Las Vegas Aviators 12, Chihuahuas 7
Brett Sullivan continues to put up solid numbers for El Paso. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Key Statistics: RHP Sean Reynolds 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 K, BB; RHP Logan Gillaspie, 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 K; 3B Eguy Rosario, 4-for-5; C Brett Sullivan, 2-for-5, 2B, HR (7), R, 2 RBI; RF Cal Mitchell, 1-for-2, HR (6), 2 R, RBI, 2 BB
Prospect Watch: El Paso gave up eight extra-base hits in a bullpen game and dropped a classic PCL high-scoring affair. The lone bright spot on the pitching staff was Logan Gillaspie, who stranded the runner he inherited and recorded four outs of one-hit ball. The 27-year-old Bakersfield native is 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched for El Paso in between his brief call-ups to the Padres. … At the plate, Eguy Rosario continues to dominate Triple-A pitching, putting together a 4-for-5 evening with two stolen bases. The 24-year-old infielder, who began the season in a utility role in San Diego, is thriving in the PCL with a .315 average and 1.075 OPS in 89 at-bats for the Chihuahuas in 2024. … Another frequent Padres reinforcement, Brett Sullivan also enjoyed a hot night at the plate with a double and a home run. The lefty-swinging Sullivan owns an .878 OPS in 174 at-bats for the Chihuahuas in 2024. … Rancho Bernardo High grad and former Pirates second-rounder Cal Mitchell brought some lumber for the Chihuahuas, hitting his sixth home run of the season. After slashing .290/.405/.565 in May, Mitchell’s June line is .143/.294/.571 in the early going of the month.
Midland Rockhounds 6, Missions 5
Key Statistics: LHP Austin Krob (L, 2-3), 4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 K; RHP Francis Peña, 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 K; C Michael De La Cruz, 3-for-5, R, RBI; CF Clay Dungan, 1-for-4, 2 R, BB
Prospect Watch: After posting a 2.45 ERA in four starts in May, Austin Krob got off to a rough start to June while taking the loss. The southpaw threw four-plus innings and allowed six runs on eight hits, walking four and striking out two. The 24-year-old TCU alum is 2-3 with a 4.73 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 45.2 innings for San Antonio this year. While he’s made progress with his walk rate this year, the strikeout numbers have taken a significant fall from last season. He continues to induce grounders at nearly a 50% rate. … The Missions were able to mount a rally thanks largely to the efforts of Francis Peña, who stranded both runners he inherited and threw two-plus scoreless innings. The 23-year-old righty is 3-1 with a 1.05 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 25.2 innings, 21 of which were with the TinCaps before his promotion to San Antonio. … While Michael De La Cruz has struggled at the plate in 2024, he made his presence felt with the bat Thursday, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and RBI. The veteran backstop is in his second season with the Missions, playing first and second base in addition to catcher in 2024. … Getting it done in the leadoff spot, Clay Dungan went 1-for-4 with a walk and a pair of runs scored. The 28-year-old minor league Rule 5 acquisition is batting .242 with a .741 OPS in 2024, splitting time between El Paso and San Antonio while playing every infield position except first base, and logging time in left and center field.
Peoria Chiefs 5, TinCaps 1
Joan Gonzalez’s low arm slot creates difficulties for opposing hitters. (Photo: Jeff Nycz)
Key Statistics: LHP Fernando Sanchez (L, 0-1), 3.1 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K; RHP Joan Gonzalez, 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K; DH Ethan Salas, 1-for-2, RBI, BB, SF; SS Jay Beshears, 1-for-4
Prospect Watch: With the raft of moves in the organization to account for the promotion of Adam Mazur, Fort Wayne’s regular Thursday starter, Miguel Cienfuegos was promoted to El Paso to continue his workhorse ways. The void in the TinCaps rotation was filled by another lefty, Fernando Sanchez, who made his High-A debut after an impressive start to the season in Lake Elsinore. The 23-year-old’s evening was a mixed bag, as he took the loss by allowing four runs in three-plus innings but did strike out four batters. The native of Mexico, who signed with the Padres all the way back in 2019, is on track to blow past the career-high 75.2 innings he threw last year. … Fort Wayne received some solid relief from Joan Gonzalez, who allowed two hits and a walk in two-plus innings of work. The 26-year-old righty has had an excellent start to his first full season since signing as an undrafted free agent, going 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA and striking out 33 batters in 24.2 innings in his second campaign with the TinCaps. … The lone RBI of the night came on an Ethan Salas sacrifice fly. The backstop also had a hit and drew a walk in four trips to the plate. Salas has hit in three straight, but hasn’t had multiple base hits in two weeks as the 18-year-old’s challenging season continues. … The only other TinCaps base hit came off the bat of Jay Beshears, who is looking to build on his strong start at Lake Elsinore. He’s hit .279/.363/.382 in 68 at-bats for Fort Wayne after posting a .320/.489/.454 line in 97 at-bats for the Storm to begin the year.
Storm 5, Inland Empire 66ers 1
Key Statistics: RHP Sam Whiting (W, 2-0), 5 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K; LHP Javier Chacon (H, 3), 3 IP, 4 K; LF Jacob Campbell, 1-for-3, HR (1), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB; DH Leodalis De Vries, 0-for-5, 3 K
Javier Chacon delivers for the Storm. (Photo: Robert Escalante)
Prospect Watch: The Padres have had some pretty decent success lately scouting talent from UC Santa Barbara, and Sam Whiting is the latest to come through that pipeline. The 23-year-old righty went five strong for the Storm, striking out four and scattering seven hits while allowing a run to pick up the victory. The 2023 16th-rounder owns a 3.00 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 30 innings for Lake Elsinore in 2024. … Few Low-A wins are complete without some solid long relief, and the Storm got just that from reliable southpaw Javier Chacon, who threw three perfect innings, striking out four. The 21-year-old Cuban lefty is 3-0 with a 4.41 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 16 outings in 2024, totaling 32.2 innings. … The big fly came off the bat of Jacob Campbell, who got the start in the left field. The 24-year-old is batting .238 with a .740 OPS in 63 at-bats for the Storm while splitting time between catcher and the corner outfield. … Leodalis De Vries got the start at designated hitter and went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. Despite tonight’s rough night at the plate, the 17-year-old owns a .716 OPS to begin June, the best monthly total of his nascent career. In the early going of his 2024, De Vries is slashing .275/.407/.406 against righties, but is just 1-for-22 with seven strikeouts against left-handed pitching.
ACL Giants 11, ACL Padres 1 (7 innings)
Key Statistics: RHP Miguel Valdez, 2 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 3 K; SS B.Y. Choi, 2-for-3; LF L.J. Jones, 1-for-3, HR (1), R, RBI; C Kaden Hollow, 1-for-3, BB
Miguel Valdez converted to pitching after signing in 2023. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: How’s this for an Arizona Complex League stat line? Padres righty Miguel Valdez did not allow a hit or an earned run in two innings of work, but allowed two unearned runs and walked three while striking out three. The 20-year-old righty is 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 10.1 innings in 2024, his first season stateside after spending 2023 in the Dominican Republic. … B.Y. Choi continues to impress in Complex League action, and the 22-year-old infielder figures to be a top candidate to move to the affiliates after the ACL season. The lefty-swinging shortstop is batting .282 with a .874 OPS in 71 at-bats in his second season in the desert. He played seven games in the circuit last year after being drafted in the 20th round. … L.J. Jones hit his first home run in his second game since signing with the organization. The former Cardinals fifth-rounder and Long Beach State product is getting warmed up in the desert. The former St. Louis farmhand spent 2023 at Double-A Springfield, slashing .223/.277/.359 in 256 at-bats for the club. … Kaden Hollow went 1-for-3 with a walk as the lefty-swinging catcher is batting .279 with an .880 OPS in 61 at-bats in 2024. The Dixie State alum, signed as an undrafted free agent in 2022, is in his third season in the Arizona Complex League.
