San Diego Padres Minor League Starting Pitchers Of The Month: June 2025

When compiling this list of the top performers of June, I considered eight statistical metrics. The metrics I used are ERA, Innings pitched, games, strikeouts, walks, quality starts, walks per nine innings, and strikeouts per nine innings. I did not include win-loss records because a pitcher has no control over how much run support the offense puts up.

Honorable Mentions

Jake Higginbotham - AA - San Antonio Missions
Jake Higginbotham was dominant in June. He appeared in seven games out of the bullpen in the month and did not allow opposing offenses a lot of anything. Throwing 10 innings, Higginbotham pitched to an ERA of just 1.80, allowing only two runs and punching out 16 batters. The only reason Higginbotham is an honorable mention is due to his lower number of innings pitched.

Kash Mayfield - A - Lake Elsinore Storm
Kash Mayfield appeared in four games in June, and opposing batters had many rough at-bats facing him. Mayfield posted a 1.04 ERA over the 8.2 innings he pitched. He allowed only two hits over the entire month and only three walks. Mayfield was especially dominant on June 18th, when eight of his nine outs recorded were strikeouts. Having fanned 19 batters over 8.2 innings, he had a June strikeout per nine innings rate of 19.73. Similarly, low innings pitched keep Mayfield out of the main rankings.

T5. Wes Benjamin - AAA - El Paso Chihuahuas
Wes Benjamin started four games in June, amounting to 21 1/3 innings pitched. Benjamin entered the month with an ERA above 8.5 and was able to lower it to 5.76, pitching to a 2.95 ERA for the month. He was able to strike out 22 batters while walking only five, resulting in a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 4.40, equivalent to a strikeout per nine innings rate of 9.28. His best start was on June 8 vs Albuquerque, when he recorded a quality start going six innings, allowing just three hits and striking out nine while not giving up a walk. He did have a stinker in his last start of the month against Sugar Land, but his month was still good enough to land him a top 5 spot.

T5. - Boston Bateman - A - Lake Elsinore Storm
Boston Bateman started four games in June and recorded 20 2/3 innings pitched. Bateman lowered his ERA by more than a half run in June, going from a 4.08 at the end of May to a 3.54 at the end of June. In June, Bateman posted a 2.61 ERA with 24 strikeouts to just five walks. Bateman’s best start was on June 26 vs Modesto, when he went five innings, giving up two runs on hits while striking out nine batters and only walking one batter. Over the month, Bateman recorded strikeout per nine innings and walk per nine innings marks of 10.45 and 2.18. The entire month, Bateman never gave up more than two earned runs.

4. Miguel Mendez - A+ - Fort Wayne TinCaps
Miguel Mendez was a stud in June. Starting four games in the month, Mendez allowed just three runs in 21.1 innings pitched. His month-long ERA was a stellar 1.27, and he lowered his season ERA by over a run from 3.38 at the end of May to 2.17 at the end of June. He punched out 20 batters while walking 11. His best outing was on the 6th vs Beloit when he threw six shutout innings, striking out seven hitters with only two walks. This was one of two quality starts for him in June, with the other one coming against Great Lakes on the 26th. Mendez put up very solid strikeout per nine innings and walk per nine innings marks of 8.44 and 4.64.

2. Henry Baez - AA - San Antonio Missions
The runner-up for top-performing pitcher in June is Henry Baez. Baez started five games in June. He threw for 24.0 innings, posting an ERA of just 1.13 for the month. It was a good strikeout month for him, fanning 23 batters while allowing just three runs and seven walks. His best performance of the month was on June 20th against Frisco, when Baez threw 5.2 shutout innings, giving up only two hits and one walk while striking out 10 batters. Although he fell just short of a quality start in that start, he did record a quality start on the 14th against Amarillo when he threw six shutout innings. Over the month, Baez posted a strikeout per nine-inning rate of 8.63 and a walk per nine rate of 2.63.

1. Braden Nett - AA - San Antonio
The best-performing pitcher in the Padres' minor league system in June was Braden Nett. Nett was phenomenal in June, putting up a 1.29 ERA over 28 innings pitched. He made five starts in June and only gave up five earned runs while punching out 31 batters and walking just eight. Nett shoved all month, allowing just 23 hits through the month and posting strikeout per nine innings and walk per nine innings scores of 9.96 and 2.57. Nett’s best performance of the month was against Frisco on the 18th, when he went 5.2 innings, shutting out the opponent while fanning 10 and walking just two. June saw two quality starts from Nett, happening on the 12th against Amarillo and on the  24th against Midland.

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