Padres Minor League Report: Ethan Salas Has Hit, Walk In Futures Game

The four full-season San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-2 Sunday as they head into a four-day break for the MLB All-Star Game. The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas were shut out 8-0 by Oklahoma City, the Double-A San Antonio Missions used a big inning to beat Midland 10-9, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps cruised to a 9-1 win over West Michigan and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm were stopped by Rancho Cucamonga 6-2. All four will resume action Friday.

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Ethan Salas Shines, Kash Mayfield Goes 1 Inning In Futures Game

While they didn't have a huge effect on the outcome of the game, Ethan Salas and Kash Mayfield showed well at the Futures Game in Philadelphia. The NL lost to the AL 6-1.

Salas, Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect signed as an international free agent in 2023, had two plate appearances and reached both times, with a line-drive single on an 0-1 four-seamer from Texas Rangers right-hander Caden Scarborough, then walking on a 3-2 four-seamer from Boston Red Sox right-hander Anthony Eyanson in the fourth inning. The Double-A San Antonio Missions star started the game as the designated hitter, then switched to catcher in the top of the fifth to catch Mayfield before being removed in the sixth inning. This was Salas' second Futures Game, having appeared in 2024.

Mayfield, Padres Mission's No. 2 prospect and a first-round draft choice in 2024, came on to pitch the fifth inning of the seven-inning game. The High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps star got Chicago White Sox shortstop Caleb Bonemer to ground out to third, then walked Ike Irish of the Baltimore Orioles on five pitches, with Salas challenging the final pitch. Los Angeles Angels outfielder Nelson Rada hit a popup that was lost in the sun behind second base and ended up being a forceout at second. Rada stole second and scored on a single by Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Theo Gillen as the AL moved ahead 2-1. Toronto Blue Jays shortstop JoJo Parker flew out to left to end Mayfield's lone inning. Mayfield threw 25 pitches, 13 for strikes and was tagged with the loss.

Freddy Fermin Has 1 of 2 Chihuahuas Hits In Loss To Comets

Padres catcher Freddy Fermin had one of just two hits for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, who were blanked by nine Oklahoma City Comets pitchers in an 8-0 loss. The Chihuahuas won just once in the five-game series (Saturday's game was rained out) and that came in the opener. The Chihuahuas are 41-51, including 6-11 in the second half, following their fourth loss in a row.

Fermin, again in a designated hitter role during his rehab assignment as his head contusion heals, broke up the no-hit bid in the fourth inning with his single, then Carlos Rodriguez followed with his own single. That would be the last hit as the Comets used one pitcher for each inning before the All-Star break, with eight tossing hitless innings.

The Chihuahuas went with three pitchers. Right-hander Sean Boyle allowed four hits over a season-high six innings on eight hits, including a homer, and no walks with two strikeouts. Right-hander Daison Acosta pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing two hits, while right-hander Alek Jacob was pounded for four runs in the eighth on four hits and a walk, striking out one. Jacob also gave up a homer.

Jake Cunningham's Bases-Loaded Triple Fuels 7-Run Missions Rally

Jake Cunningham had a bases-loaded triple during a seven-run sixth inning that vaulted the Double-A San Antonio Missions to a 10-9 victory over the host Midland RockHounds. The Missions (40-47, 9-9 second half) won the final three games to split the six-game series. The last two wins were both 10-9 triumphs.

Tirso Ornelas went 3-for-3 with two walks and a run scored, while Kai Murphy was on base three times with a single, a double and a walk driving in a pair and scoring once and Francisco Acuna singled twice and scored twice.

On the strength of a five-run fourth inning, the RockHounds had an 8-3 lead entering the top of the sixth. But that changed quickly. Wyatt Hoffman's bases-loaded grounder made it 8-4, Chris Sargent's fielder's choice trimmed it to 8-5, Ryan Jackson's RBI single pulled the Missions within 8-6 and Cunningham notched his second triple of the season on a liner to the wall in right-center that brought in three runs and put the Missions up 9-8. Cunningham scored on a balk for the final run of the seven-run outburst.

Missions right-handed starter Ian Koenig walked four and allowed two hits, including a three-run homer, en route to giving up five runs (four earned) in three innings. But it was right-handers Sadrac Franco, with two scoreless innings, and Francis Pena, with a perfect ninth for his second save, who sealed the victory for the Missions.

Justin DeCriscio, Oswaldo Linares Do All The Damage For TinCaps

Leadoff hitter Justin DeCriscio and No. 8 hitter Oswaldo Linares provided all of the damage, driving in all the runs in the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps' 9-1 steamrolling of the West Michigan Whitecaps. The TinCaps (36-51, 9-12 second half) won for just the second time to cap this six-game series.

DeCriscio went 3-for-5, including a three-run homer, with a career-high five RBIs, while Linares was 3-for-4, including a three-run blast of his own, with a season-best four RBIs. Linares also scored three times, while Zach Evans scored twice.

After using two pitchers to open the first two innings, right-hander Maikel Miralles went five strong, giving up a run on one hit and three walks with no strikeouts. Right-hander Matthew Watson, right-hander Kannon Kemp, left-hander Braian Salazar and right-hander Will Varmette each went a scoreless inning around Miralles, with Watson, Salazar and Varmette each punching out a pair.

Linares got the scoring started when he lofted his second homer of the season to left-center with two outs in the fifth for a 3-0 lead. The Whitecaps scored one in the bottom of the sixth, but DeCriscio quickly reestablished order by smacking his eighth homer, a line shot that cleared the left-field fence to make it 6-1. The duo combined to put this one out of reach in the eighth as Linares singled home Kavares Tears and DeCriscio had a two-run double, with Kasen Wells being thrown out at the plate. DeCriscio's previous career high was a four-RBI game June 12. Linares has only had one other game with more than three RBIs and that came in 2022 in the Dominican Summer League when he had six.

Storm Gives Up Big Inning Late, Falls To Quakes

A combination of not enough offense and allowing one big inning sent the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm to a 6-2 loss to the host Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The Storm (45-42, 6-15) won just twice in the six-game series.

Conner Westenburg had two of the Storm's five hits, while Alcides Hernandez walked twice. Jose Verdugo had a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and Qrey Lott an RBI single in the seventh that tied the game, but the Quakes scored four times in the bottom of the seventh to take control.

The Storm used seven pitchers to cover the nine innings before dispersing for the All-Star break.

Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance

1. Ethan Salas: 1-for-1, 1 BB
2. Kash Mayfield: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K
3. Miguel Mendez: DNP
4. Ryan Wideman: 1-for-5
5. Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP
6. Jorge Quintana: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K
7. Ty Harvey: On injured list
8. Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season
9. Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-5, 1 K
10. Jagger Haynes: DNP
11. Lamar King Jr.: DNP
12. Tucker Musgrove: DNP
13. Truitt Madonna: 0-for-4, 3 K
14. Alex McCoy: 1-for-5, 1 K
15. Jesus Castro: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K
16. Rosman Verdugo: 3-for-5
17. Garrett Hawkins: DNP
18. Eric Yost: DNP
19. Michael Salina: DNP
20. Winyer Chourio: DNP

Interested in learning more about the San Diego Padres' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!