Mason Thompson was added to the 40-man roster this year for the Padres. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Sugar Land Skeeters 7, Chihuahuas 2
Key Stats: 2B Tucupita Marcano 2-for-4, 2 2B, R; CF John Andreoli 1-for-3, 3B, BB; LHP Daniel Camarena 4 IP, 5H, 3 ER, 3K, 2BB; RHP Mason Thompson 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 K, 1 BB
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas limped into the eighth inning with only four hits and down 7-0 before plating a pair of runs to make the loss look a little better on paper. They’ve now dropped four in a row heading into Monday’s doubleheader. … Tucupita Marcano slashed a pair of doubles for his first multi-hit game of the year. The left-handed hitter, who made his second start at second base for El Paso, has put together just a .493 OPS despite a strikeout rate below 20%. After a strong showing in spring training and because of the big club’s early injuries, Marcano began the year on the major league roster despite having not played a regular season game above Hi-A coming into the year. At just 21-years old, he’s still among the youngest players on the circuit. … Mason Thompson worked two full innings for the first time this year, giving up one run on a pair of hits and a walk. The Padres added the 23-year-old to the 40-man this winter rather than risk a team taking a flier on his tantalizing stuff in the Rule 5 draft. So far though, Thompson has struggled a bit in his transition to the bullpen, posting a 6.48 ERA and striking out just five over 8.1 frames.
Frisco RoughRiders 6 Missions 1
Key Stats: RF Jack Suwinski 1-for-3, HR (3), BB, 2 K, OF Assist; 2B Eguy Rosario 1-for-3, 2B; RF Caleb Boushley 4 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2K, 1 BB, 1 HBP; RHP Mason Fox 1.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 K, 2 BB; LHP James Reeves 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, 0 BB
Prospect Watch: No Missions batter reached base until the sixth inning and the club only avoided a shutout with a two out, ninth inning homer by Jack Suwinski as they dropped their third straight. Suwinski’s three homers on the year represent half the team’s total, though he’s struck out 20 times through 15 games. … Caleb Boushley turned in his second straight strong outing, allowing just three hits over four scoreless frames. The righty, who was already 23 when the Padres drafted him in the 33rd round in 2017, was strong in a swing role for the Storm in 2019 and owns a 3.87 career ERA. … James Reeves, acquired by the Padres in exchange for Greg Allen over the winter, extended his scoreless streak to start the year to 12 innings. Another in a line of lefty relievers with a funky look that the Padres have targeted in recent years, the 27-year-old saw Double-A action in parts of the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons.
Matt Waldron is showing well in his first season with the organization. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Lansing Lugnuts 8, TinCaps 3
Key Stats: CF Reinaldo Ilarraza 2-for-5, R; 1B Jonny Homza 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, E (2); RHP Matt Waldron 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 8 K, 1 BB, PO
Prospect Watch: Matt Waldron turned in his second strong start of the series, allowing just one run over five innings, but this time the TinCaps offense couldn’t back him up. Working on a traditional five-day schedule that has been rare in the system so far this season, the 24-year-old has a stellar 22:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio through his first 19.2 innings since coming over to the organization in the Mike Clevenger trade. Waldron has lasted five innings in three of his four starts. … Reinaldo Ilarraza managed the TinCaps’ only multi-hit game as he connected on a pair of singles out of the leadoff hole. The switch-hitting utility player has a solid .353 on-base percentage through his first 15 games, but like the TinCaps overall, has struck out in more than 30% of his plate appearances. … Tirso Ornelas singled to extend his hitting streak to five games. After starting the year 3-for-34, he had nine hits in the series.
Storm 16, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 8
Key Stats: Robert Hassell III 2-for-5, 3B, SB (6), 2 R; C Brandon Valenzuela 2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI; SS Jordy Barley 3-for-5, 2B, 2 SB (10), 3 E (10); LF Josh Mears 2-for-5, 2B, 2 R, 3 K; DH Alison Quintero 1-for-4, HR (1), SF; LHP Noel Vela 3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 5 K, 3 BB; RHP Michell Miliano 2 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 5 K, 2 BB, WP
Prospect Watch: The Storm sent 12 men to the plate in an eight-run eighth inning to turn what had been a back-and-forth game into a blowout. Every Lake Elsinore hitter reached safely in the four hour contest. … After seeing his on-base streak come to an end Saturday, Robert Hassell III collected a pair of hits and a walk Sunday to push his season OBP back up to .393. While his strikeout rate continues to hover over 25%, the lefty with the sweet swing is pacing the league’s highest scoring offense with 16 runs. … Jordy Barley remains one of the most dynamic, and inconsistent, players in the organization. The speedy infielder led the offense with three hits and showed off his game-changing speed with two more stolen bases, but also committed three more errors to add to his system-high 10 on the year. The 21-year-old is just now in his first year of full-season ball after coming stateside for the first time in 2017. … Alison Quintero, a catcher in the lineup as the club’s DH Sunday, connected on his first professional homer. The 21-year-old from Venezuela had a solid campaign in his 2018 US debut, but struggled badly in 2019. … Before the game turned into an offensive showdown, lefty Noel Vela tossed three scoreless frames. The 22-year-old Texan has struck out 20 in 13.1 innings.
