The Padres are looking for bats in the system, and Elliot Lascelles has wasted no time giving them a reason to pay attention.
The infielder is off to a strong start after his promotion to Single-A Lake Elsinore, where he’s batting .326 with a 94 percent contract rate through his first 13 starts as a pro. He already has four multi-hit games, including a recent four-hit performance, and he’s also 4-for-4 on stolen bases. Lascelles even stole home in a Lake Elsinore win, adding another eye-catching moment to a start that has only strengthened his case.
That kind of quick adjustment is exactly what the Padres wanted to see after moving him up from their spring training complex in Peoria, Arizona. Assistant director of player development Mike Daly said the organization felt comfortable pushing him.
“To go out there to Lake Elsinore and not skip a beat is a real positive. When he was ready to go, we wanted to challenge him because we felt like he could handle that level.” Daly said.
Lascelles arrived with some real buzz. Clark Fahrenthold of MLB.com identified him as the top Canadian position player in this year’s draft, and the Padres had been tracking him for a while. He earned that attention with a standout showing for the Canadian Junior National Team, where he hit .389 with four extra base hits against opponents featuring prlenty of professional pitchers.
His performance in the MLB Draft League pushed him even higher on the Padres’ board. He posted a .394/.523/.546 slash line in 44 plate appearances, which helped make him the club’s No. 5 prospect. San Diego then took him in the second round and signed him for a bonus of just over $2.8 million, well above slot value.
“Our area scout, Chris Kemlo, had his first notes in on him back in November of 2024,” said Padres assistant director of player development Mike Daly. “I think what our scouts continued to come back to with a high level of confidence was the approach, bat-to-ball skills and the ability to use the entire field.”
The power has not shown up yet, but the Padres believe that part of his game will come as he grows into a 6’1” frame they think still has room to add strength.
“It’s a much bigger frame than what it looks like on video," he said, “There is some real projectability to that frame, and we think that’s a real positive to be able to continue to add weight and strength over the next couple of years.”
Defensively, Lascelles is working as a middle infielder, with the Padres giving him a shot at shortstop. He has started six games there and three at second base, and with openings available in the organization, there’s a path for him to keep climbing if the bat keeps playing.
“I think it’s something that he’ll kinda tell us with how he progresses through the system," Daly said. "We have some other shortstops in the system, so he’s gonna play in the middle of the infield, but he’s gonna have ample opportunity to play shortstop.”
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