Padres Prospect Hot Sheet: Justin DeCriscio Flashes Offensive Upside For TinCaps

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!):

Justin DeCriscio, SS, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Season stats: .293/.372/.487, 78 games, 48 R, 21 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 47 RBI, 31 BB, 49 K, 14 SB, 10 CS

Last year's 10th-round draft choice out of North Carolina State capped a terrific week of hitting with a career-high five RBIs in Sunday's series finale against the West Michigan Whitecaps. The SoCal native, born in Orange and having started his career at the University of San Diego has been a steady if unspectacular performer for High-A Fort Wayne since a mid-May promotion from Low-A Lake Elsinore. But last week, in addition to having hits in all six games, the 23-year-old shortstop put up a ridiculous .522/.556/.783 slash line (12-for-23).

He had three doubles and a homer, with that blast being a three-run shot Sunday. His hitting streak is now at nine games, with hits in 19 of his last 21. In his final three games last week, he had two three-hit performances and went 8-for-13. In 50 games with the TinCaps, DeCriscio has 17 multihit games, including six with three hits. Since June 18, he has a .345/.408/.563 slash line. He started the season with 28 games at Lake Elsinore, putting up a .311/.363/.544 slash line.

Bryan Balzer, RHP, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Season stats: 6-3, 4.71 ERA, 15 games (14 starts), 72⅔ IP, 67 H, 42 R, 38 ER, 28 BB, 73 K, .245 opponent average

A 21-year-old who signed in 2023 as an international free agent out of Japan, the right-handed starter had a tremendous outing Saturday in a 4-2 win over West Michigan. In his third start for the TinCaps since being promoted from Low-A Lake Elsinore, Balzer went five innings, giving up just a run on five hits with a walk and eight strikeouts. The eight punchouts were his most this season, surpassing the seven he had in his season debut April 2 vs. Ontario.

Balzer had mixed results in his first two High-A starts. In his debut June 27, he was tagged for six runs in 3⅔ innings with four hits, a career-worst five walks and two strikeouts. Balzer had never walked four in any of his previous 34 career appearances. He bounced back on the Fourth of July with 3⅔ innings, allowing one earned run in the three runs he surrendered on four hits with a walk and six strikeouts. His 73 strikeouts rank third in the Padres' system. Balzer has made tremendous improvements since his full-season debut in 2025 at Lake Elsinore, where he had a 7.92 ERA in 16 games (13 starts) and 50 innings. He had an 11.6% walk rate and 20.3% strikeout rate. Flash forward to 2026 and those numbers are now 4.71 in 15 games (14 starts) in 72⅔ innings, walking 9% of batters and striking out 23.4%.

Eric Yost, RHP, Double-A San Antonio Missions

Season stats: 4-2, 2.90 ERA, 15 games (10 starts), 1 save (1 chance), 60 IP, 44 H, 26 R, 26 ER, 42 BB, 58 K, .210 opponent average

While mainly a starter in his career since being drafted in the 17th round in 2023 out of Northeastern, Yost has been flexible this season with five of his 15 appearances coming out of the bullpen. But the 23-year-old's value is as a starter. After making a spot start for his Triple-A debut on the Fourth of July, Yost returned to Double-A San Antonio and was mostly sharp. On Friday in an 8-7 win over Midland, Yost struck out seven over five innings, allowing a run on six hits and four walks. He also hit a batter, which has been an issue in his last six starts with seven plunkings, three in one game.

While his one start for El Paso was a bit rough, giving up five runs in 3⅓ innings, Yost has been fairly steady for the Missions. After his first three appearances of the season came out of the bullpen in a bulk roles, including two four-inning scoreless outings, Yost gave up five runs in his second start, but never more than three in any other game aside from the Triple-A outing. Walks have been troublesome with a 16% rate, while striking out 22.1% of batters. However, the walks have been mitigated by his .210 opponent average, including .191 with the Missions.

Maikel Miralles, RHP, High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps

Season stats: 1-7, 8.08 ERA, 14 games (11 starts), 49 IP, 58 H, 49 R, 44 ER, 41 BB, 34 K, .296 opponent average

The 21-year-old right-handed starter, an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2023, has had a rough 2026 to say the least, represented by his 8.08 ERA. But there have been a handful of bright spots. One of those came Sunday as Miralles surrendered just one hit and one run in a five-inning relief appearance. In the final game before the All-Star break and four days off for the team, two pitchers preceded Miralles, who came on in the third inning and stifled West Michigan in a 9-1 win.

While Miralles hasn't been a big strikeout guy this year, he did punch out nine in his season debut. And other than back-to-back starts to begin May where he had five and six strikeouts, he hasn't notched more than three in any of his other 11 outings. That includes Sunday, where he didn't have a single strikeout. He did walk three in that game, which led to his season walk total now surpassing his strikeout total 44-41. Neither rate (14% walk, 16.9% strikeout) is good, but the Padres know he has the potential. Miralles spent time at four levels in 2025, beginning at Low-A Lake Elsinore, going down to the Arizona Complex League, back to Lake Elsinore, all the way up to Triple-A El Paso, then down to High-A Fort Wayne. He only made one ACL and Triple-A appearance and two for Fort Wayne, putting up a 5.17 ERA in 16 games (13 starts) for Lake Elsinore.

Qrey Lott, OF, Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm

Season stats: .280/.396/.427, 55 games, 34 R, 9 2B, 0 3B, 5 HR, 24 RBI, 13 BB, 49 K, 11 SB, 2 CS

The 21-year-old, signed as an undrafted free agent last year, is a very toolsy outfielder who can dominate the game at any moment. One of those was his eighth pro game when he went 5-for-5 with a pair of homers and six RBIs for Lake Elsinore. Last week vs. Rancho Cucamonga, he had a .500/.650/.786 slash line (7-for-14) with four doubles and four RBIs. He also drew two walks and scored three times. His big game was a 3-for-3 performance with two RBIs Wednesday in a 6-4 win in 10 innings over the Quakes, driving in the go-ahead run in the 10th with his second double of the game.

At 6-foot-3 (down 2 inches from his listed draft height last year), Lott is lanky and athletic with a good power-speed combo. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 15th round out of high school in 2023, but instead went to Northwest Florida State, a junior college, for two years. There, he put up a combined .335/.482/.555 with 12 homers and 21 stolen bases. While he has been a solid contributor since making his pro debut in late April, his playing time picked up when promotions happened a few weeks ago.

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!