Quote from fenn68 on July 2, 2025, 7:55 am

San Diego Padres recalled RHP Ron Marinaccio from El Paso Chihuahuas.

Quote from Randy Manese on July 2, 2025, 8:26 am

Eduarniel Nunez has electric stuff, getting up to 102 mph, however, his slider is his best pitch.  Once he got his walk rate under 5/9 IP, he became a top prospect - another coup for Preller who signed his just 2 days after he elected free agency.  He could be the guy that allows top end reliever trades (like Adam or Estrada).  Hope he retains whatever he did this year to gain better command at the major league level.

Marinaccio will be sent back down after today - just an emergency arm and doing just about average in the PCL.

Quote from Randy Manese on July 2, 2025, 8:57 am

Valenzuela had another clutch hit that led to a San Antonio victory - believe he's done that at least 3 other times this year.  So even if he is streaky and doesn't have a quick bat, the fact that he can come through when the game is on the line has to help him get to the next level.  Should be moved to El Paso when Salas returns this month.

Quote from fenn68 on July 2, 2025, 9:00 am

Quote from Randy Manese on July 2, 2025, 8:26 am

Eduarniel Nunez has electric stuff, getting up to 102 mph, however, his slider is his best pitch.  Once he got his walk rate under 5/9 IP, he became a top prospect - another coup for Preller who signed his just 2 days after he elected free agency.  He could be the guy that allows top end reliever trades (like Adam or Estrada).  Hope he retains whatever he did this year to gain better command at the major league level.

Marinaccio will be sent back down after today - just an emergency arm and doing just about average in the PCL.

Yeh, if Nunez produces at the ML level ... opens up alternatives for trading high profile ML RP or makes it "easier" to let Suarez walk at the end of the season if he opts out (he will).

Although those higher profile arms (Suarez, Adam, Estrada) would be valuable trade chips this deadline for a contender ... but hard to see getting a return that helps in 2025 ... more of a prospect return. Maybe Estrada (with 5 years control / league minimum) could appeal to a non-contender for 2025 help (just not sure who). Maybe Preller trades for prospects then trades those prospects for 2025 help?

I like the stable of coming RP ... long control / low cost ... even in play for 2026. So, beyond letting Suarez go ... dealing Adam (now or in the winter) who will have only 1 year control but should have his ARB number jump into the $8MM range makes some sense given the need in MLB for end of game RP ... should yield a nice return. Padres have alternatives ... others don't, so supply and demand favors SD.

Quote from fenn68 on July 2, 2025, 9:44 am

Looking forward to 2026 and beyond consider this stockpile of RHRP (all don't have to make it ... just 5-6):

Hoeing ... 3 control years in Arb 1 for 2026 (s/b about $1MM)

Estrada ... 4 control years pre-Arb

Then the following all will have 6 control years and at league minimum for the first three:

Morgan, Nunez, Reynolds, Rodriguez, Pena, Castro, Neighbors (AA), Paplham (AA), and Hawkins (A+) ... then possible add of Knehr (5 control years).

Feel good about that group ... and if they can provide an effective  5 RHRP at the ML level for years at very low cost, then the Padres can allocate more money towards upgrades to the offense or SP. Gamble to be sure but comfortable moving on from Suarez and Adam.

Not as impressed by the LHRP although think they will do everything to extend Morejon (FA after 2026) but Matsui / Peralta (with player options) not so sure. Then again, LHRP that are clear ML prospects in the system ... not really. Maybe Cruz and/or Haynes might make it in 2027 ... time to have someone breakout I guess.

Quote from fenn68 on July 10, 2025, 7:43 pm

Fountain promoted to LE ... got a hit as the DH in his first game.

On the unfortunate side ... Knehr was put on the 60 day IL. He had made a spectacular return for arm surgery and was lights out in EP then the news went radio silent. Now we know ... sad he has the stuff to be a ML pitcher but injury and age is tough to beat.

Quote from Stergios on July 11, 2025, 9:10 am

Anyone else notice that we have a guy in high A ball, Miguel Mendez, pitching very well ?  He’s 23, so I guess about league average age, albeit a bit older than you’d like to see for a top prospect.

 

Quote from fenn68 on July 11, 2025, 9:44 am

Quote from Stergios on July 11, 2025, 9:10 am

Anyone else notice that we have a guy in high A ball, Miguel Mendez, pitching very well ?  He’s 23, so I guess about league average age, albeit a bit older than you’d like to see for a top prospect.

 

Mendez's Fastball is very lively. It's sitting around 96 MPH and has touched 99 MPH with over 18” induced vertical break from an above-average release height. It's a very hard pitch to hit when located at the top of the zone, and it's electric to watch.

Expect him to be added to the 40 man roster this winter. As with many young arms ... command has been his issue but much better this season. Did sign "older" for a player from DR (18 1/2) and this is only his 5th in the system so not worried about age ... especially with his stuff.

Probably in SA next year then if continues to develop auditioned for the Padres in 2027 along with Baez and Nett at a minimum.

Quote from Randy Manese on July 11, 2025, 3:21 pm

Back on 20 June I mentioned 16 pitchers (8 SP/8 RP) who were either going to be Rule 5 or free agents after the 2025 season; one of those was Mendez.  Since that date, a number of those pitchers have "hit the wall" but Mendez and Hawkins are still going very strong.  Gutierrez may be the lefty RP we need instead of a SP because his stuff currently is better than Haynes.

Surprisingly, Padres are getting some decent pitching down in the DSL from both Brown and Gold pitchers; a lot of them are from Mexico vice the Dominican or Venezuela.  We'll see if they can carry that over to the ACL or show they are not ready like recent DSL graduates Chourio, Davila or Maracara, who are taking their lumps but still showing slow (very slow) growth.