Summary: It was another fantastic year in Lake Elsinore. The Storm marched to a 71-58 overall record, winning both the first-half and second-half titles despite a near-complete roster turnover over the course of the season. Lake Elsinore advanced to the California League championship series, where they were defeated by the Modesto Nuts 2-1 in the three-game series.
The team relied on a largely international pitching staff and the slugging prowess of the 2024 draft class down the stretch.
Overview: We use a simple formula for the awards. Players are considered by whichever team they appear for the most. For the top prospect, we consider not just what the player did this year but his age and potential impact in the major leagues.
Level: Low-A is the first level out of the complex leagues and is the bottom rung of full-season ball, so it can be challenging to gauge how meaningful a prospect’s performance is. Some pundits focus primarily on the raw ability and potential demonstrated, while others focus on the consistency of performance.
We lean toward more of a middle-of-the-road evaluation relying on a couple of questions to filter through it: (1) how old is the prospect compared to the competition; (2) how raw or developed is the prospect heading into a full-season ball and (3) is he making the necessary adjustments during the course of the season.
Romeo Sanabria generates big power from the left side. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
2024 Lake Elsinore Storm Player of the Year: First Baseman Romeo Sanabria .311/.443/.493, 8 HR, in 270 PA (David, Kevin, Ben, and Mark)
This season represented a breakout campaign for 22-year-old Sanabria, who started the year with the Storm and finished the year in San Antonio with the Missions. The Miami-area native was selected in the 18th round in 2022 out of Indian River State College in Florida, signing for $50,000 as a big-bodied catcher. He moved to first base exclusively in 2023 and, despite big numbers in the desert, didn’t get moved to Lake Elsinore until 16 late-season contests in 2023.
In 2024, Sanabria dominated the competition all season, posting a .926 OPS in 59 games. Among Cal League batters with at least 250 plate appearances, Sanabria led the circuit with a wRC + of 150. In addition, he was fourth with a terrific 17.8% walk rate and struck out in just 17% of his plate appearances with the Storm. The balance was fueled by a strong ability to recognize quality pitches more than simply waiting out wild young arms.
Sanabria cooled off at higher levels, slugging below .400 in his stops with both the TinCaps and the Missions, adding to concerns about his ability to do damage on premium velocity. That’s a concern for a player who profiles only at first base or designated hitter, but his production for the Storm as a late-round pick provided the club with plenty of value.
Braedon Karpathios shows off his unusual setup at the plate. (Photo: Robert Escalante)
Others Receiving Votes: OF Braedon Karpathios .252/.388/.385, 8 HR, 79 RBI, 29 2B, 79 R in 534 PA (John)
One of the few players who spent the entire season in the 951, Karpathios made the most significant total contribution for the Storm. While the overall numbers aren’t overly impressive, the 21-year-old took a giant leap forward after July 1.
Through June 30, the 2022 undrafted free agent was hitting just .213/.354/.316 with a K-rate approaching 33%. From July 1 on, the former Harford Community College outfielder hit .301/.431/.475 while cutting his K-rate to 20%. He also connected on five of his eight homers in the final two-plus months of the season.
Since joining the organization, Karpathios has shown the ability to get on base, but down the stretch, he became more aggressive and hit the ball more often and with more authority. In just two months, he went from a player who might have been a release candidate to a player who could be a fringe top-30 prospect in the system this winter. He offers good athleticism in the outfield, though his speed is a bit short in center, and his arm may not be enough for right.
Leo De Vries drew all eyes when he was on the field. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Others of Note: Shortstop Leo De Vries made his professional debut in the Cal League this season and shined between a pair of stints on the injured list—more on him below. … While De Vries drew most of the headlines for his excellent play, fellow teenage infielder Rosman Verdugo returned to the Storm for a second season and flashed more power. The 19-year-old looked noticeably stronger this season, and it showed at the plate. In 81 games, he hit nine homers and 18 doubles while delivering a .770 OPS. Like Karpathios, Verdugo heated up in July. In his final full month in Lake Elsinore, the Baja California native hit .341/.444/.537, earning a promotion to Fort Wayne. The young infielder still has too much swing-and-miss in his game, but he has outstanding pop. While he logged plenty of time at shortstop this year, he is looking for a long-term home at either second or third. … Infielder Chase Valentine has been an organizational vagabond since joining the system in 2022 as an undrafted free agent. He appeared in games at every stateside level, but he finally got to play regularly in one place this season with the Storm. He posted a .716 OPS, including the first five homers of his professional career. … Wyatt Hoffman established himself as a fan favorite in Lake Elsinore, but he provided value at the plate for the first time in his professional career. Hoffman had a WRC+ of 92, and while it doesn’t scream top prospect, his improvement at the plate, coupled with his positional flexibility, allowed him to help the Storm win games. He still strikes out too much (33.7% K-rate with the Storm), but he has become an asset to a minor-league roster.
Jack Costello was one of the stars of the 2024 draft class. (Photo: Robert Escalante)
The 2024 Draft Class Shines: Late in the season, the Storm got a boost offensively from their draft class, who helped the team overcome promotions to critical contributors. Jack Costello, the Padres’ 10th-round pick out of USD, flashed a ton of power, connecting on six homers in just 25 games while delivering a .917 OPS. The Simi Valley native finished the season at 23, so he was older than the competition he faced. … Catcher Brendan Durfee, a 14th-rounder out of UC Santa Barbara, played in 20 games and started for the Storm behind the dish during their playoff run. He delivered a .892 OPS with a pair of homers. He is currently playing for the organization in the Arizona Fall League. … Athletic center fielder Kai Roberts, an eighth-round senior signee out of Utah, stole 14 bases without being caught, delivering a solid .884 OPS while hitting out of the top of the Storm lineup.
Lake Elsinore Storm Pitcher of the Year: RHP Isaiah Lowe 5-3. 3.00 ERA, 89 K in 72 innings; (unanimous)
Lowe missed most of a frustrating 2023 season with a series of issues with his shoulder. Finally fully healthy all year in 2024, Lowe broke out as one of the top starting arms in the organization.
Isaiah Lowe had a big rebound in the Cal League in 2024. (Photo: Robert Escalante)
The 21-year-old appeared in 17 Cal League games, starting 13. He delivered a superb 3.00 ERA while posting a 29.7% K-rate that was third-best in the league (minimum 70 innings). Opposing batters hit just .211 against the North Carolina native, who got a big bonus to sign out of high school in 2022. Lowe struggled a bit upon his promotion to Fort Wayne, but he did more than enough to establish himself while working more than 100 innings.
Others of Note: Righty Miguel Mendez flashed big stuff for the Storm in his second season in the California League. He dropped his ERA from 5.96 in 2023 to 3.86 in 2024, reaching the upper 90s even as he worked deeper into games as the season went on. He showed good strikeout stuff, but his poor command led to an unsightly 14.9% walk rate. He’ll need to refine mechanics and increase his weight to get results going forward. … Righty Eric Yost was a workhorse for the Storm after he spent most of April pitching out of the bullpen. He pitched at least six innings in six starts while working to a 1.64 ERA in June. A day three draftee in 2023, Yost began to trust his fastball more as the season went on.… Javier Chacon spent most of the season in the Storm bullpen before making five starts late. The Cuban-born lefty struck out 93 batters in 77.1 innings while pitching to a 3.61 ERA. … Among the pure relievers the Storm deployed, no one was better than righty Xavier Ruiz. Despite not making the team out of spring training, Ruiz appeared in a team-high 36 games, pitching to a 2.22 ERA in 52.2 innings. He held opposing batters to a .218 average. … After struggling at the beginning of the season, the former University of Hawaii lefty Harry Gustin flourished as a multi-inning reliever. Over his final 24 innings with the Storm, Gustin pitched to a 0.75 ERA, striking out 38 batters while walking just nine. He pitched well upon his August promotion to Fort Wayne and is representing the organization in the Arizona Fall League.
Leo De Vries swings with intent. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Top Position Prospect: Leo De Vries (unanimous)
Did you think it was going to be anyone else? The 17-year-old switch-hitting prospect made his much-anticipated professional debut with the Storm and impressed in all facets of the game. In 75 games for the Storm, De Vries hit .237/.361/.441 with 22 doubles, 11 homers, 63 runs scored, and a wRC+ of 116. After a slow start to the season, De Vries hit eight homers in July, including a stretch of four in three games. He looked better defensively as the season wore on, showing more than enough arm to stick at shortstop. He had two separate stints on the injured list with shoulder ailments, but he has been a full participant in the Arizona Fall League. The big question will be whether De Vries has surpassed Ethan Salas as the top prospect in the Padres system.
Top Pitching Prospect: Isaiah Lowe (unanimous)
Lowe was one of the players we featured in our season preview, and he showed plenty of promise with the Storm. He will head into the 2025 season as one of the top pitching prospects in the organization.
