Padres Prospect Hot Sheet: Jake Cunningham Has A Blast With 3-Homer Game

Let's check in on the San Diego Padres prospects who made a mark in the last week (check out Padres Mission's latest Top 20 rankings as well!):

Jake Cunningham, OF, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Season stats: .295/.383/.628, 46 games, 32 R, 10 2B, 0 3B, 14 HR, 32 RBI, 21 BB, 56 K, 5 SB, 2 CS

Hit three home runs in a single game and you make a hot list. Cunningham did just that Friday, when he went deep in his first three plate appearances against the Lake County Captains. The right-handed-hitting outfielder mashed a three-run homer in his first-inning at-bat, a two-run blast in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth. That means he had two more shots at breaking the franchise record for homers in a game and joining the exclusive four-homer club. But he struck out in the seventh with a runner on first, then popped out to first base with two on and two out in the bottom of the ninth in an 11-8 loss.

In an unusual quirk, another Midwest League player hit three homers in a game that same day (Carlos Sanchez of the Beloit Sky Carp). Both teams lost, the first time in affiliated ball since that info began being tracked in 2005 that two players hit three or more homers on the same day for losing teams, according to a note from the TinCaps. Cunningham, a month shy of turning 24, became the fourth player in franchise history to have a three-homer game. That three-homer game was part of a 6-for-23 week (.261/.320/.826) with four homers (he went deep again Sunday) and eight RBIs. He did strike out nine times in six games, a problem throughout his career. He has a 31.1% strikeout rate and 11.7% walk rate this year.

Not only was Friday a remarkable day for Cunningham, it is a remarkable season. Cunningham, a fifth-round draft in 2023 out of North Carolina-Charlotte by the Baltimore Orioles, was released at the end of January and signed with the Padres a week later. Cunningham was coming off a .206/.295/.303 slash line in 2025 at High-A. In three seasons and 182 games, Cunningham had just eight homers, including only three last year. Now, he has discovered a power tool that has him leading the TinCaps with 14 homers, which is second in the Midwest League.

Miguel Mendez, RHP, Double-A San Antonio Missions

Season stats: 2-1, 3.90 ERA, 9 games (all starts), 27⅔ IP, 25 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 13 BB, 32 K, .243 opponent average

Since coming back from a brief stint on the injured list with a neck strain, the right-handed starter has mostly been really good. He had his best start of the season Friday, matching his season high with five innings and allowing just two hits and two walks with four strikeouts. He faced the minimum over the first four innings (although he needed some help to make that happen). It was his second straight shutout outing after going three innings and giving up two hits and a walk while punching out four.

Mendez, Padres Mission's No. 3 prospect, has been a promising arm for the Padres since signing in 2021 as an 18-year-old. At the time, he had only been pitching six months. Now 23, Mendez had to be added to the 40-man roster this past offseason or be exposed to the Rule 5 draft. Since Mendez was a late signer in terms of international players, he spent all of 2023 and 2024 at Low-A Lake Elsinore before sprinting up three levels in 2025, going from Lake Elsinore to High-A Fort Wayne to Double-A San Antonio. He put together a combined stat line of 3.90 ERA in 21 starts and 95 innings, 45 walks (10.9% rate) and 118 strikeouts (26.9%). His potential was on full display when he made his Double-A debut Aug. 7 as he struck out 11 in six innings.

There has been debate on whether Mendez remains a starter as he progresses or whether he is better-suited for the bullpen once he reaches the majors. Regardless, if he continues to perform like he did in his last two starts, he could possibly make his MLB debut this year if injuries peck away further at the Padres' depth.

Romeo Sanabria, 1B, Double-A San Antonio Missions

Season stats: .244/.345/.385, 54 games, 27 R, 11 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 25 RBI, 30 BB, 57 K

After finishing 2024 with 32 games at Double-A San Antonio, the left-handed-hitting first baseman played all of 2025 with the Missions. That could have led to a promotion to Triple-A El Paso for 2026, especially considering Sanabria was named MLB Pipeline's Padres Hitter of the Year following his .257/.309/.376 slash line with 12 homers and 56 RBIs last year. But here he is, back in Double-A in 2026. Maybe he needed to work through some feelings after having a decent showing during big-league spring training,

In the Cactus League, Sanabria put up a .333/.385/.833 slash line with three homers and a team-leading 15 RBIs in 20 games. His dazzling 1.218 OPS also led the Padres. Last week, Sanabria broke out with a 9-for-28 performance (.321), including two homers and five RBIs. To be fair, it could benefit Sanabria that he is back in San Antonio instead of the hitters' paradise that is the Pacific Coast League. His two homers this week gave him six for the season, which is half of his career high set last year. More importantly, Sanabria is walking more this season. He has a 12.6% walk rate this year after a 7.6% mark in 2025. His strikeouts are up a bit at 23.9% from 21.4%.

Sanabria has been an underdog, drafted in the 18th round out of Indian River State College in 2022. A big season this year could land him on the 40-man roster or be exposed to the Rule 5 draft. As strictly a first baseman, he needs to continue to prove himself offensively.

Andrew Moore, RHP, Double-A San Antonio Missions

Season stats: 0-1, 2.29 ERA, 16 games (all in relief), 3 holds, 1 save (2 chances), 19⅔ IP, 9 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 18 BB, 37 K, .141 opponent average

The right-handed reliever is on quite a roll. Last week, he appeared in two games and all six outs he recorded were via strikeout, while giving up just one hit and a walk. That came after a May in which 22 of the 29 outs he got were punchouts. He allowed just two hits and also walked 10 in 9⅔ innings in May. Moore has a spectacular 44.6% strikeout rate (Mason Miller's is 49%), but his issue is walks with a 21.7% rate this year. He had a 19.5% walk rate in 2025 after a 16.1% mark in 2024. The MLB average is 8.5%.

Originally a 14th-round draft choice of the Seattle Mariners in 2021, Moore was the return the Padres got when they shipped Connor Joe (Poway High School) to the Cincinnati Reds a year ago. He was also included in the trade that sent right-hander Luis Castillo from the Reds to the Mariners in 2022. His second game last week against Wichita was just his second save situation this year and he finished off a three-strikeout performance with a 100 mph heater. Over his last 11⅔ innings, Moore has 28 strikeouts and an .079 opponent batting average. He has especially neutralized left-handed hitters, limiting them to .097 average (3-for-31). He has multiple strikeouts in nine of his last 10 appearances, including a five-K performance May 8 vs. Midland. In those same 10 games, he has allowed five runs (three earned), with those coming in back-to-back games.

Jesus Castro, RHP, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm

Season stats: 0-1, 3.05 ERA, 9 games (all starts), 38⅓ IP, 39 H, 14 R, 13 ER, 14 BB, 41 K, .267 opponent average

The end result overshadowed what Castro did last week. The right-handed starter tossed five shutout innings, striking out five and walking two while giving up three hits. Despite the Storm jumping out to a 5-0 lead, they lost the game as Fresno scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth for a walk-off victory. Still, this is about Castro, who has not allowed a run in three of his last four outings (14⅔ innings). In the other, he gave up three runs in four innings.

Castro just turned 19 Monday and is the younger brother of Padres prospect right-hander Manuel Castro, who is on Double-A San Antonio's injured list, is turning heads with his outings. He has struck out 32 in his last five starts (24⅓ innings), allowing five runs in that span. He has also shown good command, issuing five walks in those five starts after beginning the year with nine walks in 14 innings. This is his first season in the U.S. after pitching in the Dominican Summer League last year. There, he posted a 2.91 ERA in 11 games (eight starts) and 43⅓ innings, walking 10 and striking out 46. He had a .196 opponent average.

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!