84 Fernando Tatis SS

Tatis is expected to make his major-league debut in 2019, though he'll likely open the season with Triple-A El Paso, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

While general manager AJ Preller noted that Tatis is expected to compete for a starting role in spring training, the youngster will likely open the season in the minors as the Padres look to maximize their control over him. That said, it sounds like the soon-to-be 20-year-old could take over as San Diego's starting shortstop after spending just a month or two with El Paso assuming he continues to excel at the highest level of the minors after facing little resistance as one of the youngest hitters in the Texas League in 2018 (.286/.355/.507 with 16 homers and 16 steals in 88 games for Double-A San Antonio).

General manager AJ Preller told MLB Network Radio on Tuesday that Tatis will "come to camp and most likely compete for" the starting shortstop role.

Preller acknowledged that Tatis has yet to play above Double-A, but it doesn't sound like that fact will preclude the young shortstop from competing for an Opening Day roster spot. With Greg Garcia and Javy Guerra currently sitting atop San Diego's depth chart at shortstop, it's not hard to imagine Tatis playing his way onto the Opening Day roster. That said, the Padres seem more likely to hold him back in the minors in order to maximize their control over the talented youngster. The soon-to-be 20-year-old excelled as one of the youngest hitters in the Texas League in 2018, slashing .286/.355/.507 with 16 homers and 16 stolen bases across 88 games with Double-A San Antonio before undergoing season-ending thumb surgery in July. He's back to full health and currently owns a .277/.390/.508 slash line across 19 games with Estrellas in the Dominican Winter League.

Tatis (thumb) has been fully cleared to resume baseball activities and is expected to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

While he was surprisingly left off the roster for the Arizona Fall League, Tatis should still play in a competitive winter ball environment this November. He underwent season-ending surgery on his thumb in late July. Tatis figures to open the year in the Pacific Coast League, but it is unclear if the Padres will be willing to start his clock next summer or if they will wait until early 2020 in order to maximize their control over the uber-talented shortstop.

Tatis (thumb) will will undergo season-ending surgery on his thumb Tuesday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic San Diego reports.

Tatis sustained an avulsion fracture in his left thumb Thursday while sliding into second base in a game for Double-A San Antonio. The surgery will take 6-to-8 weeks to recover from, which will shut him down for the summer season but leave him able to play winter ball.

Tatis is expected to require surgery on his fractured thumb which will keep him out for the rest of the season, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

Tatis fractured the thumb on his non-throwing hand while sliding into second base Thursday. The Padres do not expect the issue to linger beyond this season, and there remains hope that he could avoid surgery depending on the results of an upcoming MRI, but the likely outcome is that he doesn't play again this year. The 19-year-old shortstop was cruising to a .286/.355/.507 line with 16 homers in 88 games for Double-A San Antonio and is widely considered one of the top prospects in the game. The injury costs him some development time and the chance at a promotion to Triple-A this season, which could bump back his eventual debut from early 2019 to at least the middle of next season.