With the MLB Draft getting underway late this morning San Diego time, we have a primer on the process and what the experts think you should expect from the Padres.
Oklahoma City Comets 10, Chihuahuas 5
Key Statistics: 3B Clay Dungan 2-for-4, 2 R, BB; 2B Nate Mondou 2-for-4, R; SS Mason McCoy 2-for-5, RBI; LF Nick Solak 2-for-4, 2B, BB; 1B Nick Pratto 3-for-3, HR (8), 3 RBI, 2 BB; LHP Miguel Cienfuegos (L, 2-4) 2.1 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 3 BB, 4 K; RHP Johan Moreno 1.2 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, BB, 4 K; RHP Andrew Moore IP, H, ER, 3 BB
Mason McCoy has been solid offensively. (Photo: El Paso Chihuahuas).
Prospect Watch: The Chihuahuas outhit the Comets 14-13, but their pitchers walked 10 and the Comets defeated El Paso Friday night. … Nick Pratto had a perfect night at the plate, reaching base in all five of his plate appearances. He had a pair of singles, drew two walks, and connected on his eighth homer of the season. The former first-rounder and Huntington Beach native has a .795 OPS with three of those home runs in 23 games since joining the Padres organization after Texas released him on June 9. … Mason McCoy hit in the middle of the lineup and delivered a pair of singles. The 31-year-old veteran has reached base safely in all eight games he has played in July. In those eight games, he is hitting .250/.417/.357. … Miguel Cienfuegos jumped into the rotation and took the loss – his fourth of the season. The 29-year-old pitched 2.1 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits. He walked three and struck out four. Cienfuegos had a brutal start to the season, but has pitched very well since June 1. Over the last five weeks, he has an ERA of 2.40 while holding opposing batters to a sub-.200 average. He sat in the 93-94 mph range with his fastball, topping out at 96 mph … Andrew Moore allowed a run on a hit in one inning, walking three in the process. The hard-throwing righty runs his heater up to 97 mph but generally struggles to locate it. Between San Antonio and El Paso, the former Reds prospect has a 1.93 ERA, which, on the surface, makes him an intriguing option for a taxed Padres bullpen. However, he’s walked an incredible 35 batters in 32.2 innings. Opposing hitters are batting just .140 against him overall between the two stops, and he has a 15.15 K/9 this season. While Moore has the makings of an elite bullpen arm, there’s simply no way he can stick in the big leagues while averaging more than one walk per inning.
Roster Moves: The Padres have reportedly agreed to sign outfielder Dustin Harris to a minor league contract, and he will be assigned to the Chihuahuas roster. The 27-year-old has seen big league action this season with the White Sox and the Astros, appearing in 17 games for both clubs. He has spent the majority of the season with Charlotte, the White Sox Triple-A team. Harris will provide another outfielder with big league experience to the depth in El Paso.
Missions 8, Midland RockHounds 7
Key Statistics: DH Ethan Salas 3-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, SB (14); LF Jake Cunningham 2-for-5, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB (3); 2B Wyatt Hoffman 2-for-5, R, HR (1), 2 RBI; RHP Eric Yost (W, 4-2) 5 IP, 6 H, ER, 4 BB, 7 K; RHP Sadrac Franco (S, 2) 1.2 IP, H, BB, K
Ethan Salas had a solid day at the plate. (Photo: Vashaun Newman)
Prospect Watch: The Missions jumped out early and held off the RockHounds Friday night. … Ethan Salas extended his hitting streak to five games with a three-hit night – his first three-hit night since May 28. Salas, 20, started at designated hitter and singled twice, doubled, and drove in a run. He also swiped his 14th bag of the campaign. Salas had a rough June with a two-week stint on the injured list, and he failed to notch an extra-base hit all month. He’s looked much better in July, hitting .346/.400/.385 slash-line in seven games back. … Wyatt Hoffman connected on his first homer since 2024 in the victory. The blast to left field was also his first homer at the Double-A level. The 27-year-old isn’t in the system for his bat, but he’s got a .947 OPS in seven games with the Missions, despite striking out nine times in 21 plate appearances. … Eric Yost returned to the Missions rotation Friday and picked up his fourth win of the year with a solid effort. The right-hander pitched five innings, allowing a run on six hits. He walked four and mitigated the damage with seven strikeouts. The 23-year-old made an emergency start for El Paso last week and got knocked around by Sacramento. The former 17th-rounder has been solid for the Missions, pitching to a 3.34 ERA.
TinCaps 6, West Michigan Whitecaps 3
Key Statistics: SS Justin DeCriscio 3-for-5, R; CF Ryan Wideman 3-for-5; LF Alex McCoy 2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI; 1B Luke Cantwell 2-for-2, 2 R, HR (3), 3 BB, RBI; DH Kerrington Cross 2-for-4, R, BB; RHP Abraham Parra (W, 4-5) 5 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 2 K; RHP Clark Candiotti (S, 1) 1.1 IP, H, K
Ryan Wideman continues to reach base at a strong clip after his promotion to Fort Wayne. (Photo: Adam Gaddy)
Prospect Watch: The TinCaps notched 16 hits to defeat the Whitecaps on the road in Michigan. … Center fielder Ryan Wideman had his first three-hit game at the High-A level, singling three times in five plate appearances. . The center fielder has hit safely in 10 of his 11 games while hitting .333 in July. The 22-year-old has just two extra-base hits in 14 games, leading to a .295/.353/.328 batting line. … Luke Cantwell walked three times and connected on his third homer of the year in the win. Cantwell, the Padres’ very last draft pick a season ago, has hit well, regardless of the level. After posting a .971 OPS with the Storm, Friday’s big night raised his OPS with Fort Wayne to .957. As a first-base-only prospect, Cantwell will really need to mash to have a chance. Thus far in his pro career, he’s done his part. In 53 games as a professional, the former Pitt Panther is hitting .302/.442/.500. … Righty Abraham Parra had a nice outing, earning his fourth win of the year. He tossed five innings, allowing a run on five hits and two walks while he struck out a pair. Parra, 20, got off to a fast start this season before struggling in May, posting an 8.69 ERA over five starts. The Venezuelan has bounced back some since then, but he has walked 40 batters in 62.1 innings this year on his way to a 5.49 ERA.
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 5, Storm 4
Key Statistics: 3B Bradley Frye 2-for-5, R; RF George Bilecki 1-for-3, R, BB, 2 RBI, SB (10); SS Jorge Quintana 1-for-4, R, BB, SB (20); LHP Kruz Schoolcraft, 5.1 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 3 K; RHP Carson Swilling (L, 3-2) 0.0 IP, H, 2 R (1 ER), BB
Prospect Watch: The Storm held a 4-1 lead heading into the seventh, but Rancho chipped away before scoring two in the ninth to hand the Storm another loss. Since winning the first half division title, Lake Elsinore is just 5-14 in the second half. … Kruz Schoolcraft turned in one of his best starts of the season and was in line to earn the win before the bullpen coughed up the lead. The young lefty pitched a career-high 5.1 innings, allowing just one hit. He walked two and struck out three. The 19-year-old was hit in the head with a line drive in his last outing, but didn’t miss a beat after what was a scary moment. Schoolcraft has shown flashes this season, especially over the last two months. The overall results aren’t pretty, but he’s made every start this season. Friday’s start lowered his season ERA to 6.59. … Bradley Frye started at third and delivered with a pair of singles. The former Mercer University infielder has hit safely in three straight games after a slow start to July. Overall, Frye is hitting .274/.367/.361 this season. … George Bilecki singled, drew a walk, and drove in a pair of runs in the loss. The left-handed-hitting outfielder has received much more playing time since Wideman’s promotion, and he responded by connecting on three homers in June while slugging .483. The former Lewis University star has a .718 OPS for the Storm in 2026.
ACL Mariners 1, ACL Padres 0 (7 innings)
Key Statistics: DH Eddson Martinez 1-for-2; SS Jhoan De La Cruz 1-for-1, BB; RHP Cameron Nohos (L, 2-5), 4 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K; RHP José Leclerc, IP, 2 K; LHP Ryan Reed, IP, K
Cameron Nohos has gotten mixed results in his professional debut. (Photo: Jerry Espinoza)
Prospect Watch: The ACL Padres managed just three hits and lost a pitchers’ duel in the battle of the Peoria Sports Complex. … Shortstop Jhoan De La Cruz singled and walked – he was the only desert Padre to reach base more than once. The 18-year-old shortstop signed with the Padres for $1 million as part of the 2025 international class. After putting up solid results in the DSL last season, the switch-hitter has struggled in the desert this season, punching out in a staggering 45% of his plate appearances while producing a .586 OPS. … José Leclerc continued his rehab in the desert, pitching a scoreless inning. The 32-year-old veteran has pitched three perfect innings over eight days, striking out four. Leclerc could be a candidate to join the El Paso roster soon, as he’s looked sharp as he builds back from shoulder surgery last summer. … Big Cameron Nohos was the hard-luck loser in Friday’s contest. The 6-foot-8 righty tossed four innings, allowing a run on three hits. He walked two and struck out four. The 23-year-old has 58 strikeouts in 37.2 innings while pitching to a 6.21 ERA.
