Braden Nett Could Surge To Top Of Padres’ Next Pitching Wave

The Padres traded top pitching prospects Dylan Lesko and Robby Snelling last summer to fortify their big league bullpen for a postseason push.

San Diego used its top two 2024 draft picks on high school lefthanders Kash Mayfield and Boston Bateman , and now they are two of the arms who are establishing themselves as the next wave.

The same goes for Braden Nett .

The 24-year-old righthander took another step forward in his development this winter, striking out 23 over 17.2 innings in the Puerto Rican League.

Nett also walked nine batters and hit one, reminding the Padres that his control still has to improve, even if his stuff continues to intrigue.

Hes definitely a guy who has weapons and tools, Padres assistant farm director Mike Daly said.

The Padres signed Nett for $10,000 after the 2022 draft.

He did not pitch in college, threw just 16.2 innings in the MLB Draft League and has thrown just 108.1 minor league innings.

That does not include turning heads in the 2023 Arizona Fall League with a fastball that touched 99 mph out of three-quarters arm slot.

He throws a sweeper that has fetched up to 14 inches of horizontal movement and a cutter, while a seldom-used split-changeup is a work in progress.

Nett was slow to start his career while building up shoulder strength after signing.

He missed time in 2024 with elbow soreness and wound up tossing 65 innings, mostly for High-A Fort Wayne, where he recorded a 4.03 ERA with a 26.4% strikeout rate and 13.2% walk rate.

He allowed just three home runs.

Nett made his final start for Double-A San Antonio and likely will return to the Texas League in 2025.

Nett has shown swing-and-miss stuff at the lower levels, but the Padres are challenging Nett to get in the zone more often, refine an out pitch and iron out his consistency because chase rates will drop against more advanced hitters.

Were pretty pumped with how that progress has gone, Daly said.

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When hes been on the mound, the stuffs been electric..

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