Mason McCoy was one of the last cuts from big league camp. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Albuquerque Isotopes 13, Chihuahuas 5
Key Stats: LHP Marco Gonzalez 3.2 IP, 13 H, 10 R (4 ER), 3 K; RHP Jason Adam 2 IP; 3B Mason McCoy 1-for-4, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 E; SS Sung-Mun Song 1-for-4, R, 2 K; 1B Nate Mondou 1-for-3, BB
Prospect Watch: El Paso managed to score five runs on five hits, while committing five errors. The five errors contributed to six unearned runs and gave the Isotopes a lopsided victory. Mason McCoy had the lone extra-base hit for the Chihuahuas, a 431-foot blast in the fourth inning was his first homer of the season. It was also the second-longest hit ball in all of Triple-A on the day. The three RBIs were his first of April as he snapped a three-game hitless streak. The normally stellar defender committed two of the club’s errors at shortstop. … Jason Adam pitched in what very well might be his final tuneup before returning to San Diego. Adam needed just 14 pitches to retire all six batters he faced. His average fastball velocity was down nearly two mph to 93, while his spin rate was down 20%. How much of that is due to pitching in high altitude is unclear. However, in four games with El Paso, Adam has yet to allow a run and has only allowed two hits. … If you are a Triston McKenzie believer, his fastball was consistently hitting 97 mph, he had a 40% whiff rate, and for the first time this season, he only walked one. The downside is he still allowed three runs on three hits over 1.2 innings, including a huge home run to top prospect Charlie Condon. The 28-year-old has a 7.94 ERA over 5.2 innings this season.
Harry Gustin has emerged as a key relief prospect for the Padres. (Photo: Rey Holguin)
Corpus Christi Hooks 9, Missions 6 (11 innings)
Key Stats: LHP Jagger Haynes 1.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, K; LHP Harry Gustin 2.2 IP, H, 2 K; RHP Francis Peña IP, H, 4 R (1 ER), 5 BB, K; SS Ryan Jackson 2-for-5, RBI, BB; 2B Francisco Acuna 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB (2); DH Tirso Ornelas 1-for4, 2B; 3B Carson Tucker 2-for-4, RS, RBI, BB
Prospect Watch: The Missions drew 10 walks, left 14 on base, and went 4-for-17 with runners in scoring position, and turned what should have been a win into an extra-inning loss. Making his first start of the season, Jagger Haynes looked rusty, throwing 26 strikes and 25 balls without getting through two innings. The 23-year-old constantly fell behind hitters, and when he did find the zone, hitters were making loud contact. Overall, it was a forgettable night for the 23-year-old. … The Missions were able to stay in the game due in part to 2.2 fantastic innings of relief from Harry Gustin. After Haynes labored, Gustin needed only 29 pitches to get the eight outs. While none of Gustin’s pitches jump off the page as stellar, he showed how precisely he can locate his entire repertoire. Gustin allowed just one baserunner over his 2.2 innings and struck out a pair. Francis Peña took the loss as he struggled to find his command in extra-innings. The 25-year-old, now working from an extreme closed-off set position and struggling to find the dynamism in his delivery from two years ago, walked five and got just 21 strikes on 45 pitches. He escaped from the 10th allowing just one unearned run on a passed ball when he got a bases-loaded grounder to end the frame. He came back out for the 11th and failed to record an out as a walked two, surrendered a hit, and had a costly error behind him. … After the Padres traded multiple shortstop prospects at last year’s deadline, Ryan Jackson suddenly became the most advanced shortstop in the organization. The former USC Trojan hit .259 with a .730 OPS last year with 19 stolen bases. After a slow start, Jackson collected his first multi-hit game of the season. He reached base in three of his six plate appearances. He has reached base safely eight times over five games. … Ethan Salas has been playing every other day as he eases into his 2026 campaign. He was planning for an off-day Wednesday, but wound up entering defensively in the 11th inning. He did not have a plate appearance.
Alex McCoy’s huge frame helps him generate big power. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Lansing Lugnuts 15, TinCaps 1
Key Statistics: RHP Isaiah Lowe 4 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K; RHP Clark Candiotti 1.1 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, BB, 3 K; RHP Will Varmett IP, H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 3 K; RHP Bernard Jose IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, K; LF Alex McCoy 1-for-4, 2B; 1B Jack Costello 1-for-4, RBI
Prospect Watch: The TInCaps managed two hits while all five of their pitchers allowed multiple runs as they surrendered six extra-base hits and walked nine in what ended up being an early candidate for the ugliest game of the season. … Isaiah Lowe, pushed into service in the rotation with Kannon Kemp and Jaxon Dalena on the IL, turned in a promising outing despite a final line that wasn’t pretty. Lowe consistently got ahead of hitters and induced a lot of soft contact that found unlucky holes in the defense. After walking over five batters per nine innings last year, Lowe has only walked one over seven innings through his first two appearances back in Fort Waye. He will hope is better performance turns into stronger results in his next outing. … Alex McCoy has gotten off to a bit of a slow start on the season, but when the hits he’s had have been loud. The big left fielder connected on a double Wednesday that had an exit velocity of 112 mph. McCoy is only 4-for-16 over the first week of the season, but three of those hits have been for extra-bases. Encouragingly, he’s struck out only twice in 18 trips to the plate. McCoy left the game after grounding out in the eighth. He appeared to have a bit of tightness in his right leg once he crossed the bag.
Truitt Madonna is adjusting to the professional game. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Storm 9, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 7
Key Statistics: RHP Jesus Castro 3.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, BB, 2 K; RHP Carlos Medina 2.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 K; RHP Travis Barnett 0.2 IP, 0 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, K, 2 WP; RHP Ethan Long IP, K (S, 2); SS Jose Verdugo 2-for-5, R, SB (2); DH Ty Harvey 2-for-2; RF Kale Fountain 0-for-3, BB, SB (3); C Truitt Madonna 2-for-3, 3B, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI; LF George Bilecki 1-for-3, 2B, R, BB; 1B Victor Duarte 2-for-3, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
Prospect Watch: After going hitless over his first three games, Truitt Madonna came to life Wednesday, collecting his first professional triple as he went 2-for-3 with a walk and scored twice. While Madonna was selected in the 11th round last year, he earned the club’s third-highest signing bonus in the class. The big-bodied backstop has been splitting time between catcher and first base with Ty Harvey, who drew the second-largest bonus. Madonna has had some issues behind the plate, allowing four passed balls in just 13 innings, but he did throw out two of three would-be base-stealers on the night… Harvey got the start at DH Wednesday and had a pair of hard-hit opposite field hits. On the second, he came up short out of the box and had to settle for a single on a ball that went to the wall. He called for a pinch runner immediately after the ball was dead and exited the game. Through five games, he is hitting .333 with four RBI and two stolen bases. … Victor Duarte made the most of his first start of the year as the seven-year system vet reached base three times, including a double. Duarte, 25, started the year in Lake Elsinore for the fourth straight season. He’s never had more than 200 plate appearances in a season. … After transitioning to the mound last year, Ethan Long collected a save with a perfect inning with a strikeout. The 24-year-old has closed out both of the Storm’s wins this year. The Phoenix native was a two-way contributor at Arizona State University. He posted a .680 OPS in parts of three seasons after signing with the Padres as an undrafted free agent in 2023.
