San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: April 9

Chihuahuas 3, Sacramento River Cats 1

Key Statistics: 3B Clay Dungan, 2-for-4, 2 2B, BB, 3 RBI; 1B Nate Mondou, 2-for-3, BB; C Kevin Plawecki, 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B; RHP Nolan Watson (W, 3-0) 5.2 IP, 3 H, BB, 6 K; RHP Sean Reynolds, IP, K; RHP Jeremiah Estrada (S, 1) IP, 3 K

Prospect Watch: After splitting a series at home against Round Rock, El Paso hit the road for their second road trip of the year. They took the series opener at the Sutter Health Park, the future home of the Athletics. … The Chihuahuas roster currently has 12 position players, 10 of whom have some big league experience. However, in the first 10 games of the season, minor league Rule 5 draft pick Clay Dungan has been El Paso’s most prolific hitter, not named Brett Sullivan. The former Royal farmhand has never played in the big leagues, but he’s doing his best to force the issue. He had two doubles and a walk and drove in all three runs in the Chihuahuas’ victory. Dungan has hit safely in all 10 Chihuahuas games this season. In addition, he ranks third in the PCL in hits with 17. He leads the circuit with seven doubles and 21 RBI. Last season with Triple-A Omaha of the International League, his offensive production was just under the league average. He signed with Kansas City in 2019 for $2,500 after being selected by the organization in the ninth round. … Kevin Plawecki had a pair of hits, including his first two doubles of the year. The former Met is back in the Sun City after playing for El Paso last year. The 33-year-old Indiana native has 447 big league games under his belt, but he hasn’t played in the majors since 2022, when he got into three games for Texas. … Righty Nolan Watson made his third start and pitched well once again. The former first-rounder pitched into the sixth inning without allowing a run. He allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out six. The 27-year-old has given El Paso at least five innings each time out – quite the accomplishment for a pitcher in the PCL. Watson tops out in the low 90s, but he’s seen quite an uptick in his K-rate at the start of the season. In 2023, between San Antonio and El Paso, he notched just 85 punchouts in 126 innings. This year, he’s punched out 17 in 15.2 innings. It could be a product of a small sample, but if Watson continues to miss bats, he could be a realistic depth option for the big league club. … Righty Jeremiah Estrada pitched the ninth and easily dispatched the River Cats to earn his first save of the season. The former Cub struck out the side on just 13 pitches. In 3.2 innings with the Chihuahuas this year, he has a 2.45 with eight strikeouts. He appeared in one game for the Padres during the Seoul Series in Korea.

Roster Move: The Padres promoted Brett Sullivan and optioned Graham Pauley to El Paso, where he should get an opportunity to play every day. 

NW Arkansas Naturals 6, Missions 3

Key Statistics: 1B Nathan Martorella, 1-for-3, BB; LF Cole Cummings, 1-for-4; LHP Austin Krob (L, 0-1) 4 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, BB, 4 K; RHP Yovanny Cruz, 2 IP, BB, 4 K; RHP Reggie Lawson, IP, H, R, 2 BB

Prospect Watch: After scoring 39 runs in a three-game sweep of Amarillo, the Missions returned home and could only muster four singles in a loss. … Nathan Martorella had a single and drew a walk in the loss. Through four games, the former Cal Bear is hitting .529/.619/.824 while striking out just once in 21 plate appearances. … After appearing as a reliever over the weekend, Austin Krob took the bump for the Missions’ home opener. The lefty wore the loss after allowing four runs on five hits in four innings of work. He walked one and struck out four. The former TCU starter displayed excellent control last year, using his two-seamer to generate groundballs. If he can keep the ball on the ground, he has a chance to develop into a viable back-end starter. … Righty Yovanny Cruz pitched the middle innings and looked impressive. He struck out four batters, allowing just a walk in his two innings of work. The 24-year-old signed with the Padres as a free agent in the off-season. He had spent his entire career in the Cubs organization after signing as an international free agent in 2016. Cruz pitched last year with South Bend in the Midwest League.

Lake County Captains 7, TinCaps 2

Key Statistics: C Ethan Salas, 1-for-4, 2B; CF Homer Bush, 1-for-4, R, 2 SB (3, 4); LF Kai Murphy, 1-for-4, SB (1); 2B Nerwillian Cedeño, 2-for-4, R, HR (1), RBI; RHP Emmanuel Pinales (L, 0-1) 4 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 5 K; RHP Ethan Routzahn, 2 IP, K

Prospect Watch: The weather in the Midwest League can be treacherous in April, with snowouts not uncommon. However, the TinCaps enjoyed a 71-degree first pitch for a 6:35 pm game. Unfortunately, the 4,422 fans saw the TinCaps lose their home opener to drop to 1-3 to start the season. … Ethan Salas doubled – his only hit in four at-bats on the evening. The 17-year-old catcher has hit safely in all four games that he has played in. The prized prospect is off to a .294/.368/.353 stop. … Infielder Nerwillian Cedeño had a pair of hits, including his first homer of the year. The switch-hitting 22-year-old infielder is back for his second campaign in Fort Wayne after battling injuries last season. He is 4-for-12 out of the gate. … Righty Emmanuel Pinales pitched well in his season debut but took the loss after the bullpen allowed the game to get away from them. Pinales pitched four innings and allowed just a run on two hits, walking one and striking out five. After opening last season in the desert, Pinales earned a promotion to Lake Elsinore, throwing the ball extremely well. In nine games (six starts), he went 3-0 with a 2.87 ERA. He also pitched in seven games for Peoria in the Arizona Fall League, where he faced much older competition. Despite Tuesday’s setback, Pinales should be a player to watch for the TinCaps this season.

Modesto Nuts 8, Storm 7 (10 innings)

Key Statistics: CF Dillon Head, 1-for-5, R, 2B; 3B Jay Beshears, 1-for-3, 2 R, BB; 1B Romeo Sanabria, 2-for-5, R, RBI; 2B Jose Sanabria, 2-for-5, R, RBI; RHP Breck Eichelberger, 1.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K; RHP Dwayne Matos, 4 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K; RHP Bradgley Rodriguez, 2 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 3 K; RHP Thomas Balboni Jr. (L, 0-1) 0.1 IP, H, 2 ER, 2 BB

Prospect Watch: The Storm fell behind 3-0 in the first inning before rallying to take a 5-3 lead. The Storm had two other leads in this game but lost in extras on a two-run single in the bottom of the tenth inning. … Jay Beshears had a single in three at-bats and scored two runs. The former Duke Blue Devil has a 1.400 OPS through the season’s first four games. The Sanabria boys (they are unrelated) each went 2-for-5 with a single and a run scored. Romeo Sanabria, the first baseman with intriguing left-handed hitting power, is off to a .316/.350/.421 start to the season. .. Jose Sanabria is part of a collective that includes Wyatt Hoffman and Charlis Aquino at the Keystone position. He is 3-for-11 to start the year. … 24-year-old Breck Eichelberger made the start for the Storm, and he struggled to fill up the zone. He couldn’t get out of the second inning and allowed three runs on four hits in just 1.2 innings. He punched out three but also walked four Nuts batters. Last summer, he signed with the Padres as an undrafted free agent out of Abilene Christian University.