Steve Drumwright

While the process has taken longer than many on the outside thought, the sale of the San Diego Padres will happen. That is according to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, who held court prior to Tuesday's All-Star Game and was asked about the record $3.9 billion purchase by Jose E. Felciano and Kwanza Jones. “It’s a question of getting investment commitments, documentation to be put in a condition that it’s ready for a club vote,” Manfred said, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. News of the sale agreement broke in mid-April, with the Seidler family negotiating the richest sale in MLB history, surpassing the $2.4 billion that Steve Cohen paid for the New York Mets in 2020. Cohen, one of the richest people in the world, acquired 95% control of the team. Feliciano and Jones are said to be purchasing a 45% stake in the Padres, with several other people, groups and entities piecing together the remaining 55%. That is where it seems things have slowed down. That and the sale news becoming public earlier in the process than what is typical. “When people in the public become aware of the sale — this one was earlier, quicker than what sometimes happens,” Manfred said. “Usually, it gets public when it’s a little closer to final documents. But (the sale) will get done.” There was an owners meeting in June where a vote could have taken place. Now, it seems like the approval will happen in August at the next owners meeting. A vote to approve new ownership requires 22 of the other 29 teams. View full rumor

Now that the 2026 MLB Draft is complete, it is time to make sense of what the San Diego Padres did. Every draft's focus is, appropriately, on the first-round draft pick. For the Friars, that was high school right-handed starter Coleman Borthwick, taken with the 21st overall pick. At 6-foot-6 and listed at 245 pounds (or 260), the 18-year-old out of South Walton High School in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., is a prototype power pitcher who could lead a rotation. Borthwick was the fourth pitcher and second from the high school ranks to be selected. That also fits how the Padres approach the draft: They take prep players in the first round, then shift to collegians after that. It is a two-part strategy. The Padres feel they find value that other teams steer away from in the first round. High school pitchers are inherently risky. For instance, last year, Seth Hernandez, a right-hander out of Corona High School right here in SoCal, was the early leader to go No. 1 overall. But high school right-handers don't go No. 1. Instead, he went sixth overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, he has as much helium as anyone from that draft and was one of the stars of Sunday's Futures Game. That's not to say that Borthwick will follow that pattern, but the pick was roundly lauded by draft experts. Borthwick has good athleticism, having also played third base and possessing a power bat. But he won't touch a bat as he enters pro ball. Instead, he will bring a four-seamer that generally sits in the 93-95 mph range, can easily get up to 98 and has touched 100 mph this spring. He also has a terrific, snappy slider and a changeup that will need refining. His bonus is slotted at $4,224,700 and his signing is not in question. In fact, none of the selections in the first 10 rounds have signability issues. Padres' Hidden Gems In The Draft Every team looks for value or hidden talent wherever it can be found and that certainly holds true for the Padres. Of the 21 players the Padres picked, there look to be three (well, four, but we will get to that one in a minute) where they found value on a sliding player—at least by other outlets' rankings. The first is seventh-round draft choice Joe Tiroly, a junior infielder out of Virginia. One reason could be a broken foot he sustained in fall camp as he transferred to Virginia that hindered him until the season began, yet he played in every game this season. He wound up with a .319/.408/.576 slash line and stepped in the postseason, leading the Cavaliers with 16 homers and 66 RBIs. He was the fourth of five Virginia players drafted, so he was surrounded by talent like he wasn't when he attended Rider, a much smaller Division I program. Tiroly, listed as a second baseman, is likely to also get a look at third base as he does have the arm for the position. Tiroly was ranked as the 99th prospect by Baseball America and 147th by MLB Pipeline and taken by the Friars with the 215th pick. Next is North Carolina State first baseman Chris McHugh, who was taken in the 11th round. The Padres typically don't profile their first basemen as power hitters and McHugh certainly is not a prototypical player at the position. His slash line as a junior (.320/.409/.525) was down from his sophomore season (.365/.462/.533), but he still produced nine homers. One of seven players from N.C. State to be drafted, the right-handed hitter also saw time in left field and previously played third, certainly something the Padres will explore. In addition to driving in 50 runs, McHugh had a 16-game hitting streak and led the team with 23 multi-hit games. Due to his skills at the plate, the power can be developed. Baseball America ranked him 139th and was taken by the Padres at No. 335. Another value pick was Northwestern junior shortstop Ryan Kucherak, who was selected in the 15th round. Kucherak was a teammate of No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz., then went to LSU. He played sparingly at LSU, then transferred to Northwestern. He has power, having set the Northwestern record with 18 homers as a sophomore, then following that with 10 this past spring. He had a two-year slash line of .290/.388/.571 for the Wildcats. As a player with power is apt to do, he has swing-and-miss in his plate approach and did have issues with a wood bat in the Cape Cod League last summer. Kucherak will stick in the middle infield and also brings speed to his game. He was the No. 131 draft prospect by Baseball America and the Padres grabbed him with the 455th pick. Player Who Can Make The Padres' Draft As mentioned above, there don't appear to be any questions about signing picks in the top 10 rounds, which come with assigned slot values. Rounds 11-20 can be signed for $150,000 without affecting the draft pool. Any amounts over $150,000 count against the pool, which is $9,479,000 for the Padres. College players aren't typically tough signs, so that leaves the four high school players taken. Borthwick and second-rounder Elliot Lascelles, a second baseman from Toronto, will be easy signs as well. But that brings us to Denton Lord. While the name sets itself up for some terrific monikers, it is the talent that made the right-handed starter a top-100 draft prospect. Baseball America ranked Lord 54th and MLB Pipeline 80th. He has a commitment to Mississippi State, which already was going to make him a tough sign. Then, Lord announced Sunday on Instagram, after not being picked in the top five rounds, that he would honor his commitment to Mississippi State. The Padres rolled the dice and picked Lord in the 17th round (515th pick). Here is where it gets even more interesting. Lord attended the same high school as Borthwick, the Padres' top pick. That relationship could be a huge lure for the Padres to get the 6-8, 220-pounder into their system. They can save money from the first 10 rounds and bundle that to hand to Lord. While NIL can get players to campus, the Padres can certainly negotiate to get Lord a signing bonus of $1 million to $2 million, more suitable of a second- or third-round pick. Pulling this off would certainly be a boon to the Padres' system. Lord's four-seamer is 94 mph, one of the best of the high school class, and he can ramp up a few ticks when necessary. He also has good spin on his curveball that he sometimes uses too much as well as a slider. Lord also has a little-used changeup that can be developed. While possessing good tools at the moment, he also has plenty of projectability that an MLB team can work on to boost those assets. Lord did have Tommy John surgery as a high school freshman, but is clearly good to go. Catchers The Padres already have terrific catching depth in their system with Ethan Salas (Padres Mission's No. 1 prospect), Ty Harvey (No. 7), Lamar King Jr. (No. 11) and Truitt Madonna (No. 13) for starters, plus other hidden gems such as Yoiber Ocopio. But like pitching, you can never have too much quality catching. The Friars spent three of their 21 draft choices on college catchers, whereas Havey, King and Madonna were high school products. Those would be George Washington junior Robbie Lavey, USC sophomore Augie Lopez, and Notre Dame junior Mark Quatrani. Lavey and Lopez are left-handed hitters, which helps their cause. Lavey has been described as doing a lot of things well, but not one aspect stands out. Lopez broke through with a big power surge, hitting 19 homers this spring and needs to improve defensively. Quatrani jumped from the Ivy League at Cornell to the Atlantic Coast Conference and Notre Dame to improve his draft stock and all he did was slash .376/.457/.643 with 15 homers. The Padres could see a position change among this group down the road. View full article

San Diego Padres Weekly Snapshot Record last week: 4-3 Runs scored last week: 31 Runs allowed last week: 32 (season run differential: minus-43) Scores Game 90 (Monday): Diamondbacks 8, Padres 0 Game 91 (Tuesday): Padres 4, Diamondbacks 1 Game 92 (Wednesday): Padres 10, Diamondbacks 4 Game 93 (Thursday): Diamondbacks 3, Padres 1 Game 94 (Friday): Blue Jays 5, Padres 3 Game 95 (Saturday): Padres 8, Blue Jays 7 Game 96 (Sunday): Padres 5, Blue Jays 4 Week in Review and Highlights Diamondbacks series Game 1: No need to sugarcoat this. The Padres' players, as much as the fans, know how important of a stretch the team is in this week with the All-Star break and trade deadline looming. Facing an Arizona Diamondbacks team that was tied with the Friars entering the four-game series, the Padres came off an uplifting victory Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers and were flat in an 8-0 loss. The game started with a Ketel Marte triple that wasn't played well by center fielder Jackson Merrill set the tone. “We just played an overall bad game,” Padres third baseman Manny Machado said. “There was a lot to it.” There certainly was. For starters, right-hander Walker Buehler turned in a second straight stinker. After giving up nine runs in four innings in the 23-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, Buehler gave up seven runs, including two homers, in five innings vs. the D'backs: two in the first, four in the third and another in the fourth. Before those two games, Buehler had been the most consistent Padres starter, even if that isn't saying a great deal. Buehler's ERA, at 3.96 four starts ago, now sits at 5.07. Much like the Padres, the D'backs have been a Jekyll-and-Hyde team. No clearer example of that is right-handed starter Brandon Pfaadt, who was just recently promoted from Triple-A and came into the game with a 5.84 ERA. But Pfaadt, who has a career ERA of 5.10, struck out six in five shutout innings, only giving up four hits and no walks. The Friars did finish with eight hits as Merrill and Jake Cronenworth each had a pair. Game 2: Listen, we're all looking for signs of positivity from the Padres at the moment. But when Cronenworth, who just came back at the beginning of the previous week from missing two months due to getting hit in the face by a pitch and sustaining a concussion, took a grounder to the face during batting practice. The scary situation ended up just being a bloody nose. But then Cronenworth, playing first base, booted a grounder by the second batter of the game. Not a good start. Cronenworth bounced back and made a splash, cranking a three-run second-inning homer that sent the Padres to a 4-1 victory over the D'backs. The home run came in Cronenworth's first game back at Petco Park since going on the concussion list. Cronenworth is showing how valuable his bat can be. After an 0-for-4 start upon his return, Cronenworth has been 9-for-25 with a pair of homers and six RBIs in seven games. Surprisingly, that would be about all the offense the Padres would need. That is because right-hander German Marquez, in his first start since coming off the 15-day injured list with right forearm irritation, stunned most everyone by going five innings and allowing just a run on three hits. He did walk three, while striking out four. His velocity was back up around 98 mph on his four-seamer after topping out at 95.3 in his start before going on the IL. But it looked grim in the first inning as Marquez gave up an unearned run (due to Cronenworth's error) while battling through 31 pitches, which had to send manager Craig Stammen into a bit of a panic with his bullpen possibly having to cover a lot of innings. Marquez held steady and made it through five innings, a distance he went just once during his six-game rehab assignment, on 82 pitches. Left-hander Yuki Matsui gave up a couple of singles in the sixth inning, which prompted Stammen to call upon right-hander Jhony Brito, who was pitching in his first game since 2024 after having elbow and flexor tendon surgery in April of last year. Brito's first pitch was hit for an inning-ending double play, then he had a perfect seventh inning, paving the way for right-hander Bradgley Rodriguez and closer Mason Miller, who locked down his 23rd save in as many chances with a pair of strikeouts. Game 3: For once in quite a while, the Padres had a game where the other team looked sloppy. They capitalized on a rookie pitcher making his fourth career start by pounding out 13 hits and Friars right-handed starter Michael King looked good again in a 10-4 victory over the D'backs. It didn't start well for King, who gave up just the second first-inning run of his season on a walk, a steal and a double. Yet he recovered very nicely to make it through six innings on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts. Yeah, the D'backs aren't a world-beating offense, but this was the type of performance the Padres will need from King the rest of the season. Meanwhile, the Padres rattled D'backs right-hander Jose Cabrera utilizing small ball. That was clear in the fifth inning. Already up 2-1, Fernando Tatis Jr. was hit by a pitch with one out and stole second. Merrill hit a comebacker to Cabrera, who spun and made an ill-advised throw to second to try and get Tatis, who dove back safely with Merrill reaching first. Tatis continued dancing off second and provoked Cabrera to balk the runners up a base. With the infield drawn in, Xander Bogaerts grounded a single off the shortstop's glove and into shallow left to score both runners to make it 4-1. The Padres then pounced on the D'backs' bullpen in the sixth for four runs, including Luis Campusano's first home run since coming back from his broken left big toe over the weekend. Sung-Mun Song, Tatis and Merrill added RBI singles as contributions came throughout the order. An unsung star was Miguel Andujar, who had three doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. Campusano also had a pair of hits for the second game in a row as the Padres reached double digits in runs for the first time since May 5 and just the third time this year. Game 4: Facing the guy who said state taxes made the difference in choosing to remain in Arizona rather than sign with the Padres, the Friars had a tough time doing anything against right-handed starter Merrill Kelly in a 3-1 loss to the D'backs, settling for a split of the four-game series. The loss also put the Padres below .500 again at 46-47. If it wasn't for Machado, who blasted his team-leading 19th homer to begin the second inning and a fourth-inning single, it would have been worse. As it was, the Padres totaled just three hits (Tatis had the other in the third inning), while also getting three walks, including two by Campusano. In other words, Merrill was pretty good, striking out six over seven innings. Padres pitching was good, just not good enough for this game. Right-hander Griffin Canning still didn't give enough length, but did go 4⅔ innings, his longest in five outings since three straight five-inning starts. The encouraging thing is that the Friars did not use an opener with Canning, who did allow two runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts. This was his first start this season without a walk. Matsui, however, did walk a pair and gave up a run in following Canning before Rodriguez, left-hander Wandy Peralta and left-hander Adrian Morejon finished things off. With a chance to win three out four against a team the Padres will be battling for an NL wild-card spot, it was a tough loss. Blue Jays series Game 1: This was a bit of a microcosm of the season. The Padres produced double-digit hits and sprinkled in three walks, but could time their production to manufacture more runs. It turned into a 5-3 loss against a struggling Toronto Blue Jays team. The Friars started out with a bang as Bogaerts smashed his ninth homer, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the first for a 2-0 lead. Yet that would be the extent of run production until Merrill's ninth-inning RBI single. While the Padres were facing a pitcher with a quality pedigree in right-hander Shane Bieber, they did manage six hits and three walks in 4⅔ innings, but couldn't deliver a true knockout blow. The Jays' bullpen was stingy after that, allowing just one hit until the ninth inning. Padres left-handed starter JP Sears was solid, but went just 4⅓ innings, giving up three runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts. After giving up a run in the fourth, he exited after yielding singles to two of the first three batters he faced in the fifth. A slumping Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had an RBI single off Brito, then Kazuma Okamoto delivered the big blow, a three-run homer, his 22nd, for a 5-2 lead. Aside from Bogaerts' homer, three Friars had two hits in Machado, Ty France and Rodolfo Duran. Game 2: Sometimes a bad trait infects both teams for a game. This was one of those times. The Padres benefited from 11 walks, but also issued six free passes of their own. It was the Friars who took better advantage and walked away having survived an 8-7 victory over the Jays thanks to France's solo homer in the bottom of the sixth. Oh, and neither starter made it past the second inning. It was that type of game. The Padres pounced on rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage, a Jays postseason hero last year, who gave up just one hit, but walked seven while getting just five outs, leading to. pair of two-run innings in the first and second. But Buehler again wasn't good as he walked four over two innings, leading to a four-run second inning. The Padres took the lead again with their third two-run burst in the first three innings, this one courtesy of Sung-Mun Song's two-run single to center. Cronenworth tacked on a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 7-4. The Jays showed some fight by pushing across three runs in the top of the sixth against Matsui to tie it, but France's 11th homer made the difference. Game 3: This seven-game homestand and the first half may not have gone the way the Padres hoped, but they did end it on a positive note. Behind a three-hit day from Machado, including a tying single in the eighth inning, and France's go-ahead sacrifice fly after, the Padres pulled out a 5-4 victory over the Jays. Now, they enter the All-Star break having won twice to get back to .500 at 48-48. This will be a good feeling for a team that hasn't had too much to be proud of since a hot April. They are just 17-27 since a win on May 23 had them a half-game out of first place in the NL West. The Friars are now in third place, a whopping 12½ games out of first and 3½ games from the final NL postseason slot. The Padres only scored in two innings, but that was enough. Trailing 1-0 entering the bottom of the second, Cronenworth had an RBI single, Song a bases-loaded walk and France scoring on a balk for a 3-1 advantage. The Jays tied it in the fourth against Marquez, making his second start in a row, then took the lead in the eighth with a run against Morejon. Bogaerts started the rally in the bottom of the eighth with a single and his 12th stolen base. Machado's third hit of the day was a line single to center to easily plate Bogaerts, tying the game 4-4. Machado went to second on a Gavin Sheets groundout, then was replaced by pinch-runner Jace Bowen, who promptly stole third. France cranked a 1-1 pitch to the warning track in right-center for a sac fly, bringing in Bowen with the go-ahead run. Then it was time for Miller to do what he does. The All-Star closer sealed the deal with a groundout, a popup and a strikeout of Guerrero for his 25th save in 25 chances. With four days off to get away from baseball a bit, the Padres can relax before hitting the road for a 10-game road trip to Kansas City, Atlanta and Miami. Marvelous Mason Miller Some of the amazing stats for the Padres' closer: Season stats: 2-1, 0.91 ERA, 38 games, 25 saves (25 chances), 39⅔ IP, 18 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 13 BB, 72 K, .134 opponent average Miller is three saves shy of his career best of 28 set in 2024, his first full season in the majors. According to OptaStats, he is the first player to have an ERA below 1.00 and a more than 16 strikeouts per nine innings through 35 appearances since 1913, when earned runs were first tracked. His 25 saves are tied for second-most in MLB with Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays. Cade Smith of the Cleveland Guardians leads with 28. Random Stats Jake Cronenworth did not have an error in 34 games and 126 chances before going on the concussion list made four errors in his first eight games and 41 chances since coming back. The Padres and Blue Jays entered the series having played just 24 times in their histories, tied for the second-fewest of any two teams behind the 22 by the Chicago White Sox and New York Mets. After starting the season 13-1 in games in which they had 10 or more hits, the Padres have lost seven of their last 11 such games. With 11 combined walks in the first two innings Saturday, the Padres-Blue Jays game was the fourth in the Expansion Era (1961) to have at least that many. Joe Musgrove officially hit 10 years of service time Saturday, a huge milestone for players. Transactions Tuesday: Recalled RHP Jhony Brito from Triple-A El Paso. Tuesday: Optioned RHP Alek Jacob to Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Placed LF Samad Taylor on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain. Wednesday: Selected the contract of 3B Luis Rengifo from Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Sent C Freddy Fermin on a rehab assignment to Triple-A El Paso. Wednesday: Signed free-agent LF Dustin Harris to a minor-league contract. Saturday: Activated RHP Matt Waldron from the 15-day injured list. Saturday: Optioned RHP Jhony Brito to Triple-A El Paso. Website Highlights Padres select Coleman Borthwick in the first round of MLB Draft — Steve Drumwright Merrill's issues with fastballs finally has an origin — Randy Holt Matsui is the Padres' escape artist — Yirsandy Rodriguez Padres system analysis: Trades have depleted majority of prospect capital — Steve Drumwright Rodriguez's changeup has changed everything — Yirsandy Rodriguez Looking Ahead Monday: Home Run Derby, 5 p.m. Tuesday: All-Star Game, 5 p.m. Wednesday: Off Thursday: Off Friday: Padres at Royals, 5:10 p.m. Saturday: Padres at Royals, 1:10 p.m. Sunday: Padres at Royals, 11:10 a.m. View full article

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. Padres Minor-League Transactions None. 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. Player AB R H RBI BB K Dustin Harris 3 0 0 0 1 1 Freddy Fermin 4 0 1 0 0 2 Carlos Rodríguez 4 0 1 0 0 0 Nick Solak 4 0 0 0 0 2 Nick Pratto 3 0 0 0 0 1 Mason McCoy 3 0 0 0 0 1 Marcos Castañon 2 0 0 0 1 1 Clay Dungan 2 0 0 0 1 0 Anthony Vilar 3 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 28 0 2 0 3 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Sean Boyle 6 8 4 4 0 2 1 Daison Acosta 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Alek Jacob 1 4 4 4 1 1 1 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. SA_0712.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Ryan Jackson 5 1 1 1 0 0 Tirso Ornelas 3 1 3 0 2 0 Jake Cunningham 5 1 1 3 0 0 Braedon Karpathios 5 0 1 0 0 1 Albert Fabian 4 2 0 0 1 2 Francisco Acuna 5 2 2 0 0 0 Kai Murphy 4 1 2 2 1 0 Wyatt Hoffman 4 1 0 1 0 2 Brendan Durfee 2 0 2 1 0 0 Chris Sargent 2 1 0 1 0 1 Totals 39 10 12 9 4 6 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ian Koenig 3 2 5 4 4 1 1 Josh Mallitz 1 2 2 2 0 0 1 Jamie Hitt 2 3 2 1 1 1 0 Sadrac Franco 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 Francis Peña 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 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. FW1_0712.mp4 FW2_0712.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 5 1 3 5 0 0 Ryan Wideman 5 0 1 0 0 0 Alex McCoy 5 0 1 0 0 1 Kavares Tears 3 1 0 0 2 0 Rosman Verdugo 5 0 3 0 0 0 Jack Costello 5 1 1 0 0 2 Zach Evans 4 2 1 0 0 0 Oswaldo Linares 4 3 3 4 0 0 Kasen Wells 4 1 2 0 0 1 Totals 40 9 15 9 2 4 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Matthew Watson 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Kannon Kemp 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 Maikel Miralles 5 1 1 1 3 0 0 Braian Salazar 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 Will Varmette 1 1 0 0 1 2 0 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. LE_0712.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Jose Verdugo 3 0 1 1 0 0 Jorge Quintana 4 0 1 0 0 2 Dawson Willis 3 0 0 0 1 2 Bradley Frye 1 0 0 0 1 0 Yimy Tovar 2 0 0 0 0 1 Alcides Hernandez 2 0 0 0 2 0 Truitt Madonna 4 0 0 0 0 3 George Bilecki 4 0 0 0 0 4 Conner Westenburg 4 2 2 0 0 0 Qrey Lott 3 0 1 1 0 1 Totals 30 2 5 2 4 13 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jesus A. Castro 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Luis Maracara 3 2 2 2 3 3 1 Isaiah Lowe 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Daichi Moriki 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Brandon Langley 2/3 2 4 4 2 1 1 Cal Riehl 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Sean Barnett 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: 1-for-1, 1 BB Kash Mayfield: 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K Miguel Mendez: DNP Ryan Wideman: 1-for-5 Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Jorge Quintana: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 K Ty Harvey: On injured list Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Braedon Karpathios: 1-for-5, 1 K Jagger Haynes: DNP Lamar King Jr.: DNP Tucker Musgrove: DNP Truitt Madonna: 0-for-4, 3 K Alex McCoy: 1-for-5, 1 K Jesus Castro: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K Rosman Verdugo: 3-for-5 Garrett Hawkins: DNP Eric Yost: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Winyer Chourio: DNP View full article

When not drafting for need, as is the modus operandi for the MLB Draft, it can be tough to identify trends for a team. But for the San Diego Padres on Day 1 of the draft, there were two things that stood out: They drafted youth and left-handed bats. Will that continue on Day 2? We shall find out Sunday, when the draft resumes with Rounds 5 through 20. Saturday's first four rounds featured five Padres picks among the 135 players selected by the 30 teams. The first two were high schoolers in first-rounder Coleman Borthwick, a right-handed pitcher from Florida, and second-rounder Elliot Lascelles, a shortstop from Toronto. While it isn't hard to call prep players young, neither turns 19 until 2027. The youth comment more applies to the three college players picked. Those would be third-rounder Ryan Lynch, a right-handed starter from North Carolina, fourth-rounder Robbie Lavey, a catcher from George Washington, and fourth-round compensation pick Alex Conover, an outfielder out of Oklahoma State. All three collegians are 20 years old, with Lynch having just completed his sophomore season for the Tar Heels and the other two fresh off their junior campaigns. There always is a strategy a team executes not only in the players drafted, but in how to allocate the bonus pool. None of the five players selected sjould command an over-slot payment to either honor their commitment to college or to return for another year. Borthwick has a scholarship to Auburn waiting for him, while Lascelles is set to attend Yale. Maybe that financial strategy kicks in Sunday with some riskier moves. As a reminder, here are the slot values for the Padres' picks: First round (21st pick): $4,224,700 Second round (60th): $1,561,000 Third round (97th): $808,100 Fourth round (124th): $620,300 Fourth round (comp, 134th): $563,900 Fifth round (157th): $449,500 Sixth round (186th): $350,100 Seventh round (215th): $276,400 Eighth round (245th): $226,300 Ninth round (275th): $205,000 10th round (305th): $193,700 Players drafted in Rounds 11 through 20 have a soft cap of $150,000, with any amount over that counting against the bonus pool. That also goes for undrafted free agents, who will begin signing as soon as the final pick is made Sunday. Draft picks must sign by July 27 at 2 p.m. PT. All of the draft coverage will be carried by MLB.com, MLB.tv and MLB+ beginning at 8:30 a.m. PT. What do you think of the Padres' draft so far? Do you have a favorite pick? Is there a player they should target on Day 2? View full article

Thanks to a rainout for the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas, the four full-season San Diego Padres affiliates went 2-1 Saturday. The Double-A San Antonio Missions won 10-9 over Midland, the High-A Fort Wayne TinCaps lost 4-2 to West Michigan and the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm cruised to an 8-2 win over Rancho Cucamonga. Padres Minor-League Transactions San Diego Padres optioned RHP Jhony Brito to El Paso Chihuahuas. El Paso Chihuahuas activated 2B Victor Duarte from the Development List. El Paso Chihuahuas transferred 2B Nate Mondou to the Development List. San Antonio Missions placed C Ethan Salas on the temporarily inactive list (Futures Game). San Antonio Missions activated OF Kai Murphy from the Development List. Chihuahuas-Comets Rained Out The Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas were rained out in their game against the host Oklahoma City Comets. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader Aug. 26. Luis Verdugo's 3-Run Blast In Eighth Lifts Missions Luis Verdugo hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning as the Double-A San Antonio Missions rallied past the host Midland RockHounds 10-9. Ryan Jackson had three hits and scored three times, Braedon Karpathios (Padres Mission's No. 9 prospect) was on base four times with two hits and two walks and Francisco Acuna had a pair doubles and a walk. Karpathios and Verdugo also scored twice. While the bullpen, led by right-handers Tucker Musgrove, Padres Mission's 12 prospect, and Garrett Hawkins, Padres Mission's No. 17 prospect, pitched four innings without allowing an earned run, left-handed starter Jagger Haynes, Padres Mission's No. 10 prospect, and right-handed reliever Bernard Jose gave up eight runs on 10 hits with four walks, with Jose giving up a homer. Hawkins, in his fourth Missions appearance after starting the season in El Paso, picked up his first save of the season after notching 10 in as many chances last year. The Missions were down 6-2 after three innings, then traded punches with the RockHounds, who were up 8-5 after five, before El Paso got two more in the sixth on a Jake Cunningham run-scoring grounder and Karpathios' RBI single. Jackson opened the eighth with his third single of the game, prompting a pitching change. After a flyout and a strikeout, Karpathios walked and Verdugo smashed his no-doubt, three-run blast down the left-field line to put the Missions up 10-8. SA_0711.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Tucker 6 0 1 1 0 2 Ryan Jackson 5 3 3 0 0 1 Tirso Ornelas 4 0 1 0 1 2 Jake Cunningham 4 1 1 1 0 1 Braedon Karpathios 3 2 2 1 2 1 Luis Verdugo 4 2 2 3 0 1 Francisco Acuna 4 1 2 1 1 1 Kai Roberts 3 1 0 0 1 2 Chris Sargent 5 0 1 1 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jagger Haynes 3 7 6 6 3 1 0 Bernard Jose 2 3 2 2 1 1 1 Tucker Musgrove 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Harry Gustin (W) 1 1 0 0 2 1 0 Clay Edmondson (H) 2/3 1 1 0 1 0 0 Garrett Hawkins (S) 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 3 0 Bryan Balzer Strikes Out 8, But TinCaps Outdone By Whitecaps Right-hander Bryan Balzer struck out a career-high eight and turned in the best of his three starts since being promoted to High-A Fort Wayne, but the TinCaps couldn't generate enough offense to get him a win in falling to the host West Michigan Whitecaps 4-2. The TinCaps were held hitless through five innings. Leadoff hitter Justin DeCriscio, last year's 10th-round draft choice, went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, but was the only TinCap to reach base multiple times as they were outhit by the Whitecaps 10-5. This was DeCriscio's 16th multihit game this season and put his hitting streak at eight games. Balzer, an international free agent, went five innings, allowing just a run on five hits and a walk with those eight punchouts. He struck out seven in his season debut April 2 vs. Ontario. Balzer had a combined eight strikeouts in 7⅓ innings in his first two TinCaps starts, but gave up nine runs (seven earned) on eight hits and six walks, including five in his debut June 27. He was much better in his start before the All-Star break. Unfortunately, right-hander Nick Falter, given a 2-1 lead, couldn't hold the advantage, giving up a pair of runs in the sixth and another in the seventh in his two innings. Right-hander Will Koger pitched a perfect eighth, striking out two. The TinCaps finally got their first hit of the game when Jack Costello's single led off the sixth, the first of three consecutive hits. That was followed by Kasen Wells' RBI double, DeCriscio's single and a run-scoring wild pitch that brought in Wells to put the TinCaps up 2-1. But the rally ended there as Ryan Wideman, Alex McCoy and Luke Cantwell were retired. The only other hits the TinCaps would get would be DeCriscio's eighth-inning double and McCoy's ninth-inning single. FW_0711.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Justin DeCriscio 3 0 2 1 1 0 Ryan Wideman 4 0 0 0 0 2 Alex McCoy 4 0 1 0 0 2 Luke Cantwell 4 0 0 0 0 1 Rosman Verdugo 3 0 0 0 1 2 Kerrington Cross 4 0 0 0 0 0 Carlos Rodriguez 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jack Costello 3 1 1 0 0 0 Kasen Wells 3 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Bryan Balzer 5 5 1 1 1 8 0 Nick Falter (L) 2 5 3 3 1 3 0 Will Koger 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Dylan Grego's 4-Hit Night, Tyler Schmitt's Pitching Propel Storm Dylan Grego went 4-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs, while right-handed starter Tyler Schmitt had five strong innings as the Low-A Lake Elsinore Storm rolled to an 8-2 triumph over the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Yimy Tovar, Yoiber Ocopio, Alcides Hernandez and Qrey Lott each had two hits, with Hernandez driving in a pair, while Grego and Conner Westenburg scored twice. Schmitt and Storm pitching were on point, with the starter yielding just a run on four hits and no walks while fanning five over five innings. Right-handers Jordan Valenzuela and Jeferson Villabona each went two innings, with Valenzuela allowing just a hit and a walk with two strikeouts and Villabona four punchouts while giving up a run on two hits. Grego singled home Tovar in the top of the first, then Hernandez drove home a pair in the top of the third with a single to make it 3-0. The Quakes scored once in the bottom of the third, but the Storm added two in the fifth on Grego's solo homer, his third with the Storm and fourth of the year, and a wild pitch. Three more runs came in the eighth on Grego's RBI single, Lott's bases-loaded walk and Tovan's run-scoring infield chopper. LE_0711.mp4 Player AB R H RBI BB K Yimy Tovar 6 1 2 1 0 1 Jorge Quintana 6 0 1 0 0 2 Dawson Willis 6 0 1 0 0 5 Yoiber Ocopio 4 1 2 0 2 2 George Bilecki 6 1 1 0 0 3 Dylan Grego 5 2 4 3 1 1 Conner Westenburg 5 2 1 0 1 2 Alcides Hernandez 4 1 2 2 1 1 Qrey Lott 2 0 2 1 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tyler Schmitt (W) 5 4 1 1 0 5 0 Jordan Valenzuela 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 Jeferson Villabona 2 2 1 1 0 4 0 Padres Mission's Top 20 Prospect Performance Ethan Salas: DNP Kash Mayfield: DNP Miguel Mendez: DNP Ryan Wideman: 0-for-4, 2 K Kruz Schoolcraft: DNP Jorge Quintana: 1-for-6, 2 K Ty Harvey: On injured list Kale Fountain: Injured, out for season Braedon Karpathios: 2-for-3, 1 K Jagger Haynes: 3 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 1 K Lamar King Jr.: DNP Tucker Musgrove: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K Truitt Madonna: DNP Alex McCoy: 1-for-4, 2 K Jesus Castro: DNP Rosman Verdugo: 0-for-3, 2 K Garrett Hawkins: 1⅓ IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, S Eric Yost: DNP Michael Salina: DNP Winyer Chourio: DNP View full article

The last pick of the day for the Padres comes courtesy of the compensation pick for Dylan Cease signing with the Blue Jays. The Friars took Oklahoma State outfielder Alex Conover, another left-handed hitter who has some pop. Solid first day for the Padres. Coleman Borthwick easily the flashiest of the Padres' pick. He could be a workhorse at the front of the rotation.

With their final pick on the first day of the 2026 MLB Draft, the San Diego Padres got their first power bat. That came in the form of Oklahoma State junior outfielder Alex Conover, who was taken with a compensation pick in the fourth round, the 134th overall selection. The Friars received this pick as a result of the qualifying offer given to right-handed starter Dylan Cease, who signed with the Toronto Blue Jays for seven years and $210 million in free agency. The 134th pick has a $563,900 bonus slot. Another left-handed bat, the 6-foot-4, 202-pound Conover slashed .357/.476/.625 at Oklahoma State with 14 homers, 37 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. All of his tools were given a 50-grade on the 20-80 scouting scale by MLB Pipeline. He made huge strides in cutting his chase rate from 2025 to 2026, going from 26% down to 19%. He rarely swings and misses when the ball is in the zone and does go gap-to-gap. One drawback is he does tend to hit too many groundballs. Conover also has solid speed but played mostly left field at Oklahoma State, though he did see action in center. His arm is rather average, which probably leaves him in left with first base also a possibility. As a minor bonus, he did catch in high school. View full rumor

Not that the San Diego Padres needed additional catching depth, but they went out and drafted another backstop. With the first of two fourth-round selections, the Padres selected George Washington junior catcher Robbie Lavey with the 124th overall pick. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound left-handed hitter had a .339/.462/.526 slash line this season with 20 extra-base hits and 37 RBIs. His slot number is $620,300. Lavey is 20 years old. Lavey does a lot of things very well, but nothing overly well. His best trait is his arm, which has been graded as 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He is a line-drive hitter who makes good contact and can drive the ball. Defensively, he might need some work, but is a positive there more than a detriment behind the plate. The Padres have good catchers at every level, led by No. 1 prospect Ethan Salas. View full rumor

After going undrafted out of high school, right-handed starter Ryan Lynch bolstered his profile high enough for the San Diego Padres to select him in the third round (97th overall pick) in the 2026 MLB Draft. Lynch finished his sophomore season as part of North Carolina's starting rotation, posting a 4.21 ERA with 36 walks and 89 strikeouts over 98⅓ innings in 19 games, all but one a start. Lynch has a tremendous sinker that has reached 98 mph and sits at 94-96 mph. He also has a 83-85 mph slider that shows good depth. He also has a changeup that needs more development. At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, he has an excellent frame, yet didn't have big strikeout numbers this year. He did excel in a relief role as a freshman and some see him more in that role than as a starter, with the potential of being a closer if he goes to the bullpen. The 97th pick has a bonus slotted at $808,100. DiamondCentric's Jamie Cameron had this to say about Lynch, who was 95th on his big board: "Lynch is a young for the class college pitcher who will turn 21 a month before the draft. He's occupied a number of roles in his two years for the Tar Heels, beginning as a reliever, before transitioning into a starting role in 2026. It's a frame with ingredients for starting. Lynch stands 6'3, 235 pounds and can maintain his velocity into his outings. There's some interesting release traits too, as Lynch gets good extension and throws from a low release height. There's interesting stuff, too. His best pitch is a power sinker with a ton of run. It typically sits 94 mph but has been up to 97 mph. Lynch frequently mixes in a slider with some depth and sweep, a curveball, and a changeup, although he relies on his sinker/slider combo. Results have been mixed as a full time starter in 2026 and there's some reliever risk here until Lynch can more consistently tap into a more diverse arsenal with regularity and effectiveness. Lynch ended 2026 with a 4.88 FIP in 98.1 innings of work, striking out 20.3% of hitters and walking 8.2%." He has delivery of more of a slinger, which helps with deception on his pitches and could also lead to some of his control issues. View full rumor

Padres go with Canadian shortstop Elliot Lascelles with the 60th pick, their second-round choice. Good hit profile. Not sure if he will stick at shortstop with some questions about his arm, although the Padres will give him every chance there. Also runs track and brings good speed. Not a ton of power, but as an 18-year-old, that could come. Another underslot draft pick, so there would seem to be a riskier selection coming up. Is committed to Yale.

The San Diego Padres went north of the border for their second pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. Canadian shortop Elliot Lascelles was taken by the Padres with their second-round selection, the 60th overall pick. Lascalles played at Upper Canada College High School in Toronto. The 18-year-old is one of the top Canadian prospects in this year's draft. A 6-foot-2, 195-pound left-handed hitter, the 18-year-old is committed to Yale. But with being taken where he was and being further down most rankings, Lascelles figures to be an easy sign. The bonus allotment for the 60th pick is $1,561,000. Lascelles is a hit-first player who may have to move off of shortstop due to questionable arm strength, although second base is definitely an option. DiamondCentric's Jamie Cameron had this to say about Lascelles, who was 89th on his big board: "Lascelles is a Yale commit who is the best position player prospect out of Canada in the 2026 class. At 6'2, 190, he's grown and added size and strength in the last twelve months to a profile that has started to be more heavily scrutinized by scouts. Lascelles hits left handed, with some pre-swing waggle in his stance and a slightly unorthodox look. His swing isn't the smoothest, and it doesn't look like Lascelles gets into his lower half as much as he might, potentially limiting his power output. What there's plenty of, is bat-to-ball skills. Lascelles has exceptional hand-eye coordination and almost never strikes out, a tendency he combined with a ton of discipline in his at-bats. While he may move off shortstop long term due to a fringy arm, Lascelles should stick in the dirt, possibly at second base. He's a plus runner and a threat on the base paths. If he's to add more power, there's some swing work to do, but Lascelles has the most important tool in his bag." Lascelles has built up his stock through Baseball Canada and in high school. He is a line-drive hitter who doesn't possess a ton of power, although that could come with some swing adjustments. This spring, he was on a team that toured Arizona and Florida and faced mostly minor-league arms. He hit .389 with four extra-base hits in 59 at-bats. He has a bit of an unusual setup at the plate with his elbows being far apart and a steep bat path, but those are things the Padres can work on once he signs. He also doesn't chase much, limiting his strikeouts, and goes gap-to-gap with ease. Lascelles is a two-sport star, also running track. He could be an excellent baserunner with borderline plus speed, which will help him in the middle infield. His hit tool will carry him early in his career as his body develops, potentially bringing a little more power to the forefront of his game. View full article

We are now in the second round and about 10 picks before the Padres pick. This is the space in the MLB Draft where front offices make or break their draft. Overslot deals are often made to lure players to pro ball instead of their college commitments.

Coleman Borthwick is the pick. Big right-hander out of a Florida high school. Good velocity on fastball and slider. While committed to Auburn, being taken 21st, which is above where most had him going, would seem to make him an easy sign and move money to other Day 1 picks.