San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: July 31

Obviously, the on-field news was nowhere near the most important or intriguing thing in the Padres system Thursday as A.J. Preller went full mad scientist and rebuilt nearly a quarter of the club’s big-league roster while trading away the majority of the team’s top 20 prospects. Kevin has a full break-down of the Padres’ manic 2025 trade deadline with a look at all the comings and goings. In the meantime, here’s what happened on the field last night.

Round Rock Express 6, Chihuahuas 4

Key Stats: LHP Wes Benjamin 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 6 K; RHP Harold Chirino (L, 0-2) 0.2 IP, 5 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 K; DH Luis Campusano 1-for-4, 2 RBI; 1B Nate Mondou, 3-for-4; SS Mason McCoy, 2-for-4;  

Prospect Watch: Wes Benjamin was dialed in, working seven one-run innings on four hits and two walks, while striking out six. All told, the 32-year old left-hander generated nine total whiffs, good for a 23.1% whiff rate. Benjamin’s most effective offering from his five-pitch mix was, without question, his cutter. Averaging 5.8” induced vertical break  and -1.9” horizontal break, he landed it in zone at a 65.2% clip, while generating a 40% whiff rate. … Luis Campusano went 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a pair of strikeouts in the loss. The backstop’s production fell off significantly in July as he hit just .247/.330/.370. Still, his 114 max exit velocity, .414 xwOBA, and 14.1% barrel rate still rank in the 94th percentile or better among AAA hitters this season. … Nate Mondou had biggest impact performance of the night, going 3-for-4 with a walk and a RBI. Mondou’s batted ball data doesn’t jump off the page, as his barrel rate is only 1.9% and his 90th percentile EV is just 98.9 mph. What he has done well is put bat to ball. His 87.9% in zone contact rate and 18.2% whiff rate are both well above-average in the PCL.

Frisco RoughRiders 12, Missions  3

Key Stats: RHP Victor Lizarraga (L, 2-8) 2 IP, 10 ER, 10 H, 2 K; RHP Andrew Moore, 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K; RHP Kevin Kopps, 2 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 K; C/SS Anthony Vilar, 2-for-4

Prospect Watch: After a string of solid starts, right-hander Victor Lizarraga‘s appearance Thursday was undoubtedly one to wipe from the memory bank. He lasted only two innings, allowing ten runs on ten hits as he walked two and punched out only one. The rough outing ballooned his ERA to 6.36. … The strongest outing on the night came from reliever Andrew Moore who was dominant, who allowed just one hit in 1.2 innings of work while striking out four. Moore’s two primary offerings flashed in a big way. His fastball topped out at 98 mph with good ride, while his slider spun tight with good depth. His stuff generated eight whiffs and a stellar 57.1% whiff rate. Since the Padres acquired Moore as a project in May, he has continued to show 30-grade command, posting a brutal 22% walk rate. However, when he is in the zone, he is filthy enough to strikeout 32% of the batters he has faced in 21.1 innings with the Missions. … Left-hander Ryan Och also turned in a solid outing, working 1.1 one-hit innings with a strikeout. Och’s ERA this season sits at 4.42, however, his 3.57 FIP and 3.99 xFIP suggest he is pitching a bit better than traditional box number stats reflect. … Down big early, the Missions offense foundered and struck out 13 times. Anthony Vilar collected San Antonio’s only multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 while making the rare in-game move from catcher to shortstop. The University of Miami graduate owns a .635 OPS this season.

Great Lake Loons 2, TinCaps 0

Key Stats: RHP Miguel Mendez (L, 7-3) 6 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 2 H, 3 BB, 7 K; RP Fernando Sanchez, 2 IP, ER, 2 H, BB; 2B Rosman Verdugo, 1-for-2, BB, HBP; 3B Jack Costello, 1-for-4

Prospect Watch: A LOT of names departed the friendly confines of Parkview Field on Thursday afternoon. However, one marquee player who stayed put is right-hander Miguel Mendez. It was business as usual for the 23-year-old as he worked six innings, allowing just one unearned run on two hits. He punched out seven while issuing three walks. Mendez showcased the full strength of his arsenal, generating 12 whiffs and a 34.2% whiff rate on the night. Mendez’s fastball touched triple digits on three separate occasions, while his changeup showed exceptional late fade. Despite taking the loss, Mendez lowered his ERA since his promotion High-A to 1.32, which easily ranks first among Midwest league pitchers with at least 50 innings. His 28.1% strikeout rate is good for third. … At the dish, Fort Wayne’s makeshift lineup managed just two hits. Rosman Verdugo provided one of those and also was hit by a pitch and drew a walk. Despite hitting just .217 with a strikeout rate north of 33%, Verdugo has still been able to post a 115 wRC+ thanks to his strong .181 isolated power rate. The infielder also continues to draw free passes at a very strong 16.1% rate. … The other knock was provided by third baseman Jack Costello. The USD alum went 1-for-4. Costello has struggled to find consistency, posting a 77 wRC+ and .301 wOBA. Still, he has showcased some commendable bat-to-ball skills. He owns an 85% in-zone contact rate and 21% whiff rate. While the contact is good, the quality of that contact leaves something to be desired.

Storm 3, Inland Empire 66ers 1

Key Stats: DH Kale Fountain, 1-for-2, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 SB; LF Alex McCoy, 1-for-2, RBI, BB; 3B Zach Evans, 1-for-3 BB; LHP Braian Salazar 3.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 4 K, 2 BB; RHP Bernard Jose (W, 2-2) 3.2 IP, 5 K; RHP Vicarte Domingo (S, 4), 2 IP 1 K

Prospect Watch: With scheduled starter Boston Bateman traded hours before the game, the Storm had to rely on a bullpen game to get through the night. The staff more than rose to the occasion. Lefty Braian Salazar made the spot start and tossed a season-high 3.1 innings to finish his best month of the year. The 20-year-old posted a 3.09 ERA and struck out 16 over 11.2 innings in July. … Bernard Jose was impressive out of the Storm bullpen, working 3.2 perfect innings and striking out five. Jose’s arsenal flummoxed 66ers hitters, generating six total whiffs and a 30% whiff rate. To close things out, Vicarte Domingo worked two more perfect innings and struck out one. Domingo’s fastball flashed good ride and sat 93-95, while his changeup displayed promising late arm-side fade. Among California League pitchers with at least 30 innings of work this season, Domingo’s 31.1% strikeout rate ranks ninth. … In his 15th game since joining Lake Elsinore, Kale Fountain continued to show solid plate discipline, going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks. He also stole two bases and scored two runs. For the season, Fountain has now totaled six stolen bases. The biggest questions surrounding Fountain out of the draft were his hit tool and ability to limit strikeouts and swing-and-miss. As of now, he owns a 10.5% walk rate, a solid 19.2% whiff rate, and 82.1% in-zone contact rate. The results haven’t been eye-popping, as the six-foot-five corner player has managed just a 72 wRC+, .624 OPS, and .298 wOBA. But to this point, the 19-year-old does not look overmatched at the plate. … Big Alex McCoy went 1-for-2 with a RBI and a walk. Since returning from the IL on July 12, McCoy is hitting .261 with a 108 wRC+ and .765 OPS, though he continues to post a 29.8% in that same time period.