Inbox: Who is Padres’ second baseman of the future?

SAN DIEGO — As the Padres enter the home stretch of the 2016 season, many of their most pressing questions are centered around the upcoming offseason.

Spring Training in 2017 will feature position battles galore, and several players will be looking to boost their stock during the season’s final month. With that in mind, here are a few answers to the most intriguing questions in Padres-land.

@AJCassavell Padres were high on Spangenberg until he got hurt but is Schimpf the starting 2nd basemen going forward next year and beyond?

– Jared Cothren (@JaredCothren) August 29, 2016

@AJCassavell Padres were high on Spangenberg until he got hurt but is Schimpf the starting 2nd basemen going forward next year and beyond?

The Padres are still very high on Cory Spangenberg, when he’s healthy. They handed him the keys to an Opening Day job and batted him second until he tore his left quad in late April. In the meantime, Ryan Schimpf has seized the opportunity in Spangenberg’s absence. Sure, he’s only hitting .242, but he’s slugging .613. In MLB history, no player has ever finished a season with a batting average below .250 and a slugging percentage above .600 (minimum 200 place appearances). Schimpf could very well be the first.

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In any case, Schimpf’s remarkable rookie campaign hasn’t guaranteed him anything going forward. Manager Andy Green has said there will be an open competition for the starting second-base job next spring. (Expect Spangenberg to see some playing time in winter ball before then.) Schimpf’s .371 ISO is almost certainly not sustainable, and pitchers will begin to adjust on him. That said, if he’s anything close to the hitter he is right now, the Padres will find a place for that kind of power in their lineup.

@AJCassavell When will @Padres fans finally see the call up of Hunter Renfroe? Also, is there a possibility we see Margot and maybe Asauje?

– Justin Kamoss (@TheRealJKamoss) August 29, 2016

@AJCassavell When will @Padres fans finally see the call up of Hunter Renfroe? Also, is there a possibility we see Margot and maybe Asauje?

There’s a serious chance all three callups will come within the next few weeks. The Padres have repeatedly stated their desire to give their top prospects a chance to compete in the Pacific Coast League playoffs. El Paso is slated to begin its playoff run on Sept. 7, and it could last until Sept. 18. When that’s over, Hunter Renfroe, the club’s No. 3 prospect, will almost certainly get his first taste of …

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