Padres Farm System Check-In: 3 Stars and 3 Busts Defining the Early Season Stretch

[Steve Drumwright]

We're roughly two-and-a-half weeks into the Triple-A season, with the other three levels—Double-A, High-A, Low-A—having just more than a week of games under their belt. Already, there are some standouts among San Diego Padres' minor-league players worth highlighting... as well as some things to be concerned about.

Every two weeks, we will check in with the Padres' farm system to recap some notable performances, good and bad. We will also keep tabs on the Friars who are on the injured list and making their way back on a rehab assignment.

San Diego Padres Rehab Report

IF Sung Mun Song (right oblique tightness)

In 14 games, Song has a .280/.357/.320 slash line with two doubles, nine RBIs and six runs scored. He's drawn six walks and struck out 16 times in 44 at-bats. He also has five multi-hit games, including going 2-for-5 on April 12.

RHP Griffin Canning (Achilles)

Canning has made two starts at El Paso, most recently Friday, going 5⅔ innings, allowing two runs on six hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. He 62 pitches last Friday as he builds back up his pitch count.

LHP Yuki Matsui (strained left groin)

Matsui made his third appearance for El Paso on Saturday. After two scoreless one-inning appearances, he allowed his first run on two hits vs. Albuquerque. He's allowed a combined four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

RHP Matt Waldron (hemorrhoid surgery)

Waldron has been sensational at El Paso with three scoreless starts over 12 innings. He's allowed seven hits and one walk while striking out 12. He went five innings and 58 pitches Thursday in his most recent start.

Padres' Farm System Standouts

CF Jase Bowen (Triple-A El Paso)

Bowen has been flashing his diverse talents with a slash line of .264/.316/.585 to start the season. That includes the seventh cycle in Chihuahuas history on April 3 vs. Tacoma, going 4-for-5 with four RBIs and four runs scored. He capped it with an eighth-inning triple. Bowen entered Sunday tied for the Pacific Coast League lead in triples (2), tied for third in extra-base hits (9), fourth in slugging percentage (.638) and tied for sixth in total bases (30). He had his fourth multi-hit game Saturday.

Kash Mayfield (High-A Fort Wayne)

Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect has been unhittable in two starts this season. His four no-hit innings Friday followed three no-hit frames in his season debut April 3. He has walked a combined five in those outings, while striking out four each time. The 2024 first-round draft choice spent all of 2025 at Low-A Lake Elsinore and led the organization with 13.05 strikeouts per nine innings (minimum 50 innings).

CF Ryan Wideman (Low-A Lake Elsinore)

The No. 9 prospect on Padres Mission is showing some promising signs after a 26-game stint at Lake Elsinore last year. Last year's third-round draft choice has a .278/.366/.444 slash line with one homer and seven RBIs in nine games. He has nice power-speed potential, with one home run already and four stolen bases. Plus, he's already drawn four walks, while striking out eight times. A year ago, he walked 12 times and struck out 32 times in those 26 games.

Padres' Farm System Disappointments

LHP Marco Gonzales (Triple-A El Paso)

Gonzalez's rough spring has continued into his first three starts of the season. In 13⅔ innings, he's allowed a whopping 25 hits and 17 runs (12 earned) with one walk and nine strikeouts. The hits and runs are the worst marks in the PCL. In his most recent outing Wednesday vs. Albuquerque, he allowed 13 hits and 10 runs (five earned) in 3⅔ innings. Didn't pitch at all in 2025 as he came back from left flexor tendon surgery in September 2024.

RHP Victor Lizarraga (Double-A San Antonio)

The San Diego-born starter continues to have issues with walks, issuing five while also surrendering three hits and recording just one out Thursday vs. Corpus Christi; he was tagged for seven runs, all earned. He also gave up six free passes in five innings in his first start April 2 at Tulsa. Last year, Lizarraga had 60 walks in 101⅓ innings, mostly at Double-A, with two games at Triple-A.

IF Rosman Verdugo (High-A Fort Wayne)

Verdugo is off to a 3-for-25 start (.120), including 11 strikeouts. He began the season hitless in 13 at-bats before delivering a walk-off single Thursday in a 2-1 win over Lansing. He reached base for the first time via hit by pitch two plate appearances before his game-winner. He notably followed that by walking in his first plate appearance Friday and getting his second hit in the fourth inning. Verdugo got his third single in four games Sunday, so perhaps he's busting out of his slump.

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