San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: April 13

The biggest news on the farm was a welcome announcement of Mike Clevinger as the starting pitcher Thursday in Lake Elsinore. It is unclear how many innings he will be allowed to pitch, but if this is his only rehab start, look for 4-5 innings and close to 75 pitches.

Chihuahuas 4 – Oklahoma City Dodgers 3

Key Stats: LHP Aaron Leasher (W, 1-0) 5 IP, 5 H, ER, BB, 3 K; SS Matthew Batten 2-for-2, RBI, BB; LF Brent Rooker 1-for-4, HR (2), RBI; RF Trayce Thompson 2-for-4, HR (4), 2 RS, RBI; CF Tommy Milone 1-for-2, 3B, RS, RBI, BB

Prospect Watch: For those of you hoping to find an offensive replacement in the Triple-A outfield, tonight gave you two great choices.  First is right fielder Trayce Thompson.  The former Dodger slugged his fourth home run of the season in the El Paso victory. He has always had an above-average ability to draw a walk and hit a home run, but his batting average over the last four years has hovered around .200.  If he can continue to hit for a higher average (currently .296/.406/.815) he gives the Padres another outfield option.  … The other outfield option is massive 6-foot-4 prospect, Brent Rooker.  The newly acquired outfielder hit his second home run of the season against rehabbing big-league pitcher Phil Bickford.  Rooker has the raw power to hit 40+ home runs at the big league level, but it comes down to his ability to make contact and play defense. This year he has struck out eight times in 15 plate appearances.  Small sample size aside, he will need to make more contact to have a chance. His defense is also a mystery, as his best position might be DH.  Still, Rooker can provide the offensive spark that a team needs off the bench. … On the mound left-hander, Aaron Leasher had his second consecutive great start. He doesn’t do anything exceptionally well  but he can locate and spin all of his pitches to completely frustrate the hitters.  Leasher won’t be a big strikeout pitcher, but works fast, works to contact, and can make a spot start or help out a beleaguered bullpen.

Frisco RoughRiders 9 – Missions 6

Key Stats: RHP Kevin Kopps IP, 2 K; DH Esteury Ruiz 0-for-1, RS, 3 BB; RF Jorge Ona 1-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI; SS Chris Givin 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, BB; LF Robbie Podorsky 2-for-3, 2B, RBI

Prospect Watch: 1088.  That was the number of days between Jorge Ona’s last home run in the minors and the one he hit Wednesday. After that 2019 blast, he was hitting .345/431/.618 in Double-A and the entire Padre organization was optimistic that he was finally living up to his potential. He was injured a week later and did not play the rest of 2019.  He missed virtually all of the 2021 season after undergoing elbow surgery.  Now, finally healthy, Ona is trying to shake off the rust.  The home run was still just his third hit in 18 plate appearances, but it was a welcome sight for a much-maligned Padre prospect. … Speaking of finally healthy, left fielder Robbie Podorsky is working to play a full season for the first time since the Padres drafted him in 2017.  The incredibly fast outfielder — one of the fastest in the Padres organization — has always hit for a high average and gotten on base at a high clip.  Health has been the biggest issue in his development. In four years of pro ball, Podorsky has played in only 193 games and has a career .324/.386/.430 line.  Wednesday, he went 2-for-3 and was retired for the first time this season.  He has now reached base eight times in nine plate appearances. … Closer RHP Kevin Kopps tossed a perfect 1,2,3 inning with two strikeouts in his second appearance of the season.  Kopps showed the talent in spring training but lost the plate from time to time, something that can’t happen to a major league reliever. Tonight, Kopps only threw three balls the entire inning.

The TinCaps had their game postponed

Rain ruined baseball in Fort Wayne Wednesday night. The TinCaps will play a doubleheader Thursday against the South Bend Cubs.

Visalia Rawhide 7 – Storm 2

Key Stats: LHP Bodi Rascon (L, 0-1) 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 4 K; CF Justin Farmer 0-for-2, 3 BB, 2 SB (2); SS Jackson Merrill 0-for-4, BB, SB (4); 2B Max Ferguson 0-for-3, RBI, 2 BB; 1B Carlos Luis 1-for-4, RS, RBI,

Prospect Watch: The news on the field was not positive as the Storm managed only three hits – all singles – to drop their fourth consecutive game after winning on opening night.  While they did score twice and drew eight walks, it was grossly overshadowed by the Diamondbacks’ top prospect Jordan Lawler who homered and went 3-for-4.  Taken around 20 selections after Lawler in last year’s draft was SS Jackson Merrill.  While he did go hitless for the first time in five games, he still reached base safely.  He also stole his fourth base of the year, and now has more stolen bases (four) than strikeouts (three). … LHP Bodi Rascon made his first start of the season and ended up taking the loss. The big lefty allowed three homers — more than he permitted last year — and gave up four runs before exiting. Rascon, 21, was drafted in the 14th round by the Padres in 2019, out of high school in Decatur, Texas. He pitched in six games for the Storm last year. … James Wood missed his third consecutive game since injuring his wrist.

Roster Move: The Storm added RHP Aaron Holiday to the roster prior to yesterday’s game against Visalia. The 23-year-old right-hander was acquired by the Padres in the Sean Manaea deal with Oakland. Holiday was drafted by the A’s in the 13th round of the 2021 draft, out of Old Dominion. Holiday took the place of lefty Mason Feole, who was placed on the seven-day injured list with an undisclosed ailment. Feole struggled in his only appearance this season. He had Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted in 2019. We will attempt to get updates as they are available.