Summary: If you go by the overall win-loss record of 60-90, it wasn’t a great year for the El Paso Chihuahuas, and none of the players listed below are likely to make our Top 20 Padres Prospects list this winter. But if you ask Chihuahuas manager Pete Zamora, it was a very successful season.
How?
“The wins and losses are important to us, but it’s all about teaching the guys the Padres’ way; this is the structure,” said Zamora late this April. “The goal of the players here is to complement the big club. However, we can help the team in San Diego; we will.
“You can play many different positions; you know how to move a man over, bunt, run like the wind – those are the things that Craig [Stammen] and A.J. [Preller] want, and that’s what we are trying to do. When you can get the guys to buy into that concept, it’s great.”
A big part of the 2026 Padres’ success was being able to rely on players like Dustin Harris, Samad Taylor, Jase Bowen, and Rodolfo Durán. Most importantly, El Paso gave Ethan Salas a 24-game window between Double-A and the majors, where he hit .326/.410/.539.539 before being called up on September 1.
Overview: We use a simple formula for the awards. The team a player appeared for most determines his eligibility. For the top prospect, we consider not just what the player did this year, but also his age and potential impact in the major leagues. We lean toward more of a middle-of-the-road evaluation, relying on a couple of questions to filter through it: (1) how old is the prospect compared to the competition; (2) how raw or developed is the prospect heading into a full-season ball; and (3) is he making the necessary adjustments in terms of mechanics and approach?
Level: Triple-A is a unique crossroads in professional baseball, with rosters that often feature as many players looking for one last shot as those hoping for their first.
As many readers have noticed, a huge part of the organization’s success has come from the success of the Padres’ professional scouting department, led by Pete DeYoung. The group, one of the largest in the sport, aggressively scouts other systems. But the Padres also rely on their on-field personnel to identify players to target.
“When Pete DeYoung saw [Samad Taylor] was coming off the Seattle roster, I said, ‘sign him now,” said Zamora.”I’m tired of this guy beating me, and I want him on my team.
Nick Solak had a big year in the Sun City. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Player of the Year: OF/1B Nick Solak (John, Kevin and Ben) 511 PA .311/.376/.487 28 2B 2 3B 16 HR 80 RBI 7 SB
Others receiving votes: OF Jase Bowen (David and Clark) 222 PA .292/.362/.600 11 2B 5 3B 13 HR 36 RBI 7 SB
The Padres signed Nick Solak to a minor league free agent deal last winter after he spent most of the 2025 season in Triple-A for the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, posting a .902 OPS in 482 plate appearances. This year, the left-handed hitter led El Paso in doubles and RBI, finished second in home runs, and tied Mason McCoy with 141 hits, second behind Carlos Rodriguez (148).
After getting a brief four-game call-up to the Padres this year, Solak has seen big league action in seven of the last eight seasons, though most of his 995 plate appearances came with Texas between 2019 and 2022. While he logged five games at second base for the Chihuahuas, the 5-foot-9 Solak is primarily a corner outfielder who can play some first base. Solak has shown elite strike zone command and put up another solid year in Triple-A, but he’ll be heading into his age 32 season looking for an opportunity in his ninth organization.
Jase Bowen slugged .600 for El Paso. (Photo: Deanna Almaguer)
Jase Bowen’s signing was a real accomplishment for Pete DeYoung’s group, as the athletic 25-year-old bolted the Pirates organization that drafted him in 2019 and bought him out of a commitment to go to Michigan State as a two-sport athlete. The speedy right-hander impressed, posting a .292/.362/.600 line while providing strong outfield defense before he was called up to San Diego on June 2. Bowen is a premium athlete, but will have to control his chase rate, which was 32.57% in El Paso and spiked to an unplayable 43.7% in the big leagues. Should he find a way to tone down his aggressive approach, he could get an opportunity as a longer-term fifth outfielder option in the big leagues.
Carlos Rodriguez led the team in hits in 2026. (Photo: Jorge Salgado)
Top Position Prospect: Carlos Rodriguez (John, David, Ben)
Others Receiving Votes: Marcos Castañon (Kevin, Clark)
Most of the at-bats in El Paso this year went to players who have already exceeded rookie eligibility, leaving the pool for consideration here a bit shallow. The Padres signed 25-year-old Carlos Rodriguez to a minor league free-agent contract last winter, and the left-hander led the Chihuahuas with 148 hits, stole 23 bases in 29 attempts, and posted a .375 on-base percentage. He spent most of his time in center field, but is comfortable at all three outfield positions. The 5-foot-9 Venezuelan’s offensive output was still slightly below league average because of his limited power, and he finished the year with a wRC+ of 94. He will return to minor league free agency for the third straight year this winter. … Marcos Castañon, 27, led the Chihuahuas with 17 home runs and finished third in RBIs, but still posted a wRC+ of 87. It’ll be tough for him to crack the current San Diego lineup, and this may have been the former UC Santa Barbara Gaucho’s last run in the Padres organization.
Samad Taylor made a lot of hard contact for the Chihuahuas. (Photo: El Paso Chihuahuas)
Others of Note: After his good showing with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate inspired Zamora, the Padres signed Samad Taylor in the offseason, and he was one of the squad’s better players before getting his first prolonged major league opportunity this season. In 60 PCL games (258 plate appearances), he had a .878 OPS with 19 extra-base hits. … Dustin Harris, 26, had limited stints with the White Sox and Astros in April and May – and actually came back to the White Sox organization in Triple-A Charlotte, before being granted his release and signing with the Padres in July. From there, his 350/.422/.617 line in 135 plate appearances across 29 games for the Chihuahuas led to a promotion to San Diego, where he continued to hit. … Rodolfo Durán, 28, got his first crack at the big leagues after 11 yeas in the minors and was definitely one of the feel-good stories of the season as he spent 39 games on the big league roster. With El Paso, he couldn’t match the results he delivered last year, but he still posted a .729 OPS and led the team. … At 30, Mason McCoy exceeded his rookie status last year but has yet to get an extended run in the major leagues with either Toronto or San Diego. At 31, he finished second in the Pacific Coast League in stolen bases with 40 in 46 attempts and posted a .361 on-base percentage. He is a plus defender at shortstop and has also played second, third, and center field.
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