Summary
Rather than being focused on developing prospects, the El Paso Chihuahuas roster essentially operated as a taxi squad for the Padres’ big league club, providing players who could fit in on the big league squad, rather than developing prospects.
The Pacific Coast League is a challenging place to pitch, with altitudes in Reno, Salt Lake City, Albuquerque, and Las Vegas, as well as the home park of El Paso.
Ryan Bergert with the Chihuahuas earlier in the season. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
“It toughens them, opens their eyes more, and then you find out more about the player,” said El Paso manager Pete Zamora, himself a veteran of eight minor league seasons on the mound. “We found out about [Ryan] Bergert and [Stephen] Kolek because they got hit a bit when they arrived, and they continued attacking without dodging the contact.”
This season, El Paso did get some length out of its starting pitching, with four starters posting more than eighty innings, but the true stars may have been the relief corps, several of whom could be in San Diego by next spring.
Overview
Our approach to eligibility remains straightforward. Players are considered at whichever affiliate they logged the most service time. We recognize the top contributor to this year’s team as the top player, while the top prospect is based on our expectations based on his production, age, projectability, and potential impact in the major leagues.
Level
Triple-A is a unique crossroads in professional baseball, with rosters often featuring as many players looking to get one last shot as those hoping to get their first shot. The Pacific Coast League is a renowned hitter’s league, with El Paso’s homer-friendly Southwest University Park only in the middle of the pack of offense boosts.
Jackson Wolf relies on a funky delivery and eclectic repertoire. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Pitcher of the Year
Jackson Wolf (John Conniff, David Jay); Omar Cruz (Ben Davey, Clark Fahrenthold); Kyle Hart (Kevin Charity)
Wolf tied with Matt Waldron for the team lead with seven win and finished second on the staff with 103.2 innings. Wolf, who throws six different pitches and relies on sink and movement in the zone, was better away from Southwest University Park, where the altitude didn’t affect the movement as much on his pitches. The 6-foot-7 lefty started the year in Double-A, but after a month, was in El Paso, where he posted a 5.47 ERA in 22 starts. Now 26 and in his second stint in the organization, Wolf would again be Rule 5 eligible this winter.
Omar Cruz contributed as both as a starter and a reliever. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Cruz, also a 26-year-old lefty, swung between the rotation and the bullpen. Listed at six feet, the Hermasillo, Mexico native relies on mixing his pitches, particularly his elite changeup and four-seam fastball. Cruz was slightly better in relief with a 4.62 ERA in 48.2 innings as a reliever compared to a 5.17 ERA in 38.1 innings as a starter. His most likely fit in the big leagues is as a middle reliever capable of going multiple innings.
Hart, 32, came back to the states after a dominant year in Korea and opened the year in San Diego’s rotation before being sent down to El Paso. The left-hander served as a swingman and ultimately had several brief stints in the Padres bullpen down the stretch. In El Paso, he relied on sink and movement, rather than velocity to get outs. The club is unlikely to exercise the $5 million option for next year, so he’ll likely be looking for another opportunity to compete for a bullpen job in 2026.
Francis Pena getting full extension. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Top Pitching Prospect
Francis Pena (David Jay, Ben Davey, Clark Fahrenhold)
Sean Reynolds (John Conniff, Kevin Charity)
Watching the 6-foot-3, 185-pound Pena throw his sinker in the upper-90s is akin to watching a person crack a whip, as the wiry Dominican launches his entire body towards the plate. He had an up-and-down season, particularly with his command. At 24 years old, he walked 34 batters in 52.1 innings against 47 strikeouts. Pena primarily works with a sinker/slider combination, occasionally using a cutter.
“We’ve all seen Francis be electric and struggle with some consistency,” said Zamora. “To take it to the next level, consistency is essential.”
Sean Reynolds and Luis Campusano. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Reynolds, 27, fought injuries for much of the season, but his results in El Paso this season were much better than he manage in 2024. The big righty posted a 2.86 ERA in 28.1 innings in El Paso, but the big red flag was an ugly 22:22 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound former position player has a huge fastball that sits in the upper 90s, but the key to his success is his ability to throw his slider for strikes and his sweeper to chase.
Others of Note
The diminutive 5-foot-8 right-hander from Gusave, Mexico, he can blast a fastball with good carry in the upper 90s with a decent curve and a changeup. He finished the year with a 4-1 record and a 3.66 ERA in 32 innings. Overall, between El Paso and San Antonio, he had a 3.99 ERA with 73 strikeouts against 36 walks in 58.2 innings. With the Missions, he had 10 saves in 23 games before being promoted to the Sun City. The 23-year-old should be back in Triple-A to start the year, but could be a candidate for a mid-season promotion.
You can view all our level wrap-ups here as they are published.
