San Diego Padres Minor League Hitters of the Month - May 2025

There have been plenty of big-time bats doing damage in the Padres’ system to start 2025. Honestly, trying to narrow it down to just five was challenging, so we also included a few honorable mentions. From rising prospects to veteran depth pieces making noise, here are the most impressive May stats of the minor-league season for San Diego’s position players.

Let’s start with a few honorable mentions and work our way to the top dog.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Jackson – 28 H, 2 HR, 5 2B, 12 RBI, 16 R, 5 SB, .308/.438/.451, 22:19 K:BB
Jackson doesn’t show up on any top prospect lists. He’s not someone fans are tweeting about. But he’s been quietly excellent for Single-A Lake Elsinore, getting on base at a .438 clip in May and walking nearly as much as he strikes out. The on-base ability is real, the contact is improving, and he keeps the Storm lineup moving. He may not be a future Padre, but he’s doing everything asked of him, and then some.

Honorable Mention: Marcos Castañon – 27 H, 5 HR, 8 2B, 16 RBI, 13 R, .297/.330/.549, 21:4 K:BB
Castañon brought some thump to the Missions’ lineup in May, slugging .529 with four home runs and 15 RBIs in 24 games. The 26-year-old shortstop made pitchers pay for mistakes, consistently delivering big hits despite drawing just four walks. His power potential is clear, and if he can improve his plate discipline, he could take another step forward this season.

Honorable Mention: Braedon Karpathios – 13 H, 3 HR, 3 2B, 15 RBI, 12 R, .206/.390/.397, 24:20 K:BB
Karpathios didn’t light up the box score with his batting average (.206), but his advanced approach kept his production strong. He walked 20 times in 21 games, helping him post a .390 OBP and .787 OPS. Add in 15 RBI and three doubles, and it’s clear the 2023 undrafted free agent signee knows how to contribute even when the hits aren’t falling, a trait that could serve the 21-year-old well as he climbs the ladder.

5) Kavares Tears – 29 H, 4 HR, 8 2B, 25 RBI, 15 R, .302/.373/.510, 28:12 K:BB
The man can hit. Drafted in the fourth round last year out of Tennessee, Tears has stepped into his first full pro season at Single-A Lake Elsinore like he owns it. He’s driving in runs (25 RBIs in 24 games) and flashing lots of power. Yes, the strikeouts are a little high, but if this is the early version of Tears, Padres fans should be intrigued.

4) Tirso Ornelas – 28 H, 2 HR, 9 2B, 19 RBI, 14 R, .322/.362/.494, 16:6 K:BB
A blast from the past. Ornelas was signed by the Padres way back in 2017 and finally made his MLB debut this April. Since heading back to Triple-A El Paso, he’s done nothing but hit. The 25-year-old outfielder has been scorching at the plate, with 28 hits in 21 games and a .322 average in May. He doesn’t walk much, and he doesn’t strike out much; he just puts the ball in play with authority. Not flashy, but effective, and he’s firmly on the call-up radar again.

3) Brandon Valenzuela – 29 H, 4 HR, 6 2B, 12 RBI, 15 R, .319/.392/.549, 26:10 K:BB
Signed to a minor league deal in 2017, Valenzuela has spent years developing quietly in the system. Now, at 24 and playing every day in Double-A San Antonio, he might be having his breakout. He’s always been a switch-hitting catcher with good defensive instincts, but now he’s hitting like a legit bat-first threat. Four home runs, an almost .400 OBP, and an OPS just shy of .950 in May? That’ll play. The catching depth chart is crowded, but Valenzuela is forcing his name into the mix.

2) Luis Campusano – 14 H, 4 HR, 3 2B, 13 RBI, 7 R, .304/.429/.630, 8:10 K:BB
Whether he’s been rotating between the MLB and Triple A, Campusano was ridiculous in May. The 26-year-old former 2nd-round pick (2017) looked more like a fully-formed big leaguer than a guy getting his timing back. In 13 games at Triple-A El Paso, he hit .304 with a 1.059 OPS, and yes, you read that right, he walked more than he struck out. Campusano has been in and out of the big-league catching rotation since debuting in 2020, but performances like this should put him back in the Padres’ rotation in a hurry.

Image courtesy of Artur Ivanov & Lake Elsinore Storm

1) Victor Figueroa – 33 H, 8 HR, 6 2B, 3 3B, 25 RBI, 18 R, .429/.500/.896, 14:11 K:BB
Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves… but the Padres might have struck absolute gold here.

Figueroa was drafted in the 18th round by the Padres last summer out of Florida SouthWestern State JC. The 21-year-old tore the cover off the ball in the Arizona Complex League (five home runs in 11 games, .605 AVG), then got promoted to Single-A Lake Elsinore on May 20,  and just kept hitting. Another three bombs in 10 games, eight more RBI, and a combined 1.396 OPS for the month.

This isn’t just hot, it’s elite. Figueroa has demonstrated exceptional plate discipline, remarkable barrel control, and impressive power. He only struck out 14 times across 21 games while walking 11 times. That’s nuts for a young player adjusting to full-season ball. He wasn’t on many draft radars last year, but if he keeps this up, he’ll be on everyone’s radar soon.

He has had a breakout month and start to his young career, becoming one of the most exciting young hitters in the entire minor league landscape right now and the clear choice for Padres Minor League Hitter of the Month.