San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: April 26

Chihuahuas 6, Salt Lake Bees 4

Key Statistics: RHP Reiss Knehr (W, 1-0) 2 IP, 4 H, ER; CF Adam Engel 0-for-4, RBI; SS Jose Iglesias 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, BB; RF Brandon Dixon 3-for-4, HR (5), 2 R, RBI

Prospect Watch: Just 24 hours ago, shortstop José Iglesias was still officially a free agent. A few hours later, he signed a minor league deal with the Padres and, by last night, was the starting at shortstop in El Paso. Iglesias is the owner of over 1,000 major league hits, including 128 last year as the Rockies’ starting shortstop. He picked up right where he left off by reaching base in each of his first three plate appearances. Given his MLB pedigree, if he puts up solid numbers, he could find his way onto the Padres’ bench. He made the American League all-star team in 2015 with Detroit. … Center fielder Adam Engel is someone who should be with the Padres, but can’t seem to find his stride as he works back from a leg injury sustained during spring training. After going 0-for-4 on day 11 of a rehab assignment that can last up to 20 days, Engel is 1-for-20 with eight strikeouts. … Right fielder Brandon Dixon was with the Padres just over a week ago. While he didn’t have much success, he has taken the demotion in stride and returned to demolishing the ball for El Paso. In the six games Dixon has played since going down, he is 10-for-24 with a double, triple, 3 home runs, and two walks — good for a .417/.462/.917 slash-line.

Missions 10, Northwest Arkansas Naturals 2

Key Stats: LHP Jackson Wolf (W, 2-2) 5 IP, 4 H, ER, BB, 10 K; RHP Kevin Kopps (S, 1) 3 IP, H, 4 K; 2B Ripken Reyes 2-for-5, R, 2 RBI; RF Tirso Ornelas 0-for-2, R, 3 BB; DH Juan Fernandez 2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI; C Michael De La Cruz 3-for-4, HR (2), 2 R, 4 RBI

Prospect Watch: Lefty Jackson Wolf gave the Missions their first double-digit strikeout performance of the season, as the former West Virginia product punched out 10 Naturals in a mid-morning start. He was constantly ahead, throwing 63 of his 86 pitches for strikes. During the five innings of Wolf’s start the Naturals only had one at-bat with runners in scoring position. The only run he allowed came on a solo homer in the first inning. Wolf now leads the club and is tied for third in the Texas League with 26 strikeouts in 15.2 innings. … Reliever Kevin Kopps tossed a season-high three scoreless innings to earn his first save in the blowout. Kopps, who entered with a 2.22 WHIP did not walk a batter for the first time in five appearances on the year and allowed a season-low one hit.  Kopps had walked eight and hit three batters in just under eight innings. … Catcher Michael De La Cruz was the offensive star for the Missions with three hits, including his second homer of the year. The 29-year-old signed with the Padres as a minor league free agent this offseason after spending the 2022 season in the Detroit system. … Second baseman Ripken Reyes has been back with the Missions for four games. He has three multi-hit games and a crisp .412/545/.588 line since being activated from the development list. He also drove in a pair of runs Wednesday afternoon.

Great Lakes Loons 5, TinCaps 2

Key Statistics: RHP Garrett Hawkins 4 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K; SS Jackson Merrill 0-for-3, BB, K; CF Jakob Marsee 1-for-3, R, 2 BB; 3B Marcos Castañon 1-for-3, SF, 2 RBI, BB

Prospect Watch: The TinCaps managed just three hits, all singles, but did walk eight times. The club that figured to be the deepest in the Padres system heading into the year has given up a Midwest League-worst 91 runs on the way to a 4-13 record. … Center fielder Jakob Marsee had one of the three hits and a pair of walks. Marsee leads the team in both walks (16) and OBP (.453).  Batting out of the leadoff spot, has reached base in 10 straight games, and all but one game this season. … Third baseman Marcos Castañon accounted for both TinCaps runs with a sacrifice fly and RBI single. He now has a seven-game hitting streak and has raised his OPS from .301 after the first week of the season to .927.  Righthander Garrett Hawkins has made three starts this year and allowed one earned run in each of them. He was not extremely economical with his pitches Wednesday, needing 82 to get through four frames, but struck out five, his best total since joining the TinCaps last August. In 11 innings this year, Hawkins has pitched to a 2.45 ERA. … Shortstop Jackson Merrill has struggled in his first two games back after his illness last week. After an 0-for-3 with a walk and strikeout Wednesday, he has three Ks since returning. He struck out just three times over the team’s first 11 games.

Storm 6, Visalia Rawhide 5 (12 innings)

Key Statistics: CF Samuel Zavala 1-for-4, RBI; C Anthony Vilar 2-for-5, RBI, 2B; SS Rosman Verdugo 1-for-4, 2B, BB, SB (3); RHP Isaiah Lowe 4 IP, 4 H, 3 R, ER, 2 BB, 7 K; RHP Thomas Balboni Jr 5 IP, 2 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Prospect Watch: The Storm couldn’t hold onto one-run leads in the ninth or tenth inning, but plated the Manfred Man in the 12th and held on to win their third straight. … For the first time in three starts, righthander Isaiah Lowe had to work out of trouble and deal with a long inning. After working around a single and walk in the second inning by striking out the side, Lowe opened the third with a five-pitch walk and a single. He got two straight grounders, but a slow turn and a throwing error kept either from being a double play and yielded just one out. Visalia took advantage of the extra opportunity, coming through with a two-run double to plate a pair of unearned runs before Lowe could escape. He came back out for the fourth and retired the Rawhide in order before leaving the game. He struck out seven for a a new career high and he now has a 1.59 ERA and 13.5 K/9 through 11.1 innings. … Top prospect Samuel Zavala has struggled so far, hitting just .148 through 54 at-bats, but he came up with the game-winning hit in extras. While he is still searching for his first multi-hit game of the season, he has a hit in six of his last eight games and has reached base safely in 13 straight. … Catcher Anthony Vilar had the only multi-hit game for the Storm who went 4-for-24 with runners in scoring position. Vilar had one of those four hits with a 2-out RBI single in the 10^th inning and is now hitting a monstrous .341/.491/.707 in 13 games this season.  While he was only drafted two years ago, Villar is nearly eight years older than Ethan Salas who is waiting for his call-up to Lake Elsinore.