San Diego Padres Daily Farm Report: August 7

Chihuahuas 11, Oklahoma City Comets 5

Key Stats: C Luis Campusano 2-for-4, HR (17), 2 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB; DH Rodolfo Durán 2-for-5, 2 HR (9), 5 RBI, 2 R; 3B Mike Brosseau 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, R; LHP Omar Cruz (W, 3-4) 2.2 IP, 2 H, BB, K; LHP Kyle Hart, 2 IP, 2 H, K

Luis Campusano continues to dominate the PCL. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)

Prospect Watch: El Paso fell behind early, but put up seven runs in the third inning and never looked back as they won their sixth straight. Luis Campusano‘s otherworldly season in the PCL continued Thursday night, as the 26-year-old catcher launched his 17th home run as part of a 2-for-4 night that also featured two RBIs, two runs scored, and a walk. I’ve said it at least 10 times now, and I’ll say it once again: Campusano’s batted ball data at the Triple-A level is exceptional. His .420 wOBA, 14.2% Barrel Rate, 93.5 mph average exit velocity, and .418 xwOBA are all in the 95th percentile or better among all Triple-A hitters. … The only man who had a bigger night than Campusano was DH Rodolfo Durán. The 27-year-old went 2-for-5 with a 452 foot grand slam that left the bat at 108.1 mph and a 106.5 mph solo shot that ended the scoring. Durán has had multiple hits in six straight games and four homers in that span, pushing his OPS for the year from .664 to .793. Nothing in Durán’s batted ball data, outside of his 88th percentile 112.9 mph Max EV, jumps off the page. However, like many in the Padres system, he boasts solid plate discipline numbers, with an 87.2% in-zone contact rate and 21.2% whiff rate. … Omar Cruz delivered a strong middle relief outing after starter Wes Benjamin was chased in the fifth. The left-hander worked 2.2 innings, allowing no runs on two hits, walking one, and striking out one. In total, Cruz posted a 35% whiff rate. As is often the case, the 26-year-old’s changeup was his most effective pitch, generating an 80% chase rate and a 30.8% whiff rate. For the night, it averaged 10.1″ inches of horizontal break at 81.1 mph. … To close things out, El Paso turned to Kyle Hart. The lefty shut things down, working two scoreless innings on two hits and one strikeout. Hart’s arsenal failed to generate many swings and misses, garnering only one whiff on 11 swings, but he landed eight called strikes.

Springfield Cardinals 6, Missions 2

Key Stats: RHP Miguel Mendez (L, 0-1) 6 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 4 BB, 11 K; SS Francisco Acuña 1-for-4, 2B; DH Marcos Castañon, 1-for-2, 2 BB, RBI; 2B Anthony Vilar, 2-for-4, 2B

Miguel Mendez showed dominant stuff in his Double-A debut. (Photo: Rey Holguin)

Prospect Watch: After posting a 1.32 ERA, 28.6% strikeout rate, and 3.36 FIP in 61.1 innings at High-A, Miguel Mendez received a well-earned promotion to Double-A this week. Making what is often considered the biggest leap in the minors, it would’ve been understandable to see Mendez struggle in his first start for San Antonio. Instead, the 22-year-old turned in yet another dominant performance. The right-hander allowed just two unearned runs on one hit over six innings, walking four, while striking out a career-high 11 batters. Mendez’s fastball was once again electric, sitting 96-97 mph and topping out at 99. The shape of the four-seamer remains encouraging, getting anywhere between 17” and 19” inches of induced vertical break (iVB) on Thursday. Mendez continued to flash two different slider variations. The first sits between 83-85 mph at around 2500-2600 rpm with around -4.0” horizontal break and between five and six inches of iVB, a shape that has become known as a “death ball.” The other is a more traditional slider that sits 87-89 and gets between eight and nine inches of iVB. All told, Mendez drew 20 whiffs on 40 swings. … Shortstop Francisco Acuña collected one of two Missions extra-base hits on the night, going 1-for-4 with a strikeout. The 25-year-old has posted a 111 wRC+, .332 wOBA, and .706 OPS in his first season in the organization, while providing steady defense at shortstop. … Marcos Castañon had the most productive night for the Missions, going 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored. Castañon owns a 122 wRC+ to go with a .340 wOBA, up from 104 and .320 in his first pass at the Texas League last year. The 26-year-old has been an aggressive hitter all season, swinging at 52.1% of all the pitches he’s seen and 74.3% of pitches in the zone. While that approach yields a below-average walk rate, his solid 81.2% in-zone contact rate has paid off. Utility man Anthony Vilar tallied a multi night, going 2-for-4 with a double in the loss. The 26-year-old is on a nice little stretch at the dish, going 9-for-29 with four extra base hits and a 124 wRC+ in his last eight games. For the season his OPS sits at .646 with a 92 wRC+.

TinCaps 8, South Bend Cubs 3

Key Stats: RHP Sam Whiting 4 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 K, BB; LHP Harry Gustin (W, 3-2) 2 IP, 3 K; RF Braedon Karpathios 3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI, 2 R; 3B Ryan Jackson 2-for-4, 2 R, BB; 1B Jack Costello, 1-for-4, HR (6), 3 RBI, SB (6); CF Kai Roberts 1-for-2, HR (3), 2 BB, 2 R, RBI

Braedon Karpathios is making a second-half surge for the second year in a row. (Photo: Ryan Cox)

Prospect Watch: The TinCaps jumped out early and cruised to a win to pull back within one game of .500 in the second half. … Outfielder Braedon Karpathios, one of the most under-the-radar hitting prospects in the Padres system, led the way offensively for Fort Wayne, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, two walks, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Since July 11, the 22-year-old is hitting .329 with eight extra-base hits, a 149 wRC+, and an OPS north of .880. Now, 394 plate appearances into the season, Karpathios boasts a 123 wRC+, .373 wOBA, and a very strong 15.4% walk rate. Karpathios rarely swings at pitches outside the zone, posting just a 16.7% chase rate on the year. … Ryan Jackson joined Karpathios in providing a big day atop the order. The TinCaps’ third baseman went 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored in Thursday’s victory. Jackson has continued to show impressive pitch recognition since making the jump to High-A, boasting a 15.2% walk rate and just a 19% chase rate. While Jackson doesn’t hit for much power, the bat-to-ball skills remain strong with an 18.7% whiff rate and 85.5% in zone contact rate. … Batting out of the number five hole, first baseman Jack Costello went 1-for-4, with the hit being a towering three-run home run. It’s the USD alum’s first home run since June 10. Costello owns just a 29 wRC+ and .443 OPS since June 1. … Working in relief of Sam Whiting, Harry Gustin was excellent, tossing two perfect innings while striking out three. Gustin’s slider flashed exceptional depth while sitting in the low-80s. In 45.2 innings this season, the left-hander owns a 28.2% strikeout rate, 2.56 ERA, and 3.40 FIP.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 3, Storm 2

Key Stats: RHP Kannon Kemp, 4 IP, 2 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K; SS Jorge Quintana, 1-for-2, 2B, RBI, BB, HBP, SB (1); DH Alex McCoy, 3-for-4, 3B, R; RF Kavares Tears, 1-for-3, BB; 1B Kale Fountain, 0-for-4, 2 K

Alex McCoy is a threat at the plate. (Photo: Robert Escalante)

Prospect Watch: A two-out, bases-loaded hit batter in the eighth inning pushed across Quakes’ winning run and dropped the Storm back under .500 in the second half. … Through just two games, Jorge Quintana is showing he is more than just a throw-in player in the Nestor Cortes deal. The 18-year-old had an excellent night from the leadoff spot, going 1-for-2 with a ringing double off the wall in left-center. He also drew a walk, was hit by a pitch, and stole his first base. Quintana signed out of Venezuela for $1.7 million in 2024 to headline Milwaukee’s IFA class ahead of Jesus Made. As a switch-hitter, Quintana shows a fluid stroke from both sides and has shown solid plate discipline, boasting a 12.2% walk rate in over 500 plate appearances between the DSL and ACL. Listed at 6-foot-2, 185-pounds, the power will play more gap-to-gap until he bulks up more. Still, with a max exit velocity already of 110 mph, he offers projectable power. … Alex McCoy has been impressive since re-joining the Lake Elsinore lineup from injury on July 12. Coming into Thursday night, the 6-foot-6 outfielder had posted a 124 wRC+, .371 wOBA, with an .832 OPS in his last 19 games. That hot streak continued Thursday night, as the Storm left fielder went 3-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. The 23-year-old UDFA is still very much a lottery ticket prospect. The raw power is legitimate, proven by exit velocities of 111 and 113 mph this year. However, he has an unsustainable 35.9% whiff rate, and is barely better on pitches in the zone, making contact just 70.3% of the time. … Kale Fountain went 0-for-4 with two more punch-outs. Twenty-one games into his time with Lake Elsinore, Fountain has struggled, posting a 91 wRC+ and .331 wOBA that are propeed up by a 12.1% walk rate. Plate discipline-wise, Fountain owns a decent 27.2% chase rate. However, his passivity extends too far. He’s swung at just 58.7% of pitches he’s seen in the zone. That and his 78.2% in-zone contact rate are numbers he will need to improve. … On the mound, Kannon Kemp had better, but still uneven, results. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over four innings, but struck out a season-high seven batters. Kemp generated a good amount of swings and misses. Racking up 12 whiffs and a 33.3% whiff rate on the night.