Padres Farm System Updates: Breaking Down Padres Mission's New Top-20 Prospect List (June 2026)

[Steve Drumwright]

I admit our Padres Mission Top 20 prospects are a work in progress, with a couple names I like still missing from this list or not as high as they should be. I'm left scratching my head at where fans have placed a couple others (is the fan base in Fort Wayne stuffing the ballot box???).

Anyways, we didn't have a lot of movement in this update as we did last month, which is why I consider it progress as we rank San Diego Padres prospects. Thanks to everyone who voted! (Scroll past the two new players to see the full list.)

We have two new entries with this update and, up until a few days ago, they were teammates.

No. 15: Jesus Castro, RHP, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm

Bats-throws: Left-Right

Age: 19

Acquired: Signed as international free agent in January 2025 (Mexico).

He just turned 19 at the beginning of the month, yet the 5-foot-11 right-handed starter has proven to be very reliable in his brief time in the Padres' system. Last year in the Dominican Summer League, Castro pitched 43⅓ innings over 11 games (eight starts) with a 5.9% walk rate and 27.1% strikeout rate to go along with a .194 opponent average. Going up to full-season ball this year at Low-A Lake Elsinore, Castro has already made 11 starts and is at 48 innings, with his walk rate up a bit at 8.1% and strikeouts rate at a very similar 26.8%. His opponent average has also climbed to .265. He had a career-high 12 strikeouts June 10 vs. Ontario. Castro won't blow you away, as he makes a living by generating a lot of movement on his pitches. His four-seamer sits at 92 mph, yet has 19 inches of arm-side run, and a 77 mph slider that moves 17 inches to the glove side with a low arm slot. Castro is the younger brother of another Padres prospect, Manuel Castro, who is on the injured list at Double-A San Antonio.

No. 20: Winyer Chourio, RHP, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Bats-throws: Right-Right

Age: 22

Acquired: Signed as international free agent in May 2024 (Venezuela).

The 6-foot-2 right-handed starter was the ace of a Storm team that won the first-half South Division championship in the California League, which earned him a promotion to High-A Fort Wayne. In 12 appearances, the last 11 bing starts, Chourio pitched 51⅔ innings with an 11.7% walk rate and a robust 34.6% strikeout rate. His 74 punchouts rank second in the Cal League. He had a career-high 10 strikeouts May 10, then followed that up with nine more punchouts in his next start. This season is a total breakout after he put up a combined 6.34 ERA in 21 games (five starts) in 2025 between the Arizona Complex League and Lake Elsinore (nine games, two starts). Chourio has improved the quality of his pitches in 2026, which is reason for his improved performance. His fastball is up a tick to 93 mph and has more life, while his curveball is at 75 mph and has more purpose after utilizing a loopy breaker previously. He also has a nice changeup in the mid-80s that should help him remain a starter as he climbs the ladder.

New Padres Mission Top 20 Prospects (June 2026)

1. Ethan Salas, C
2. Kash Mayfield, LHP
3. Miguel Mendez, RHP
4. Ryan Wideman, CF
5. Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP
6. Jorge Quintana, SS
7. Ty Harvey, C
8. Kale Fountain, OF
9. Braedon Karpathios, OF
10. Jagger Haynes, LHP
11. Lamar King Jr., C
12. Tucker Musgrove, RHP
13. Truitt Madonna, C
14. Alex McCoy, OF
15. Jesus Castro, RHP
16. Rosman Verdugo, SS
17. Garrett Hawkins, RHP
18. Eric Yost, RHP
19. Michael Salina, RHP
20. Winyer Chourio, RHP

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