San Diego Padres Week in Review: June 3 – June 8

MadFriars Site Updates: It was a busy week for subscriber content on the site after John Conniff’s visit to the TinCaps. We’ve got interviews with top prospect Leo De Vries, emerging relief ace Tyson Neighbors, and Sean Barnett, who is officially a two-way player now. He also got great insights from infielder Brandon Butterworth and talked with big backstop Brendan Durfee. We’ll have more from Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore in the coming week. If you haven’t already, now is the perfect time to subscribe!

Key Transactions: El Paso reliever Kevin Kopps and Storm outfielder Kasen Wells both hit the IL this week. Wells has only appeared twice since taking a pitch off his foot on May 18. … Conversely, first baseman Albert Fabian and hurler Adan Moreno both began rehab assignments after starting the year on the IL. … The club announced on Monday that Joshua Mears has retired. The powerful outfielder, who the club drafted in the second round out of high school in Washington in 2019, was hitting just .167 on the year. While he has often shown prodigious power, the right-handed slugger has struggled to make contact throughout his time in the organization. Whether he was going well or struggling, the big man always gave thoughtful interviews and was very accessible. We wish the 24-year-old nothing but the best in what comes next.

El Paso Chihuahuas (Beat Albuquerque Isotopes 4-2)

Top Performers: Trenton Brooks collected 10 hits over the six-game series. He had two singles, three doubles, and five home runs, including back-to-back two-home run nights on Saturday and Sunday. That game gave him more home runs on the week than he hit in all of May. The 29-year-old hit .440/.515/1.160 on the week and raised his season OPS to a 1.032 mark that is second in the PCL. Brooks has primarily played first base over the last few years, but also has experience in left field. … Wes Benjamin bookended the week with a pair of starts against Albuquerque.  He allowed one run over 5.2 innings in his first start with two walks and five strikeouts. He followed it up on Sunday with one of the Chihuahuas’ best starts this season when he gave up just one run on three hits over six innings with nine strikeouts. After a slow readjustment to affiliated baseball following three seasons in Korea, the 31-year-old seems to have found his footing. We talked to the lefty about his transition back during spring training. Brooks and Benjamin seem likely to earn PCL player and pitcher of the week honors.

Top Prospects and Others of Note: In his lone start of the week on Friday, Omar Cruz went 4.1 innings, giving up three runs on five hits.  He walked two and struck out four. After allowing just one home run in his first nine appearances for El Paso this year, and six total over the previous two seasons, the 26-year-old gave up two round-trippers. Cruz is walking nearly a batter an inning, but opponents are hitting only .172 off him. … After being roughed up in his first Triple-A start of the season, Matt Waldron got back on track, allowing two runs on six hits over five innings. Encouragingly, he did not walk a batter and struck out five.  Waldron threw 38 knuckleballs among his 70 pitches and gave up only one hit on the knuckler, while generating seven whiffs and six outs with it. … After a spot start in San Diego, Kyle Hart was not effective in his return to El Paso. He allowed four runs on six hits, including two home runs, over five innings with three walks against four strikeouts. The 32-year-old continues to struggle getting hitters to chase, which leaves his offerings in the zone to get hit hard.  … After being out of action for eight days, Bryan Hoeing allowed two runs over 1.1 innings on Saturday. The big league reliever has allowed four runs on eight hits over 2.2 innings in his three rehab appearances for El Paso. … After struggling badly the last few weeks, top relief prospect Francis Pena earned the win in his only appearance of the week, going 1.1 scoreless innings. He didn’t allow a hit, walked one, and struck out one. The 24-year-old is looking to rebound from a 9.53 ERA in May, after a 2.00 mark in April. … Bryce Johnson made his case for consideration in the big league outfield as the 29-year-old hit .450/.500/.500 over five games. He scored four, knocked in five, and stole a base. Since rejoining the organization, Johnson is hitting .304/.416/.448 with nine stolen bases. … On Saturday, the Padres officially activated Mason McCoy off the IL and optioned him to Triple-A. Nothing really changed for the 30-year-old middle infielder outside of his salary, as McCoy had been on a rehab assignment with the Chihuahuas. He went 5-for-18 on the week with a double, triple, and homer. He is hitting .310/.391/.530 with the Chihuahuas.  …. Tirso Ornelas‘s stats were rather disappointing as he had just six singles for the week, but gave a hint of one of his focus areas. After seeing his walk total dwindle to six for May, he drew five on the week. … Yonathan Perlaza had a hit in each of his five games and ended up with 13 total bases, which included two doubles and a home run. His slugging percentage for the season is at .466. … After getting two outs on Sunday, Bradgley Rodriguez walked a batter, and on the last pitch, grabbed his arm and left the game. Per Jeff Sanders, the injury is more in the bicep area rather than the forearm. At this point, Rodriguez is staying with El Paso for evaluation. We will report more when it becomes available. (Ben Davey)

San Antonio Missions (Split with Midland RockHounds 3-3)

Top Performers: Braden Nett bounced back this week, with an excellent start Friday against the RockHounds. The right-hander worked five innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits and one walk, and struck out six. All six of Nett’s strikeouts came on the four-seam fastball, which sat 96-97 mph with excellent ride. For the start, Nett generated a total of nine whiffs on 37 swings. The right-hander lowered his ERA on the season to 3.92 with a 3.98 FIP. His 26% strikeout rate ranks seventh among Texas League pitchers with a minimum of 40 innings pitched. … Francisco Acuña enjoyed his time facing a Midland pitching staff that has been the league’s best all year. The Missions’ shortstop went 7-for-20 with four RBIs and four runs scored while posting an .835 OPS for the week. Since returning from a brief IL stint on May 16, the 25-year-old has found ample success offensively. In his last 19 games, Acuña owns a 130 wRC+, .364 wOBA, and a solid 10.2% walk rate.

Top Prospects and Others of Note: Jagger Haynes turned in a second straight quality outing. Working six innings, he allowed two runs on two hits, walked four, and struck out six. The left-hander garnered 11 whiffs and a 31.4% whiff rate. Haynes’ slider flashed exceptional depth throughout his start, while his fastball sat 94-95 and topped out at 96. It’s the fourth time in his last five starts that Haynes has worked into the sixth inning. Over those outings, Haynes has a 3.71 ERA and 25% strikeout rate, though his command remains a work in progress. Eleven starts into the season, his 12.3% walk rate is 24th among 25 qualifying Texas League pitchers. … San Diego native Victor Lizarraga worked five strong innings, allowing one run on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts in his start. Over his last three appearances, Lizarraga appears to have turned a corner, posting a 0.68 ERA and 20% K rate in 13.1 innings. Still, his command issues have persisted, as the right-hander has posted a 14.5% walk that is reflected in his 3.85 FIP. … Eduarniel Núñez made two more scoreless appearances out of the Missions bullpen, allowing just one hit and a walk while he struck out three in 2.1 innings. During his June 5 appearance, Núñez’s fastball overpowered Midland hitters, sitting 97-98 to help him generate five whiffs on eight swings. The minor league free agent signee has not allowed a run over 7.1 innings in his last six appearances, while he has punched out 62.5% of hitters. His 40.9% K rate on the season ranks second among all Texas League pitchers with at least 20 innings. … Right-hander Henry Baez made a pair of starts for the week. Over his combined 10.2 innings of work, he posted a 2.53 ERA with a 3.48 FIP and an opponent batting average of .179. Twelve starts into the year, he owns a 2.47 ERA, 23.0% strikeout rate, and 3.39 FIP. … In a quiet week for the entire offense, Romeo Sanabria struggled at the plate a bit for the first time in a long time. The Missions’ first baseman went just 5-for-22, recording three RBIs and three walks over the course of his six starts. He continues to pace the Texas League with a .326 average. … Outfielder Kai Murphy put together a solid week at the dish. While he went just 4-for-14, the 24-year-old from Chandler, Arizona, drew five walks to post a respectable .450 on-base percentage for the week (Clark Fahrenthold)

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won at Beloit Sky Carp, 4-2)

Top Performers: Kai Roberts, 24, struck out seven times in 18 at-bats and didn’t draw a single walk, but he also had eight hits and stole three bases and led the team with four runs scored. After a rough re-entry from the injured list, the speedy left-handed hitting outfielder raised his batting average from .158 to .259 in the series. While all of his hits this week went for singles, his manager, Lukas Ray, who was also with him in Lake Elsinore in 2024, expects the former Utah Ute to get into more power after he adjusts to the league. … Right-hander Miguel Mendez, 22, dominated in his one start this week, scattering three hits and striking out seven across six innings, against two walks. After a minor foot injury delayed his start to the year, the lanky Dominican has worked to a 2.97 ERA between the TinCaps and the Storm this year with a strong 47:13 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 33.1 innings. His 32.2% strikeout rate is sixth among all Midwest League pitchers who have made at least five starts.

Top Prospects and Others of Note: Rosman Verdugo, 20, had another good week for power, with three of his five hits going for extra bases. He also drew six walks to fuel a .263/.462/526 slash line, though he also punched out nine times in 26 trips to the plate. Verdugo leads the TinCaps with 23 extra-base hits and 29 RBI. He’s tied for third in the league with three other players with nine home runs. The home run against the Sky Carp was his first away from Parkview Field this year. … Jack Costello, 24, was solid in the four games he appeared in, collecting five hits including a homer and drew five walks for a .866 OPS.  The former USD star had a strong start in April and May, but is off to a strong start in June as the weather warms up. … Left-hander Harry Gustin did exactly what he has been doing all year in his one appearance of the week: getting people out. He struck out six without a walk while allowing just one hit in three scoreless innings. Gustin, 23, has a 2.04 ERA in 35.1 innings this year, with a stellar 41:14 strikeout-to-walk ratio. … Cole Paplham threw a pair of scoreless one-inning appearances as he continued his rehab assignment. The 25-year-old righty, who is likely to officially come off the IL this week and move up in the system, has allowed just one run in 7.2 innings as he cmes back from the facial injuries he sustained this spring. … Finally, Sean Barnett, made his anticipated debut on the mound, appearing in two games. He touched 96 and held 95 with his fastball as he worked 1.2 scoreless innings, though he struggled with his command as he adjusts to in-game use. At the plate as a DH, he had three hits in 10 plate appearances, including a double and triple, giving fans something to dream on as he tries to become the only two-way player in the minors. (John Conniff)

Lake Elsinore Storm (Split series at Modesto Nuts, 3-3)

Top Performers: The Storm won the first three games of the series to even their record at .500. However, Modesto won the next three games, resulting in a split that feels somewhat disappointing. It was Lake Elsinore’s final visit to Modesto, as the Nuts will relocate to Ontario next season. … Zach Evans had a fantastic week at the plate, hitting .429/.520/.524 in six games. Evans had a pair of doubles, drew four walks, and punched out in just two of his plate appearances. Evans ranks third in the circuit with a .319 batting average and his 67 hits rank second. … Righty Will Varmette continued his excellent work for the Storm, as he earned the win on Tuesday. Varmette didn’t allow a run over 5.2 innings, allowing just two hits. The right-hander has been excellent, outside of a few outings this season. In 30 innings with the Storm, he has a sterling 0.90 WHIP. 

Top Prospects and Others of Note: Lamar King Jr. had a nice week at the plate, delivering a .903 OPS in five games. The Storm catcher had two doubles, a pair of stolen bases, and three RBI. The 21-year-old catcher has swung the bat well over the last few weeks. Over his last 14 games, King is hitting .345/.400/.509, resulting in a wRC+ of 151. During the stretch, he has an incredible 8% K rate. … After a slow series last week, first baseman Victor Figueroa swung the bat well in Modesto, finishing with a .984 OPS. He led the team with four doubles, and he drew five walks. In 16 games with the Storm, Figueroa is hitting .259/.386/.517. … Kavares Tears had a miserable week at the plate, going 0-for-22 with eight strikeouts. Despite the rough series, Tears has produced a wRC+ of 104 in 41 games with the Storm. … Shortstop Ryan Jackson had a team-best seven RBI for the week and had a .429 on-base percentage. In 57 games, Jackson has delivered an .898 OPS. … Boston Bateman tossed five strong innings Thursday, earning the win for his efforts. Overall, Bateman has a 3.79 ERA and a 3.50 FIP in nine games for the Storm. … Fellow lefty Kash Mayfield made his return to the Storm rotation, throwing a pair of scoreless innings. Mayfield will be brought back slowly from shoulder discomfort and is expected to throw 35-40 pitches in his start this week at The Diamond. (Kevin Charity)

ACL Giants 12, ACL Padres 4 (2-3 on the week)

Key Stats: SS Yimy Tovar 2-for-4, HR (2), 3 RBI, BB; DH Kale Fountain 2-for-4, 2B; 2B Luis De Leon 2-for-4, BB; RHP Langston Burkett (L, 0-3) 4 IP, 3 H, 3 R (0 ER), 4 K, 2 BB

Prospect Watch and Key Performances: The top of the Padres’ lineup went 6-for-12, led by Yimy Tovar‘s second homer of the year, but the rest of the squad was just 1-for-28 with nine strikeouts as the Padres fell to a league-worst 7-20 on the year. Tovar, 19, capped a strong week in which he hit .375/.423/.500 with just two strikeouts in 26 trips to the plate. The six-foot middle infielder spent his first two seasons in the DSL. … His double play partner, Luis De Leon, also had a pair of hits Monday, finishing off his week at .364/.481/.500. The duo had 14 of the club’s 33 RBIs on the week. De Leon, a switch-hitter with good bat speed from both sides of the plate, has reached base at a .400 clip in his second pass at the complex league. … Kale Fountain had a strong week at the plate as he seems to be beyond the hamstring issue that cost him two weeks. The big corner infielder, who still hasn’t progressed to playing in the field, had a single, double, and walk Monday, pushing his OPS in four contests for the week to 1.269. He’ll look to continue to improve his contact rates while continuing to prepare for action at first base. … Outfielder Jesmaylin Arias collected his fourth double of the week – and the year – in Monday’s loss. The 18-year-old has struggled with contact all year, striking out 30 times in 92 trips to the plate, but he carried a .935 OPS for the week. … While he took the loss, big righty Langston Burkett didn’t give up an earned run in three innings Monday and has turned in back-to-back solid appearances. The 20-year-old signed out of high school as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He has shown flashes, but has struggled to trust his stuff consistently. … Righty Tanner Smith made a pair of 1.2 inning appearances on the week as he continues to build up from Tommy John surgery and subsequent complications when he was at Harvard. The Padres’ 15th-round pick last year is a pure relief prospect, but the big-bodied hurler is already showing off put-away stuff with 12 strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work. (David Jay)