Every year in San Diego, a certain cycle continues: Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller trades away more young talent in win-now moves. His farm system slips further down public rankings of major-league farm systems. Team officials dispute those rankings, pointing out that they keep coming up with more young talent to trade.

This year, perhaps the Padres will find out if this cycle has a breaking point. Their roster lacks starting-pitching depth, and the farm system — ranked No. 30 by multiple publications — appears to offer little immediate help.

“You just can’t trade that many prospects in that short a period of time without it affecting your system, and the state of their system is compounded by their draft strategy, which focuses on high-risk, high-upside prospects, notably high school pitchers, who fail at higher rates,” The Athletic’s Keith Law wrote in February.

That doesn’t mean the Padres’ system is devoid of interesting players who could impact the big-league club either on the field or through, yes, more potential trades. While catcher Ethan Salas and left-hander Kruz Schoolcraft remain the most recognizable names, here are four other prospects to watch in 2026.

Bradgley Rodriguez, RHP

Among pitchers who threw at least 40 fastballs in the Cactus or Grapefruit leagues, Mason Miller ranked first with an average velocity of 100.8 mph. Fellow Padres reliever Adrian Morejon was sixth, at 99.2 mph.

Eleventh on the list? Rodriguez, who fired 85 fastballs at an average of 98.7 mph. Opposing batters put 10 of those fastballs into play, coming away with three singles and nothing else. It was only spring training, but it also encouraged the Padres to put the 22-year-old on their Opening Day roster.

Rodriguez’s latest big-league stint — he debuted in 2025, allowing one run across seven relief appearances — might not last long. He has minor-league options, and someone in the bullpen figures to be squeezed out when setup man Jason Adam comes off the injured list. Then again, Rodriguez’s stuff is good enough that he could stick for a while, giving the Padres another potent arm in a top-shelf bullpen. More evidence arrived Thursday, when Rodriguez threw two perfect innings in the Padres’ season-opening loss.

Garrett Hawkins, RHP

Hawkins was named the Padres’ minor-league pitcher of the year after a 2025 season in which he reeled off a 38-inning scoreless streak spanning 29 appearances across the High-A and Double-A levels. Not a bad way to return from Tommy John surgery, which had erased the bespectacled Canadian’s 2024 campaign.

In 2026, he could reach a big-league bullpen by September. The Padres added Hawkins to their 40-man roster over the offseason, and he showed glimpses of his ability throughout spring training. Hawkins’ repertoire isn’t as high-octane as Rodriguez’s, but he possesses a 6-foot-5 frame to go along with a mid-90s fastball.

Tucker Musgrove, RHP

Yes, Musgrove is yet another reliever in a system thin at other positions. He’s also a former two-way player who has tantalized team officials with his arm and athleticism.

Musgrove was the Padres’ seventh-round draft pick in 2023, made his professional debut in 2025 after recovering from Tommy John surgery, and finished the year in the Arizona Fall League. With a firm fastball and an above-average slider, he has high-leverage upside.

Ty Harvey, C

Salas’ stalled progress over the past two seasons is a good reminder of the difficulty of catcher development, and Harvey has barely played professionally, appearing in seven High-A games as a fifth-round pick. Still, the 19-year-old has the talent to prove himself as one of San Diego’s most valuable prospects.

The Padres already paid him as such, awarding a $1.5 million signing bonus not long after an impressive showing at the MLB Draft Combine. Unusually athletic for his position, Harvey eventually could become a solid receiver with above-average power.