FriarNotes: Padres prospects, affiliates getting warmer with the weather; Notes on Merrill, Minors, History

By Bill Center

Ethan Salas at Camelback Ranch

After slow starts, Padres prospects and affiliates have been picking it up lately.

Single-A Lake Elsinore leads the Southern Division of the California League with a 24–18 record. Triple-A El Paso and High Single-A Fort Wayne are within striking distance of .500 and Double-A San Antonio is 8–6 over the past 14 games.

Nineteen-year-old Ethan Salas has been reinstalled as the Padres’ №1 prospect. He is betting .299 with six home runs after missing almost all of last season with a lower back reaction.

Left-handed starter Kash Mayfield has been named the Midwest League’s Pitcher of the Week twice this season and has a 1.52 earned run average after eight starts.

On Thursday night, starting right-hander Carson Montgomery (1.41 ERA), the Padres’ №30 prospect, gave up a run on 3 hits and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts in 5 innings for High Single-A Fort Wayne.

First baseman Truitt Madonna (.271), the Padres’ №22 prospect, was 3-for-5 with 2 RBIs and a run for Lake Elsinore. Catcher Ty Harvey (.350), the №6 prospect, was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run for the Storm.

PAD BITS:

— CF Jackson Merrill suffered no serious injuries Wednesday, but he wasn’t in the lineup Friday night and is listed as day-to-day.

PADRES HISTORY:

May 22, 2022 — Manny Machado goes 4-for-4 with three doubles, a triple, a walk, two RBI and three runs scored. He has a career-high four extra base hits in a game and is the first player in Major League history to have three doubles, a triple, a walk and three runs scored in a single game as Padres defeat Giants 10–1 to complete their first three-game series sweep in San Francisco since 2016.

PADRES ON DECK:

RHP Tucker Musgrove (4.66), the №9 prospect, issued a walk with 2 Ks in a hitless, scoreless inning at Fort Wayne Thursday. DH Alex McCoy (.293), the №19 prospect, had a double in 3 at-bats with a RBI, a walk, a stolen base and 2 runs. C Lamar King Jr. (.258), the №14 prospect, was 0-for-4 with a stolen base and a run.

CF Ryan Wideman (.304), the №7 prospect, had a double in 6 at-bats with a run for Lake Elsinore. Starting RHP Bryan Balzer (4–2, 4.78), the №28 prospect, gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on 3 hits and 2 walks with 6 strikeouts in 5 innings to earn the win.

C Ethan Salas (.299), the Padres’ №1 prospect, was 1-for-5 with a RBI for Double-A San Antonio. RF Braedon Karpathios (.218), the №10 prospect, was 1-for-4 with a run. 1B Romeo Sanabria (.234), the №27 prospect, was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run.

CF Jase Bowen (.296), the Padres’ №23 prospect, was 1-for-5 with a RBI for Triple-A El Paso. RHP David Morgan (0–3, 7.71) gave up an unearned run on a hit with a strikeout in an inning to take the loss.

MINOR LEAGUES:

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (22–26) — Round Rock 5, CHIHUAHUAS 4 (10 innings): LF-RF Samad Taylor (.338) was 4-for-6 with a run. SS Mason McCoy (.295) was 2-for-5 with 2 stolen bases and a run. Starting LHP Jackson Wolf (5.73) gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (16–26) — Missions 5, FRISCO 1: Starting RHP Ian Koenig (2–4, 4.31) gave up 5 hits and no walks with 6 strikeouts in 7 shutout innings to earn the win. RHP Johan Moreno (2.75) had a K in a perfect IP.

HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (20–22) — TIN CAPS 5, Dayton 4: RF Jake Cunningham (.321) was 2-for-2 with a solo home run, 2 walks and a stolen base.

SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (24–18) — Storm 9, VISALIA 3: 3B Kerrington Cross (.300) had a 3-run home run in 3 at-bats with 2 walks and 2 runs. DH Yoiber Ocopio (.146) had a 2-run home run in 4 at-bats with a walk. SS Jose Verdugo (.258) was 3-for-5 with a RBI, 3 stolen bases and 2 runs. RF Qrey Lott (.333) was 3-for-4 with a stolen base.