Taylor Kohlwey led the Chihuahuas with three hits in the PCL Championship Game. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Reno Aces 6, Chihuahuas 2
Key Statistics: RF Taylor Kohlwey, 3-for-4, BB; 2B C.J. Hinojosa, 2-for-4, RBI; 1B Kyle Martin, 2-for-4, R; LF Connor Hollis, 1-for-2, 2 BB; LHP Jay Groome (L, 0-1) 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, BB, 2 K; RHP Nabil Crismatt, 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 K; LHP Tom Cosgrove, 1.1 IP, 2 K
Jay Groome struggled in his last start of the season with El Paso. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Prospect Watch: Alas, we have reached the end of the road for the Padres’ affiliates. A second-inning grand slam was the difference in this one as El Paso lost to Reno in the PCL Championship. … Taylor Kohlwey finished his season on a positive note, as he had three hits in the El Paso loss. The left-handed hitter finished his second straight campaign in El Paso, producing above-average offense, although he scuffled down the stretch, hitting just .259/.340/.378 after August 1st. While Kohlwey has been a solid producer for the Padres system, he will face a bit of a crossroads this off-season. He will be eligible for minor league free agency if the Padres do not add him to the 40-man roster. He is one of five prospects in the system drafted in 2016. … Kyle Martin had two singles and scored a run. The big first baseman was one of the more interesting stories this season as the organization plucked him from the Oaxaca Guerreros of the Mexican League. The 29-year-old showed plenty of pop, hitting 17 homers in 300 plate appearances for the Chihuahuas. He fared much better down the stretch, as evidenced by his .997 OPS in September. Martin’s power is intriguing, but like Kohlwey, he will be eligible for free agency this winter. He will enter 2023 at 30 years of age. … Jay Groome was pulled early, and there was some speculation that he was headed up to San Diego. That wasn’t the case; El Paso wanted him to take the ball in the championship. Unfortunately, Groome struggled on Friday. The big blow came off of the bat of Jake Hager, who connected on a grand slam to chase him out of the game. He pitched 1.2 innings, allowed four runs, three earned, and walked one with two strikeouts. Despite the rough outing, Groome had a successful campaign for the Chihuahuas down the stretch, and he should enter next spring with a legitimate chance to win a spot on the big league roster.
