2017
  Most White Sox trades in recent years added prospects, but acquiring James Shields in mid-2016 subtracted Tatis, whom they signed for $700,000 in 2015. The Padres are the ones reaping the rewards. Tatis improved his solid .766 OPS from the first half, erupting for 12 homers and a 1.108 OPS with 17 stolen bases in the second half. He became the first 18-year-old ever to compile a 20-homer, 20-steal season in the MWL before a late-season promotion to Double-A. Tatis impressed scouts with above-average hitting and power tools, with future plus power. Scouts project Tatis to eventually move to third base because of his fringe-average range and hands. He has the arm and power to profile at third.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #10 prospect in 2016
  The son of the 11-year major league veteran of the same name, Tatis signed with the White Sox for $700,000 in 2015 and was traded to the Padres for James Shields in June. He served as everyday shortstop this season while also seeing action at second and third base. Originally projected more as a third baseman, Tatis has the balance and instincts to stay at shortstop provided he doesn't grow out of the position. Unlike his father, Tatis has a tall, lean frame with broad shoulders and should be able to accommodate more weight. Tatis has an advanced feel for hitting with power to all fields, and the ball jumps off his bat, but he's a free swinger who sometimes chases balls out of the zone. Defensively, he shows a plus arm with good range and smooth actions. Tatis' early life spent around big league ballparks shows up in his approach to the game. "He definitely has a good understanding of the game," Padres manager Michael Collins said. "He sees the game very well, just talking baseball and understanding situations."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #2 prospect in 2019
• Ranked Baseball America's #9 prospect in 2018

• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Strep throat and mechanical issues in his swing precipitated a slow start for Tatis, but after getting healthy and making tweaks to his head position, leg kick and bat placement, he took off. Tatis hit .327/.400/.572 after May 1 and was on pace for his second-straight 20 homer, 20 stolen base season before he fractured his thumb sliding headfirst into second base in late July, a season-ending injury. As important as his offense, Tatis improved his body composition to become faster and more dynamic in the field. He is now a plus runner with the chance to be a plus shortstop defensively, silencing most concerns about him moving off the position.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Born in the Dominican Republic, Tatis nonetheless grew up around Major League Baseball. His father of the same name played 11 seasons as an MLB third baseman, and he often tagged along in clubhouses as a child. When it came time for Tatis Jr. to turn pro, he largely split evaluators because of a perceived weak physical frame and long swing. The White Sox were optimistic and signed him for $700,000. Tatis grew two inches and filled out after signing, and the Padres scouted him closely, ultimately trading James Shields to the White Sox in June 2016 and throwing in nearly $30 million to ensure they received Tatis. He has blossomed since. Playing at the same age as most high school seniors in 2017, Tatis became the first 18-year-old ever to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in the low Class A Midwest League and was promoted to Double-A San Antonio in August, where he hit .350 in the Texas League playoffs. Scouting Report: Early in 2017, Tatis would come to the plate without a plan and get caught swinging over breaking balls on the outer half, but he quickly adjusted and became a precocious mix of power and patience. He tracks pitches well and consistently drives hittable offerings with excellent extension and leverage through his swing. Balls jump off his bat from gap to gap, and he shows plus power with towering pull-side home runs. Tatis cut his strikeout rate each successive month at Fort Wayne, and at the time he was promoted, he led the Midwest League in walks. He enhances his offensive game with his basestealing ability. He is an average runner whose speed plays up on the bases with his instincts, reads and jumps. At shortstop, Tatis frequently makes highlight-reel plays and shows off a plus, accurate arm, but on a play-to-play basis, evaluators see fringy range and many project a move to third base if he grows bigger. Tatis will stay at shortstop for now and has the actions to stick there if he maintains his body. In addition to his physical talents, Tatis is a natural leader. He is nearly bilingual and an effective communicator with impressive self-awareness for his age. The Future: Tatis has all the components of a middle-of-the-order shortstop, and even if he has to move to third base has more than enough bat to flourish. His mix of talent, personality and bilingualism sets him up to become the face of the Padres franchise.