San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: June 30

Round Rock Express 14, Chihuahuas 3

Key Stats: CF Óscar Mercado 1-for-3, HR (11); DH Jose Azocar 1-for-4, 2B; RF Cal Mitchell 1-for-4, 2B; RHP Jhony Brito 2.2 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 2 BB; RHP Nabil Crismatt 1.1 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 2 BB; RHP Logan Gillaspie 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K, 2 BB

Prospect Watch: After cruising through the first two innings of his first start since getting set down to stretch out into a starting role, Jhony Brito loaded the bases on two singles and a walk to open the third. The righty bounced back to get a pair of run-scoring grounders but then walked the final batter he faced before giving way after 51 pitches. Josh Roberson came on and gave up a first-pitch, three-run homer, leaving Brito charged with four earned runs in 2.2 innings. Brito didn’t record a strikeout and got only three whiffs on the day despite running his fastball up to 98 through his final batter. The Express didn’t hit a ball over 92 mph. Since returning to the organization, Nabil Crismatt’s first outing didn’t go well, as the 29-year-old gave up three runs while recording just four outs. The soft-tossing righty had spent a month with Round Rock before the Rangers released him last week, and he quickly signed with the Padres. Crismatt opened the year in the Dodgers system and spent two weeks in Los Angeles before he was outrighted and opted for free agency. He’s posted a 7.47 ERA in the PCL in the year since leaving the Padres organization but managed a 2.57 ERA in five outings with Los Angeles this spring. … Óscar Mercado clubbed his 11th homer of the season off Johnny Cueto and now shares the team lead with Brett Sullivan. After a slow start to the year, the 29-year-old big league veteran has slugged .500 over the last two months.

Missions 10, Midland RockHounds 1

Key Stats: DH Brandon Valenzuela 2-for-5, 2B; LF Cole Cummings 2-for-4, 2 2B, BB; CF Robert Perez Jr. 2-for-4, BB, SB (8); RHP Jared Kollar 6 IP, 5 H, 5 K, BB; RHP Bobby Milacki 2 IP, H, K

Prospect Watch: Jared Kollar turned in another strong outing, and the Missions’ offense was unusually productive. San Antonio claimed a series win to start the second half of the season. Kollar, who turns 26 later this summer, tossed six scoreless innings for his fourth quality start of June. The 2022 undrafted free agent had one nightmare outing when he didn’t get out of the first inning but still managed to post a 3.03 ERA across 29.2 innings in six starts for the month. His extreme over-the-top deliver has helped him draw more grounders than fly balls through 65.1 innings on the year, and he’s walked only 5.4% of opposing batters on his way to being the surprise ace of the Missions rotation. … While Kollar cruised, his offense turned the game into a laugher with a five-run fourth inning. Cole Cummings led an attack in which seven different San Antonio hitters reached base at least twice with a pair of doubles and a walk. He is one off the league lead with 19 two-baggers on the season. Even as his strikeout rate stayed at 30% through June, he had his most productive month at the plate, posting a .264/.356/.448 line. … Brandon Valenzuela capped a stellar month with two more hits, including his 15th double of the season. The switch-hitting catcher hit .310 with a .924 OPS in 99 trips to the plate in June. He’s on track for his fourth season of above-average offensive production in five stateside campaigns.

TinCaps 5, Dayton Dragons 1

Key Stats: RHP Braden Nett 4 IP, 4 K; LHP Jackson Smeltz 2 IP, 1 H, 3 K, HBP; RHP Bradgley Rodriguez 2 IP, H, BB; CF Homer Bush Jr. 1-for-1, 2B, 2 BB, SF, CS (7); C Anthony Vilar 2-for-4; SS Jay Beshears 1-for-4, 2B

Prospect Watch: Braden Nett turned in the best regular-season performance of his career, and the TinCaps offense made the best use of their five hits to snap a five-game losing streak and salvage a win against Dayton. Nett, who had command of all four of his offerings, worked four perfect innings on just 41 pitches and struck out four. The 22-year-old righty had only thrown five total innings in four starts since spending a month on the IL earlier this year but cruised as he stretched out Sunday. While the Missouri native has often struggled with command since signing as an undrafted free agent out of junior college in 2022, he posted a strong 10:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio through June. … Lefty Jackson Smeltz followed Nett and worked a perfect fifth before giving up a leadoff single in the sixth inning. The Indiana native worked out of the inning without more damage and finished with three strikeouts. Since joining the TinCaps, the Purdue alum has struck out eight and allowed only three hits in five innings of work. After a series of severe injury and health issues dating back to high school, the 25-year-old has shown impressive stuff as he’s finally been able to get his professional career underway this month. … Bradgley Rodriguez closed out the game with a pair of one-hit innings. While he dialed his fastball up to 100 twice, he was more effective with his slider and changeup as he bounced back from a rough outing earlier in the series. The 20-year-old righty continues to work to refine his feel for his repertoire but shows flashes of plus with all three of his pitches. … Homer Bush Jr. set the table for the TinCaps offense out of the leadoff spot, collecting a double, two walks, and getting hit by a pitch in four trips to the plate to snap out of a 1-for-14 slump in the series. The speedster had just 17 hits on the month but scored 16 times.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5, Storm 4

Key Stats: SS Leo De Vries 2-for-5, SB (6), PO; 3B Alain Camou 2-for-4; C J.D. Gonzalez 2-for-4; RHP Isaiah Lowe 6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 7 K, BB; RHP Will Varmette 3 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 K, 3 BB

Prospect Watch: The Quakes rallied for individual runs in the last three innings. John Conniff has all the news on the game here.