Reginald Preciado

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #14 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Preciado starred for Panama in international tournaments throughout his youth and signed with the Padres for $1.3 million in 2019. He stood out during 2020 instructional league and was acquired by the Cubs as one of five players for Yu Darvish a few months later. Preciado skipped over the Dominican Summer League and made his debut in 2021 in the Arizona Complex League, where he hit .333 and finished tied for 10th in the league in hits.
  
  Scouting Report: Preciado stands 6-foot-5 and has plenty of room to fill out his lanky frame. A switch-hitter, he has excellent hand-eye coordination, advanced barrel control and a natural feel for contact from both sides of the plate. Preciado’s bat-to-ball skills and power potential give him plenty of offensive upside, but he’ll need to tighten his plate discipline. He is extremely aggressive and prone to chasing pitches out of the strike zone. Preciado signed as a shortstop but has already outgrown the position. He’s not particularly agile, but his reliable hands and above-average arm strength give him a chance to be an average defender at third base.
  
  The Future: Preciado projects to be a power-hitting, everyday third baseman if he can fine-tune his approach. He’ll still be 18 on Opening Day and has plenty of time.
• 
  Ranked Chicago Cubs #11 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 55. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Preciado trained with his father Victor, a former Yankees minor leaguer, growing up and emerged as Panama's top prospect in the 2019 international class. The Padres signed him for $1.3 million. Preciado's professional debut was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but he participated in instructional league in the fall. The Cubs acquired him as one of five players for Yu Darvish after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Preciado grew since signing and now stands 6-foot-5 with a skinny, projectable frame. He isn't overly twitchy, but he has a knack for being on time at the plate. Preciado's lefthanded swing has an elliptical path and his righthanded swing is a more compact stroke. They're different swings, but he can drive the ball from both sides and has room to grow into power as he fills out. He is still learning to control the strike zone. Preciado is a fringe-average runner, but his advanced instincts and polished defensive skills allow him to handle shortstop. His above-average arm strength should improve as he matures physically and gets stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: Preciado's future hinges on how his body fills out. He'll be 17 years old on Opening Day and still has lots of growth ahead.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #21 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Preciado led Panama to a silver medal at the 2018 U15 World Cup and made the all-tournament team. He cemented himself as Panama's top prospect in the 2019 international class and signed with the Padres for $1.3 million on July 2.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Preciado intrigues with a projectable 6-foot-4 frame and natural bat-to-ball skills. A switch-hitter, he is stronger from the right side but shows the ability to find the barrel from both sides with a rhythmic, controlled swing. Preciado's power is only starting to emerge, and his frame provides hope he can grow into 20-plus home run power as he matures physically. Signed as a shortstop, Preciado isn't much of a runner and may move to third base as he fills out, where his above-average, accurate arm will play. His father Victor spent two years in the Yankees system as a first baseman and corner outfielder, and Reggie shows outstanding game awareness and aptitude.
  
  THE FUTURE: Preciado became a favorite of the Padres' player development staff during fall instructional league. He doesn't turn 17 until May, but the Padres believe he'll move quicker than most his age.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Preciado starred for Panama in international tournaments throughout his youth and signed with the Padres for $1.3 million in 2019. He stood out during 2020 instructional league and was acquired by the Cubs as one of five players for Yu Darvish a few months later. Preciado skipped over the Dominican Summer League and made his debut in 2021 in the Arizona Complex League, where he hit .333 and finished tied for 10th in the league in hits.
  
  Scouting Report: Preciado stands 6-foot-5 and has plenty of room to fill out his lanky frame. A switch-hitter, he has excellent hand-eye coordination, advanced barrel control and a natural feel for contact from both sides of the plate. Preciado’s bat-to-ball skills and power potential give him plenty of offensive upside, but he’ll need to tighten his plate discipline. He is extremely aggressive and prone to chasing pitches out of the strike zone. Preciado signed as a shortstop but has already outgrown the position. He’s not particularly agile, but his reliable hands and above-average arm strength give him a chance to be an average defender at third base.
  
  The Future: Preciado projects to be a power-hitting, everyday third baseman if he can fine-tune his approach. He’ll still be 18 on Opening Day and has plenty of time.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 55. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Preciado trained with his father Victor, a former Yankees minor leaguer, growing up and emerged as Panama's top prospect in the 2019 international class. The Padres signed him for $1.3 million. Preciado's professional debut was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but he participated in instructional league in the fall. The Cubs acquired him as one of five players for Yu Darvish after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Preciado grew since signing and now stands 6-foot-5 with a skinny, projectable frame. He isn't overly twitchy, but he has a knack for being on time at the plate. Preciado's lefthanded swing has an elliptical path and his righthanded swing is a more compact stroke. They're different swings, but he can drive the ball from both sides and has room to grow into power as he fills out. He is still learning to control the strike zone. Preciado is a fringe-average runner, but his advanced instincts and polished defensive skills allow him to handle shortstop. His above-average arm strength should improve as he matures physically and gets stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: Preciado's future hinges on how his body fills out. He'll be 17 years old on Opening Day and still has lots of growth ahead.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 55. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Preciado trained with his father Victor, a former Yankees minor leaguer, growing up and emerged as Panama's top prospect in the 2019 international class. The Padres signed him for $1.3 million. Preciado's professional debut was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but he participated in instructional league in the fall. The Cubs acquired him as one of five players for Yu Darvish after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Preciado grew since signing and now stands 6-foot-5 with a skinny, projectable frame. He isn't overly twitchy, but he has a knack for being on time at the plate. Preciado's lefthanded swing has an elliptical path and his righthanded swing is a more compact stroke. They're different swings, but he can drive the ball from both sides and has room to grow into power as he fills out. He is still learning to control the strike zone. Preciado is a fringe-average runner, but his advanced instincts and polished defensive skills allow him to handle shortstop. His above-average arm strength should improve as he matures physically and gets stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: Preciado's future hinges on how his body fills out. He'll be 17 years old on Opening Day and still has lots of growth ahead.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 55. Power: 55. Running: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Preciado trained with his father Victor, a former Yankees minor leaguer, growing up and emerged as Panama's top prospect in the 2019 international class. The Padres signed him for $1.3 million. Preciado's professional debut was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic, but he participated in instructional league in the fall. The Cubs acquired him as one of five players for Yu Darvish after the season.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Preciado grew since signing and now stands 6-foot-5 with a skinny, projectable frame. He isn't overly twitchy, but he has a knack for being on time at the plate. Preciado's lefthanded swing has an elliptical path and his righthanded swing is a more compact stroke. They're different swings, but he can drive the ball from both sides and has room to grow into power as he fills out. He is still learning to control the strike zone. Preciado is a fringe-average runner, but his advanced instincts and polished defensive skills allow him to handle shortstop. His above-average arm strength should improve as he matures physically and gets stronger.
  
  THE FUTURE: Preciado's future hinges on how his body fills out. He'll be 17 years old on Opening Day and still has lots of growth ahead.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Preciado led Panama to a silver medal at the 2018 U15 World Cup and made the all-tournament team. He cemented himself as Panama’s top prospect in the 2019 international class and signed with the Padres for $1.3 million on July 2.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Preciado intrigues with a projectable 6-foot-4 frame and natural bat-to-ball skills. A switch-hitter, he is stronger from the right side but shows the ability to find the barrel from both sides with a rhythmic, controlled swing. Preciado’s power is only starting to emerge, and his frame provides hope he can grow into 20-plus home run power as he matures physically. Signed as a shortstop, Preciado isn’t much of a runner and may move to third base as he fills out, where his above-average, accurate arm will play. His father Victor spent two years in the Yankees system as a first baseman and corner outfielder, and Reggie shows outstanding game awareness and aptitude.
  
  THE FUTURE: Preciado became a favorite of the Padres’ player development staff during fall instructional league. He doesn’t turn 17 until May, but the Padres believe he’ll move quicker than most his age.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Preciado led Panama to a silver medal at the 2018 U15 World Cup and made the all-tournament team. He cemented himself as Panama's top prospect in the 2019 international class and signed with the Padres for $1.3 million on July 2.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Preciado intrigues with a projectable 6-foot-4 frame and natural bat-to-ball skills. A switch-hitter, he is stronger from the right side but shows the ability to find the barrel from both sides with a rhythmic, controlled swing. Preciado's power is only starting to emerge, and his frame provides hope he can grow into 20-plus home run power as he matures physically. Signed as a shortstop, Preciado isn't much of a runner and may move to third base as he fills out, where his above-average, accurate arm will play. His father Victor spent two years in the Yankees system as a first baseman and corner outfielder, and Reggie shows outstanding game awareness and aptitude.
  
  THE FUTURE: Preciado became a favorite of the Padres' player development staff during fall instructional league. He doesn't turn 17 until May, but the Padres believe he'll move quicker than most his age.