Padres Press Clips Thursday, September 27, 2018

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In possible sign of patchwork to come, Perdomo leads Padres pen SD Union Tribune Acee 2 past Giants

Miguel Diaz can command bigger role for Padres in ‘19 SD Union Tribune Acee 5

Left-handers to watch in Padres’ farm system SD Union Tribune Sanders 8

Galvis keeps September tear going with 2 hits MLB.com Cassavell 13

Stammen ready for eventful offseason MLB.com Cassavell 15

Prospects finish instructs at On Deck Classic MLB.com Mayo 17

‘He’s going to be a star ’: A look at when Francisco Mejia The Athletic Lin 19 came on the scene, and his future potential

Jankowski homers in Padres’ 3-2 win over Giants AP AP 24

Andy’s Address, 9/26 FriarWire Center 26

This Day in Padres History, 9/27 FriarWire Center 29

#PadresOnDeck: Baez, Patino, Lawson, Munoz, Coleman lead FriarWire Center 30 Right-handed at Petco Park Thursday night for Don Welke On Deck Classic

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In possible sign of patchwork to come, Perdomo leads Padres pen past Giants

Kevin Acee

The Padres got what they wanted from Luis Perdomo on Wednesday night.

A little foreshadowing.

The right-hander put up three scoreless innings at the start of a game in which the Padres used six more relievers and beat the Giants 3-2.

Far more pertinent than the result of the game is what the Padres seem inclined to ask of Perdomo – and a handful of other pitchers – in 2019.

“In the absence of that consistent starting pitching, we’re going to look at inventive ways to overcome that,” said earlier this week. “We’re going to continue to try to develop guys into front-line starting pitchers. … But we’ll look at ways to make us more competitive if we have to.”

It appears they could be headed that direction, at least for a sort of gap year.

What they know is they cannot limp through another season like this one, handicapped so often at the beginning of games by a starting rotation that was among the worst in the major leagues.

Entering Wednesday, Padres starters had the majors’ third-highest ERA (5.15), third- highest batting average against (.274), second-highest on-base percentage against (.345), second-highest WHIP (1.46) and second-fewest quality starts (46).

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And while the Padres’ minor league system seems stocked with promise, it isn’t arriving next year.

Some of what does arrive – like – will be on an innings limit.

Rookies Joey Lucchesi and – whose collective ERA is 4.35 with one start apiece remaining – will enter the spring expected to start. Several others, including highly-touted prospects and will be given every opportunity to make the rotation as well. , Bryan Mitchell, Jacob Nix and Brett Kennedy will be in the mix, as will and Robbie Erlin. is expected back from return from Tommy John surgery before the All-Star break.

That should make for a spirited competition. But it by no means seems to be the makings of a rotation that can battle the Dodgers, Rockies and Diamondbacks 19 times apiece each season.

So Green said this before Wednesday’s game:

“If he can give us two or three strong innings today, you can start to see a role for that kind of guy going into next year as we’ll look to have as much depth as possible out of our pitching.”

Perdomo, who posted a 7.94 ERA in his nine real starts this season, with a demotion to the minors and stay on the disabled list in between, allowed one hit and got through 10 batters in just 43 pitches Wednesday. He threw far more strikes (74 percent) than usual and struck out four.

The Padres took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when ’ sacrifice fly drove in Freddy Galvis, who had tripled.

Travis Jankowski scored the Padres’ next two runs. In the fifth, he beat out a slow roller and kept to second base on a throwing error, went to third on A.J. Ellis’ ground out and scored on a balk. Two innings later, his solo homer made it 3-0.

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Brad Wieck followed Perdomo with a scoreless fourth inning. Miguel Diaz pitched a hitless fifth and sixth before Jose Castillo allowed a two- home to Aramis Garcia in the bottom of seventh.

After Castillo surrendered successive singles, Strahm got the final out of the inning. got through a scoreless eighth with help from Austin Hedges spot-on throw to get Hunter Pence attempting to steal second.

Kirby Yates pitched the ninth for his 12th of the season and seventh in a row.

Diaz is among the leading candidates, along with Erlin and Perdomo and possibly Strahm, to be one of the “swing” pitchers who the Padres hope will help them patch together more victories next season.

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Miguel Diaz can command bigger role for Padres in '19

Kevin Acee

In Miguel Diaz’s numbers are peril and potential — and the clear evidence of why the Padres are invested in letting the young right-hander bridge the gap between the two extremes.

With three more and one more walk in his 1 2/3 innings of work Saturday night against the Dodgers, Diaz brought his season totals to 29 strikeouts and nine walks in 15 2/3 innings.

That’s a rate of 16.9 strikeouts per nine innings, which would lead the majors by almost 4½ strikeouts if Diaz had pitched enough innings to qualify. It is also a 5.2 walks per nine, which would lead the majors as well.

“Command, walks,” manager Andy Green said. “That’s been his bugaboo.”

Diaz’s mid-to-upper-90s and a plus change-up get the highest rate of swings and misses on the team (38.5 percent). Among those who have thrown at least 300 pitches this season, just five major league pitchers get more swings and misses.

But Diaz continues to be plagued by a lack of consistent command.

That was true last year in the majors, when he was on the Padres roster after being selected in the , and it was the case in the minors this season. He averaged 5.4 walks/nine in 2017 and 4.9 walks/nine between Double-A and Triple-A this season.

Diaz was briefly considered for a starting track in spring after making three starts last season. But he was primarily used in relief this season for two-, three- and even four- inning stretches between Double-A, Triple-A and the majors.

He is headed to the next month to work out of the . 5

“We’re excited about his future,” Green said. “It’s another name to be in the mix for just about everything going into next year. … We see him as someone who has versatility. He can start, he can pitch out of the pen, he can pitch in a leverage role in due time.”

Whatever his role ends up being, there really is just the one thing to fix, albeit one of those easier-said-than-done sort of things.

“It’s a matter of limiting my walks,” Diaz said. “It doesn’t really matter if it’s as a starter or a reliever. The most important thing is to be here and do a good job.”

It appears Diaz will be in the majors in 2019.

It likely will be in a role like Matt Strahm’s was this year – multiple innings in relief appearances and the occasional abbreviated start.

The future beyond next year, as it is with so many of the Padres’ young players, is as unpredictable as it is boundless.

“Quite honestly, he needs reps,” pitching Darren Balsley said.

Part of the reason why the Padres are sending Diaz to the Fall League instead of winter ball is that they will have more control over his role while also being able to better monitor the work on his mechanical flaws.

Diaz has a 5.17 ERA and an average of 1.53 walks and hits per innings pitched. That’s the peril.

The potential lies in the fact that while an ERA can be brought down and walks can mitigated, no matter how much most pitchers improve they can’t strike out two batters an inning.

“That’s good for him,” Balsley said. “He knows he has fantastic stuff, stuff on the big-league level, but his pitch-making ability has to become better. There is solid proof up on the board that shows that.”

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With two strikes, opponents are batting .122 against Diaz, 51 points below the league average. When he falls behind, opponents are batting .357 against him, 67 points above the league average.

The issue there is the fine line between control and command. Diaz is throwing more strikes this season. But when he has to be in the zone, has to go to the hitter, there are too many times he doesn’t put the ball in the right spot and his mistake gets hit.

“I’ll be really good if I can improve my command,” Diaz said. “I have lot of confidence in myself. I know what I have. It’s just a matter of getting all that and putting it all together. Little by little I’m getting to know myself a little more.”

Catcher Austin Hedges explained it this way: “He needs to learn how to pitch. He’s still kind of throwing. It’s nasty, but he’s throwing more than pitching.”

With that as the reality – a kid who pretty much doesn’t know what he’s doing striking out 40 percent of the major league batters he’s faced this season – the Padres are committed to letting him learn.

“I’ve seen it happen overnight,” Balsley said. “It wouldn’t surprise me if he comes back to and all of a sudden his walk ratio goes down, he’s making more pitches. He needs to make it happen. We need to give him the opportunity for it to happen.”

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Minors Left-handers to watch in Padres’ farm system

Jeff Sanders

Rookie left-handers Eric Lauer and Joey Lucchesi will make their 23rd and 26thstarts this final weekend at Petco Park – second to Clayton Richard’s 27 – and both will enter camp next spring atop the rotation depth chart.

How long they hold onto those spots depends both on their continued development as big league starters and the horde of left-handers coming up behind them.

They’re younger.

They’ve got greater ceilings.

And they’ve a year to San Diego.

1. MacKenzie Gore

• Age: 19 • Team(s): Low Single-A Fort Wayne • 2018 stats: 2-5, 4.45 ERA, 74 strikeouts, 18 walks, 1.30 WHIP, .260 opponent average (16 starts, 60 2/3 IP) • Height/weight: 6-foot-3 / 191 pounds • Bats/Throws: L / L • How acquired: First round in 2017 (Whiteville HS, N.C.) • Need to know: As great as his upside is, it’s difficult to label Gore’s first full year of pro ball as anything but a letdown. Twice, bouts with a blister sent him to the DLand a fingernail issue ended his season in late August. Nevertheless, the Padres liked plenty a 2018 season that never truly allowed Gore – the third

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overall pick in 2017 ($6.7 million) – to stretch his legs. He allowed the first five homers of his career, but only one in July as he posted a 3.13 ERA, struck out 30 batters in 23 innings and limited opposing hitters to a .195 batting average in the largest uninterrupted portion of his season. How Gore handled the frustrations of the stop-and-go campaign impressed. “He’s a very competitive young man,” Padres farm director Sam Geaney said. “He definitely would have liked to have taken the ball more, but there are definitely some positives when he was out there. He threw the ball very well at times, punched guys out and didn’t walk guys.” With four potential plus pitches – 92-95 mph fastball, a tumbling change-up, slider and curve – Gore is rated the top left-handed pitching prospect in the game by MLB.com, No. 11 in the top-100 and behind only SS Fernando Tatis Jr. in the Padres’ rich system.

2. Adrian Morejon

• Age: 19 • Team(s): High Single-A Lake Elsinore, rookie-level Arizona League (one rehab start) • 2018 stats: 4-5, 3.44 ERA, 74 strikeouts, 24 walks, 1.27 WHIP, .241 opponent average (14 starts, 65 1/3 innings) • Height/weight: 6-foot-8 / 220 pounds • Bats/Throws: L / L • How acquired: Non-drafted free agent in July 2016 (Cuba) • Need to know: Signed for a Padres’ amateur record $11 million, Morejon pushed his way to No. 49 in MLB.com’s top-100 list (No. 6 in Padres system) despite injuries limiting him to 14 starts in his second year of pro ball. The first was flexor soreness coming out of the all-star break. The second was a triceps issue that ended his season in August. Before that, Morejon earned a trip to the All-Star Game as the circuit’s second-youngest player and set career-bests in wins, ERA, innings, strikeouts, WHIP and opponent average. The teenaged phenom throws a four-seamer that’s reached 96 mph, two change-ups and a with above-average spin. Morejon won’t turn 20 until February. As deep as the Padres are in pitching, he could return to the California League to start 2019, although the organization could opt to further 9

test him with an promotion to Double-A, where he’d again be one of the youngest players in the league.

3. Logan Allen

• Age: 21 • Team(s): Double-A San Antonio, Triple-A El Paso • 2018 stats: 14-6, 2.54 ERA, 151 strikeouts, 51 walks, 1.08 WHIP, .205 opponent average (25 games, 24 starts, 148 2/3 IP) • Height/weight: 6-foot-3 / 200 pounds • Bats/Throws: R / L • How acquired: Trade with Red Sox in November 2015 • Need to know: An eighth-rounder out of IMG Academy in 2015 (where he first met Jacob Nix), Allen was widely considered the fourth-best prospect – behind CF Manuel Margot, SS Javy Guerra and 2B Carlos Asuaje – received in the package for . He could prove the best as a breakthrough campaign ended with Allen as the ’s of the year and the Padres system leader in wins, strikeouts and innings. Before a promotion to Triple-A El Paso, where he was 4-0 with a 1.63 ERA in five starts, Allen even threw seven innings of a combined no-hitter with RHP Jason Jester. The start was one of 18 in which Allen allowed two or fewer earned runs. Allen also completed six or more innings in 16 of his 24 starts, becoming more pitch-efficient in his third full year of pro ball. With a fastball that sits in the low-90s, a power breaking ball and a plus “Vulcan” change-up, Allen pushed his way to MLB.com’s top-100 list for the first time (No. 85) and could vie for a rotation spot next spring, his first in big league camp.

4.

• Age: 18 • Team(s): Rookie-level Arizona League, Low Single-A Fort Wayne • 2018 stats: 0-3, 3.44 ERA, 18 strikeouts, 4 walks, 1.25 WHIP, .247 opponents average (7 starts, 18 1/3 IP) • Height/weight: 6-foot-1 / 200 pounds 10

• Bats/Throws: L / L • How acquired: First round in 2018 (Loretto HS, Tenn.) • Need to know: The son of a veteran of 19 big league seasons, Weathers signed for $5.23 million as this June’s seventh overall selection and was pushed quickly to the despite allowing a pair of homers in 9 1/3 innings in rookie bal1 (3.86 ERA). Pitching for a TinCaps team hoping to qualify for the playoffs, Weathers struck out nine and allowed eight runs – three earned – on 11 hits and a walk. His left-handed fastball sits in the mid- 90s. He also throws a downward-biting slider and a low-80s change-up that rated as the best secondary pitch of the Padres’ 2018 draft class. On top of that, the Padres graded his make-up as a plus, which led the organization to push him quickly to the Midwest League. (2017 first-rounder MacKenzie Gore didn’t reach Midwest League until this spring). Weathers is ranked No. 9 in the Padres system by MLB.com and No. 99 overall.

5. Osvaldo Hernandez

• Age: 20 • Team(s): Low Single-A Fort Wayne • 2018 stats: 11-4, 1.81 ERA, 94 strikeouts, 27 walks, 1.19 WHIP, .254 opponent average (21 games, 19 starts, 109 2/3 IP) • Height/weight: 6-foot / 181 pounds • Bats/Throws: L / L • How acquired: Non-drafted free agent in March 2017 (Cuba) • Need to know: Signed for $2.5 million late during the 2016-17 international period, Hernandez posted a 5.02 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP and 67 strikeouts in 52 innings spread across three lower levels in his pro debut in 2017. This year went much, much better as Hernandez tied for the Midwest League in wins and was leading the circuit in ERA when shoulder inflammation ended his season. He pairs a 94 mph fastball with a curve and slider, all of which he can throw from a variety of arm slots. His ball darts and bobs and weaves and does all sorts of things,” minor league pitching coordinator Eric Junge said. “He’s uber- athletic, high-energy, bounces off the mound and he’s smart.”

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Other names to know: Jerry Keel (AAA, 4.60 ERA, 6.5 K/9), Nick Margevicius (A+, 3.60 ERA, 9.7 K/9), Aaron Leasher (A+, 3.49 ERA, 8.9 K/9), Tom Cosgrove (A, 3.71 ERA, 9.4 K/9), Fred Schlichtholz (A, 3.60 ERA, 7.7 K/9), Omar Cruz (SS, 1.91 ERA, 12.5 K/9), Joey Cantillo (A, 2.76 ERA, 11.6 K/9).

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Galvis keeps September tear going with 2 hits

By AJ Cassavell

SAN FRANCISCO -- In the next few months, the Padres' front office has an important decision to make regarding Freddy Galvis. The veteran shortstop will be a free agent after the season, and the club must weigh its desire to re-sign him against the costs of doing so -- both in terms of dollars and opportunity for its young infielders.

At the very least, Galvis is leaving a strong final impression.

In a 3-2 win over the Giants on Wednesday night at AT&T Park, Galvis pounded out two more hits. He's started every game this year. And yet, as the season grinds toward the finish line, no Padres player has had a better September than Galvis, who is slashing .298/.344/.476 this month.

"I'm trying to finish strong ... and let people know what I can do," Galvis said.

In the third inning, Galvis tripled, and he scored one batter later on Wil Myers' sacrifice fly. He singled, as San Diego scored again in the sixth. -- who went 3-for-4 -- swatted his fourth in the seventh, widening the lead to 3-0. That was just enough offense, as the Padres pieced together nine innings from their relief corps on a designated bullpen day.

As for Galvis, there might not be a more polarizing roster decision awaiting the Padres this winter. Fernando Tatis Jr. is waiting in the wings as the likely shortstop of the future. Luis Urias arrived this season with the same title attached to him at second base.

But Tatis probably won't crack the roster. When he does arrive -- presumably in the first half next season -- some feel he's better suited to do so as a third baseman. In an infield of youngsters, Galvis' steady presence could prove valuable.

"The person at shortstop that everybody thinks we're going to have at some point in time -- he hasn't even played a full season at Double-A," said Padres manager Andy Green. "There's probably openings at that spot, to some degree, and in the utility role where [Galvis] could bounce around, too."

OK, so there's a place for Galvis on the 2019 roster. That brings us to the crux of the debate: What might the Padres (or anyone else) be willing to offer? There aren't many teams in need of help at short. But there aren't many shortstops available, either.

Eventually, the Padres want to hand over the middle-infield reins to Urias and Tatis. If Galvis re- signs, he might have to take a backseat eventually. With that in mind, it's worth wondering whether the club will meet Galvis' asking price.

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"I've been playing year by year," Galvis said. "I don't feel like I want to do that anymore. I want to get a few years, I want to get [security]. I have my family, I have two daughters, that's what I'm going to look for.

"But like I've said before, I really like this team, I really like the clubhouse, I really like the guys. Let's see what happens."

PERDOMO FINISHES STRONG The Padres used seven relievers to cover nine innings, with Aramis Garcia's two-run homer off Jose Castillo serving as the only blemish. Otherwise, the pitching staff was excellent. Luis Perdomo shined brightest.

It's been a rocky season for the 25-year-old right-hander, who arrived two years ago as a Rule 5 selection with seemingly boundless potential. Perdomo spent most of this year at Triple-A, and in 12 big league appearances, he posted a 7.05 ERA.

On Wednesday, Perdomo tantalized once again. He pitched three scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing only one baserunner, when Abiatal Avelino hit slow dribbler through the right side in the third for his first big league hit.

"It was a good outing," Perdomo said through a team interpreter. "This year was a little tough. There were some ups and downs. At the same time, it's good to be able to finish that game strong and go into the offseason with some momentum."

Next up for Perdomo: He'll play for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS Never mind the caught-stealing numbers. Austin Hedges still has a cannon. The Padres catcher made arguably the most important play of the night Wednesday, finishing a strike-him- out-throw-him-out double play with a perfect throw to second base to nab Hunter Pence in the eighth.

Hedges has thrown out just 12 of 55 attempted base stealers this season, well below his 37 percent clip from 2017. But much of that has been out of his control, with a young pitching staff still learning to hold runners. When Hedges is given a chance, he doesn't often miss. He certainly didn't on Wednesday.

HE SAID IT "I feel like when I'm on the field I can help the team to win some games. I can do it with the bat, I can do it with the glove, I can do it with my mind. Playing 162 is really important to me." - - Galvis, the only player in the Majors to play in every one of his team's games in 2017 and '18

UP NEXT The Padres return to Petco Park for their final home series of the year, a three-game set against the D-backs beginning Friday at 7:10 p.m. PT. Left-hander Eric Lauer, eyeing a strong finish to an up-and-down debut season, is the first of three Padres rookies who will start in the series. Before the game, will be honored, as the area of Park Avenue adjacent to the home plate entrance will be renamed Trevor Hoffman Way.

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Stammen ready for eventful offseason

Padres righty will garner trade interest after best season of career

By AJ Cassavell

SAN FRANCISCO -- 's name was thrown around in all sorts of trade chatter this summer, but on the night of July 31 the 34-year-old right-hander was still in San Diego. Two months later, that's precisely where Stammen is going to finish what he considers to be the best season of his nine-year career.

An eventful offseason awaits. Stammen, who re-signed with the Padres in January, has another year and $2.25 million remaining on his contract. Most teams would consider that a bargain, given the numbers he posted in 2018. He'll almost certainly be trade bait this winter.

"Obviously you'd rather not be traded," Stammen said. "I signed a two-year contract for a reason: to be here. And I really enjoy being a mentor to the younger guys and seeing how much they've improved. They're going to grow and have great Major League careers, so it'd be nice to see that to the end.

"But, again, it's out of my control. It's nice to be wanted by other teams. That's a feather in my cap. But it's totally out of my control."

Following two perfect frames in Tuesday's 12-inning loss to the Giants, Stammen lowered his ERA to 2.81 over 77 innings. His peripheral numbers argue that he's had a better season than his ERA would indicate.

Stammen owns a 2.18 FIP and a 1.05 WHIP. He's striking out hitters at a 28.1 percent clip, with a miniscule 5.5 percent walk rate.

"The big thing for me was first-pitch strikes," Stammen said. "I really tried to be the best at it."

Mission accomplished. Among pitchers with at least 50 innings this season, Stammen's 71.6 percent first-pitch strike rate is the best mark in the Majors, just ahead of and Miles Mikolas.

"That came from Trevor Hoffman," Stammen says, noting a meeting with the legendary Padres closer prior to the 2017 season. Stammen asked Hoffman what went through his mind as he trotted in from the bullpen. Hoffman's response? "Strike one."

Stammen is the elder statesman in an extremely young Padres' bullpen. His success offers a lesson for a pitching staff that currently features 10 rookies -- many of whom boast upper-90s and filthy offspeed pitches.

Stammen, on the other hand, gets by with pinpoint command. He lives on the corners with his two-seam fastball, and opposing hitters rarely square him up.

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"Here's what the [young relievers] realize," said pitching coach Doug Bochtler. "I've been going out there, I'm throwing 97, and I'm getting my stuff turned around. This guy's throwing 92, and nobody hits him hard. That speaks to what gets hitters out."

Stammen spent seven seasons in Washington where he twice pitched in the postseason. He suffered a flexor tendon injury in 2015, which kept him on the sideline for nearly two years, before he rejuvenated his career in San Diego.

Stammen was pitching in the big leagues when most of the rest of the Padres' pitchers were in middle school. More than anything, Stammen wants to stay in San Diego for their development.

"I want them to be able to enjoy playing in the Major Leagues as long as I've been able to enjoy it," Stammen said. "And I want them to be able to enjoy playing in the playoffs, like I've been able to play in the playoffs. Those are my goals for them, and it's fun to think about what the future may hold for them."

Noteworthy • Right-hander Miguel Diaz will join the Padres' contingent in the Arizona Fall League this year, manager Andy Green divulged on Wednesday. Diaz has made nine big league appearances and owns a 5.17 ERA.

"It's an opportunity for him to pitch against the best," Green said. "We felt he'd profit from it."

Diaz was a Rule 5 selection in 2016, and didn't get a ton of opportunity while with the big league club in '17. He impressed in Double-A for most of the '18 season, but remains raw, at 23. Diaz will join prospects Hudson Potts, Buddy Reed, Austin Allen and Hansel Rodriguez as Padres who will play for the in the AFL this season.

• Outfielders and Franchy Cordero are slated to play in the Dominican Winter League for Leones del Escogido, though they likely won't play the full season.

Reyes has broken through in a big way for the Padres this season, hitting .286/.342/.514 in 83 games. Cordero, meanwhile, has missed the past four months after surgery to remove a bone spur in his right elbow. The Padres felt it was imperative for Cordero to make up for missed time with at-bats in winter ball, where he's expected to play center field.

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Prospects finish instructs at On Deck Classic

By Jonathan Mayo

Instructional league play is, by its very nature, a place for young players to learn. It's done away from the spotlight, with lots of individual time with coaches and typically without any intense competition even when playing a limited game schedule against other organizations' instructs rosters.

Instructional league rosters & schedules NL East ATL, MIA, NYM*, PHI, WAS AL East BAL, BOS, NYY, TB, TOR NL Central CHC*, CIN, MIL, PIT, STL* AL Central CLE, CWS, DET, KC, MIN NL West ARI, COL, LAD, SD, SF* AL West HOU, LAA, OAK, SEA, TEX * Don't hold fall instructional league

A few years ago, the Padres decided to mix things up a little bit. First tested out in 2015, then opened up to the public, the Don Welke On Deck Classic at Petco Park has become an event folks in San Diego look forward to and gives the Padres a perfect way to end their instructs season.

This year's game is on Thursday and, once again, will put San Diego's instructs roster up against the Texas Rangers. And with all the talk about the organization's future, people are bound to show up. Current big leaguers like Eric Lauer, Jacob Nix and Luis Urias played in this game in years past, and the Padres are expecting a solid crowd to come and watch the next wave.

"With where we're at as an organization, we've placed a huge investment in acquiring talent," Padres farm director Sam Geaney said. "It's a very cool showcase to show our community and fans players maybe they've heard about, but perhaps not seen."

The Padres try to get as many of their instructs players involved in the trip as possible, but only a select group gets to play in the main event, slated to start at 6:10 p.m. local time on Thursday. It gives the player development staff an excellent motivation tool to keep players working hard in the month of September.

"It's a carrot," Geaney said. "There are a lot of players in camp, and not everyone will be able to play in the night showcase game. There will be a morning game, too, not open to the public, so it creates some good internal competition. We put who we think is our best group of players on the field for the one night. 17

"Some of the most fun we've had have been these On Deck games. Maybe it's the time of year, seeing all of our players playing together on our Major League field. Seeing how they take it, it can bring out the best in a lot of them."

Geaney and his staff have plenty of talent to choose from. Just over half of the organization's Top 30 Prospects were at instructs this month. The top-ranked prospect participating has been Michel Baez, who is No. 60 on the overall Top 100 list. He's part of a group of nine higher-level players who are part of an advanced group that also includes Top 30 guys like right-hander Reggie Lawson and outfielder Edward Olivares. While these players are more advanced in terms of the level they played at compared to some of the teenagers at instructs, Geaney points out that they're very young and still have plenty to work on. All three will be at Petco Park on Thursday.

"We are very young at all of our levels," Geaney said. "It still makes sense for them to be a part of an instructs program. They're participants in most activities, but it looks a little different. For some of the more advanced guys, we're even more cognizant of reps and where their bodies are at and have an even finer focus on parts of their game."

One prospect Padres fans will have to wait a little longer to see is 2018 first-round Draft pick Ryan Weathers. The left-hander has been at instructs after a summer debut that saw him pitch briefly before being pushed to full-season ball, but he won't appear at Petco Park on Thursday. Instead, ' son will head home with a firm grasp of what he needs to work on to get ready for his first full season.

"We moved him quickly this summer because we wanted to see how he responded, and he looked at ease and comfortable pitching in full-season ball against guys much older," Geaney said. "Ryan's a very advanced pitcher -- he throws strikes and he has the chance to throw a plus and maybe a plus breaking ball. There's an 'on-boarding' program for all of our draftees to see what our side sessions, our arm care, our conditioning are like. All that's happened with him.

"We view instructional league not so much a continuation of the 2018 season, but a start of the offseason. We hope to leave them with how the offseason can be a real weapon for them. His program has been directed with that goal in mind."

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‘He’s going to be a star catcher’: A look at when Francisco Mejía came on the scene, and his future potential

By Dennis Lin

SAN FRANCISCO — The story begins like so many others involving a rare talent and an agenda. On a spring day in 2012, a veteran baseball evaluator arrived in the coastal town of Boca Chica with a specific target in mind. A Dominican shortstop named Grofi Cruz was scheduled to play in a game at a local youth academy. He possessed both the measurables and the raw skills that would draw a crowd. More than six years later, Ramon Peña’s lasting memory of that day is not who was at shortstop. Peña, a former Latin American scouting director for the , will always remember his first encounter with Francisco Mejía. “While I was watching Grofi Cruz, I saw this little guy with a cannon behind home plate,” Peña recalled. “He managed to get four hits in that game. Two doubles, hitting from both sides of the plate. And I said to myself, ‘This guy is only short, but he’s strong, he hits the ball hard and he has a cannon of an arm.’” One look was enough to put Peña on the move. Soon, he tracked down Mejía’s trainer and agent, Hugo Catrain. The scout and the buscon happened to be friends. Peña asked Catrain what he was seeking for his 16-year-old catcher. A number in the $800,000 range was proposed. Peña countered with $200,000. Catrain replied he was willing to accept $500,000. Eventually, they split the difference, settling at $350,000. Catrain secured Mejía’s approval. But the agreement was far from official. Several weeks remained before July 2, the start of baseball’s next international signing period. Mejía was asked to participate in a showcase that would include the Dominican Republic’s better prospects.

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“One of my assistants told me … ‘Ramon, don’t let him go. Somebody’s going to come with a better offer, and they’re going to steal him away from you,’” Peña said. Confident in the pact he had made, Peña provided his blessing, anyway. Mejía stood out in the showcase, displaying his switch-hitting and throwing prowess. Other major-league organizations presented offers; Peña believes at least a couple of them surpassed his own. On July 2, 2012, Catrain kept his word. Mejía signed with Cleveland for $350,000, joining Cruz, among others, in the Indians’ class. Cruz would hit .222 without a single home run across four seasons in the minors. His career never advanced beyond the Low-A level. Mejía, conversely, has experienced a noteworthy ascent. In 2016, he authored the longest minor-league hitting streak in more than a half-century. In July of this year, the pennant-chasing Indians dealt him to the Padres for All-Star reliever Brad Hand and submariner Adam Cimber. And on Sept. 6, in his first major-league start behind the plate, Mejía clubbed a pair of home runs against Cincinnati flame-thrower Luis Castillo. Ten days later, he swatted his first career homer from the right side. “Let me tell you one thing,” Peña said. “Baseball is not a matter of size. A lot of people look at size. If you want size, man, you better go to World Wrestling Entertainment.” Mejía stands a shade under 5 feet 9, about the height of another baseball player from the Dominican city of Baní. In 2009, infielder José Ramírez signed with Cleveland for $50,000. With 67 home runs between this season and last, he has become perhaps the greatest bargain among roughly 60 current and former major leaguers on Peña’s résumé. (The scout’s other signings include , Jeurys Familia and Bobby Higginson.) “Baseball, you’ve got to learn how to play the game, you’ve got to know how to play the game, you’ve got to be smart to know how to play the game, and you’ve got to be an athlete,” Peña said. “Size doesn’t mean anything. You see one of the better players in the game is José Altuve. A lot of people say he’s 5- 6, but he’s probably about 5-4. He’s one hell of a player.” Ramírez at least partially inspired Mejía’s decision to enter as a member of the Indians organization. The two crossed paths

20 growing up in Baní. They further developed a bond in big-league spring training in Arizona. Mejía began hitting from both sides of the plate shortly before he signed in 2012; being around a switch-hitter such as Ramírez, he said, aided his growth. “He taught me a lot,” Mejía, 22, said through an interpreter. “It’s someone who, when he goes to the stadium, he’s not always talking, he’s quiet, he goes about his business, he has his routine, he’s there to do his job. So I think all of those things stuck with me.” A vast amount of work, of course, separates Mejía from reaching Ramírez’s stratosphere. Meanwhile, the tools that could help close the gap are evident. In 2016, Mejía stretched a 50-game hitting streak across two rungs of A-ball. His second home run on Sept. 6, off a 97-mph fastball thrown near his shins, demonstrated the freakish bat speed and bat-to-ball skills that make him one of the game’s top offensive prospects. The main attraction for many, though, remains the power in Mejía’s right arm. Seasoned baseball-watchers gawk at his throws. It is no coincidence that, in a limited sample size, just two major-league baserunners have attempted to steal against Mejía. Only one succeeded. The Padres have clocked the catcher’s pop time to second base in the neighborhood of 1.75 seconds; the league average is 2.01 seconds. “I’ve never seen his equal,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “Nobody I can think of, even playing against the best when I was playing. I’ve never seen arm strength like that. It’s on a scale of its own.” A number of flaws also exist, some of them readily discernible to trained eyes. Scouts say Mejía’s blocking and receiving are not yet up to par, and certainly not on the level of Austin Hedges. The Padres’ incumbent catcher is one of the sport’s best in every facet of defense. And, with Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez in Cleveland, the Indians tried Mejía at third base and the outfield before sending him across the country. The Padres so far have commended Mejía’s efforts as a backstop, first with Triple-A El Paso and now with the big-league club. He was recalled Sept. 4, and thus has been required to learn and handle an expanded pitching staff. He has put his improving English to use. He credits Hedges, veteran catcher A.J. Ellis and others with advancing his education on defense.

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“I watched him a few games this year,” Peña said, “and he had gotten a lot better. He’s still got a ways to go.” “I don’t think it’s just one thing,” Mejía said. “I’m still young, so I’m not just going to narrow my focus. I think anything I need to improve on, I have to improve on.” Similarly, Mejía has acknowledged the need for ongoing adjustments against major-league pitching. He is hitting .217/.280/.457 with 15 strikeouts in 50 plate appearances for the Padres. His belief that he can hit any pitch, regardless of where it is thrown, must be tempered in time. Yet youth and potential are on the newcomer’s side. His ceiling is that of a perennial All-Star. Hedges, for all the value he brings, does not possess the same offensive projection. To solve this conundrum — and the Padres have another promising catcher, Austin Allen, in the minors — the club eventually may make a trade. But first, they intend to explore a timeshare; there are worse things than fielding multiple talented young . The Padres could take advantage of Mejía’s athleticism by auditioning him in the outfield next spring, if not over the offseason. A dash of versatility could benefit all involved. “Our guys, they all feel like he can catch,” one Padres official said last month. “We’ll see. The bat plays big. You’re going to find a spot for him on the field no matter what.” By November, Mejía hopes to begin playing winter ball for Estrellas Orientales, alongside Seattle star Robinson Canó and the Padres’ No. 1 prospect, Fernando Tatis Jr. “He had told me he was going to play,” Mejía said of Canó. “He told me to come by, and my plans are to be around him, learn a lot.” A busy offseason schedule, Peña believes, would do wonders for Mejía. “That’s how José Ramírez became a good player; he played a full season in winter ball,” Peña said. “When you’ve got to play that kind of competition, with fans that are very demanding in the Dominican Republic, you become a player. “If (Mejía) plays a full season in the Dominican Winter League … when you see him in spring training, you’re going to see a different player.”

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The scout shares another aside. In July, after Mejía switched organizations, Peña dialed A.J. Preller and congratulated the Padres general manager on “a hell of a pickup.” Peña does not know how the Padres will sort out their catching situation, but he is convinced they should keep Mejía behind the plate, where his value is highest. Six years after their first meeting, Peña remembers being struck by an undersized catcher with remarkable strength. Mejía may be short, but it should not keep him from standing out at his preferred position. “He’s only 22,” Peña said. “And I tell you one thing: He’s going to be a star. He’s going to be a star catcher. Remember that I tell you that.”

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Jankowski homers in Padres' 3-2 win over Giants

Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- For a player who struggled in the spring and spent the first part of the season in the minors, San Diego utility outfielder Travis Jankowski is trying to finish with a flourish.

Jankowski had three hits, including his fourth home run, and the Padres beat the 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Freddy Galvis added two hits, and Wil Myers had a sacrifice fly to help the Padres win their final road game of the season. San Diego finished 35-46 away from Petco Park and is 29-49 at home.

"I kind of feel like I'm showcasing my talents," Jankowski said. "This year, getting to play on a more consistent basis more frequently, I feel I've been able to show the organization that I can help teams win. I'm happy with how I'm doing but I'm not content."

Jankowski was batting .172 in September and was mired in a 4-for-23 funk before reaching on an infield single leading off the fifth and advancing to second when San Francisco starter Casey Kelly (0-3) tried swiping the ball to first baseman Chris Shaw. After Jankowski took third on a groundout, Kelly was called for a balk and the run scored.

Jankowski homered off Kelly in the seventh to make it 3-0. He also tripled in the ninth.

"He's shown that he fills a really important niche role for us," Padres manager Andy Green said. "You get a guy that can flat out run off the bench, flat out defend the field and when you get righties on the mound he can give you really competitive strong at-bats. That's a winning baseball player."

Miguel Diaz (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for his second career win. Diaz was the third of seven pitchers used by Green on a day the Padres started reliever Luis Perdomo.

Kirby Yates struck out pinch-hitter Evan Longoria with two runners on in the ninth for his 12th save.

"I thought across the board the staff was good," Green said. "A solid baseball game for us."

Aramis Garcia hit his fourth home run for San Francisco. The Giants, who fired general manager Bobby Evans earlier in the week, have lost 18 of 23.

"The pitching was there," San Francisco manager said. "We just couldn't get that last hit."

The Giants pulled within 3-2 on Garcia's two-run homer in the seventh.

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San Francisco had two runners on later the same inning but Matt Strahm retired pinch- hitter Kelby Tomlinson on a groundout.

BALKING ON THE BALK

Kelly seemed surprised when he was called for the balk, and replays showed that the right- hander barely flinched. "When I shook my head I kind of moved my hands," Kelly said. "I think that's whey they called it. Once it gets to that point there's really no going back so there's no sense in arguing."

GALVIS GOING STRONG

Galvis is on pace to play 162 games for the second consecutive season after signing with the Padres in the offseason.

"He's been everything we looked for when we went out and got him," Green said. "He's been a perfect fit for us."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: 1B was held out of the starting lineup. He grounded out as a pinch hitter in the ninth.

Giants: Longoria did not start and was still feeling soreness in his left knee a day after fouling a ball off it. Alen Hanson started in Longoria's absence. Nick Hundley was also held out of the starting lineup, although Bochy said the veteran catcher was fine after getting hit in the back of the head by a follow-through swing.

UP NEXT

Padres: LHP Eric Lauer (6-7, 4.60 ERA) faces the Diamondbacks in San Diego on Friday for the beginning of a season-ending series with Arizona. Lauer has allowed three runs or fewer in 13 of his previous 15 starts.

Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (6-6, 3.20) pitches against the on Friday night. Bumgarner, who had a game-winning pinch-hit single Wednesday, has not allowed a run over his last 20 innings at AT&T Park.

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Andy’s Address, 9/26 Andy Addresses Luis Perdomo, Miguel Diaz, Francisco Mejía’s arm, etc.

By Bill Center

Before Luis Perdomo allowed only one hit with four strikeouts in a perfect three-inning start Wednesday night in San Francisco, Padres manager Andy Green discussed the 25-year-old former Rule 5 acquisition who was 0–6 with a 7.94 in nine starts earlier this season.

“Obviously, this hasn’t been the year for Luis that we hoped had for him to have,” Green said. “He’s coming into this bullpen role right now . . . he’s starting today but we want him to approach it more like a bullpen role . . . like a short burst two or three innings. For the most part, he’s been successful as a starter in the big leagues when his outings involved the first three or four innings. That third time through the order has been really tricky for him. That can be the case for a lot of sinkerballers.”

“For him tonight, it’s come out and attack and give us two or three successful strong innings and you can start to see a role for that type of guy next year as we look to have as much depth as possible out of our pitching. He can show he can do something today . . . and dominate one turn through the lineup and not worry about have to turn that over two or three times when we get back to those three or left-handed bats they have lined up in the middle of the order. We can move on to somebody else at that point in time.”

“Perdomo is going to go pitch in winter ball. He still has a chance to be a starter. The winter ball team has some say over whether he starts or relieves and we don’t have an agenda there. Either one. I think he’d probably prefer starting in winter ball and keep that door open for us. He

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wants to prove some things . . . that he’s bouncing back from the year he had this year.”

“Main thing for him next spring, you come in healthy, you come in competing and understand you’re not the top dog and you’re going to have fight your way back to the top.”

After Brad Wieck pitched the fourth Wednesday night, Miguel Diaz came in. Green also discussed Diaz during his pre-game media session.

“We talked about starting Miguel Diaz,” said Green. “We like what he’s done since he’s been back with us. He’s punched out a lot of guys. Guys who can do that have more margin for error than guys like Perdomo, who is a sinkerballer and pitching to contact.”

“In Diaz’s case, the changeup has been really good. Command is going to be his thing as he goes to the Arizona Fall League. Get in the strike zone. No free passes. If he does that, there is going to be a lot of opportunity out in front of him. There is a lot to like. The changeup is really, really good. The slider can flash plus. And the fastball is anywhere from 94 to 98 just depending on the day.”

“He has a lot of ingredients for success and he’s another guy on that two- to-three inning short burst who can be very, very effective. There is no agenda about starting or relieving in the Arizona Fall League. He’ll pitch mostly out of the bullpen there.”

“We can see him in two to three inning starts like Matt Strahm . . . those things line up well for Miguel. You’re going to have outings where you look for a two-inning, three-inning, four-inning start. Miguel has versatility. He can start. He can pitch out of the bullpen. There’s options for him. He falls into the versatile category like we have with Robbie Erlin and hoping to develop with Perdomo.”

Green then talked about the strikeouts generated by the Padres’ bullpen.

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“Strikeouts are huge,” said the manager. “It’s no secret that you win baseball games by keeping people off base and the strikeout does that. If you suppress contact you also take luck out of the equation. We’ve got some guys down there who can do that and have done that very well this year.”

Green then talked briefly about other players:

— On Franmil Reyes: “He hits the ball where it’s pitched,” said Green. “You see it in batting practice. You see it in everything he does. If the pitch is away, he hits it to right field. If the pitch is in, he pulls it. He’s an impressive complete hitter at a very young age. We’re very encouraged by what he is doing.”

— On the throwing arm of rookie catcher Francisco Mejía: “I’ve never seen Mejía’s equal in arm strength,” said Green. “It’s an 80 on a 20–80 scale. Throwing is a part of the game that he’s got locked down. We haven’t had a lot of people run on him. He threw out the only guy I remember running on him. But he redirects balls to third and second base as quickly and as well and accurately as anyone I’ve seen. It’s a very small sample size but it’s been ridiculously impressive.”

— On right-handed reliever Craig Stammen: “He’s a really, really good pitcher with tremendous command,” said Green. “Tons of conviction and no fear.”

— On first baseman Eric Hosmer getting Wednesday off: “Jose Pirela is coming off a good game. We want to let Freddy (Galvis) play every day. And (Cory) Spangenberg is going to see time at second.”

— On the possibility of Galvis being the Padres’ Most Valuable Player: “He’s definitely a MVP candidate,” said Green. “He’s defended, been a leader in clubhouse and is near the lead in RBIs.”

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This Day in Padres History, 9/27

By Bill Center

Sept. 27, 1985 — Right-handed starter allows one run on eight hits and five walks with four strikeouts in a complete game and goes 2-for-5 at the plate with a homer and four RBIs as the Padres score a 10–1 win at Atlanta.

Sept. 27, 1996 — Third baseman Ken Caminiti is 4-for-4 including a tie- breaking, RBI single in the top of the 10th as the Padres defeat the Dodgers 5–2 at Dodger Stadium in the opener of a three-game, season- ending series to decide the National League West champion.

Sept. 27, 1998 — Greg Vaughnhits his club-record 50th homer on the final day of the season to give the National League West Champion Padres a 3–2 win at Arizona. His two-run homer caps a three-run eighth inning. In the same game, Trevor Hoffman ties a National League record with his league-leading 53rd save in 54 opportunities. Hoffman struck out one in a perfect inning to finish the season with a 1.48 earned run average.

Sept. 27, 2005 — Catcher Ramon Hernandez is 2-for-4 with a grand slam homer and a double to drive in seven runs in the Padres 9–6 win over the Giants at Petco Park.

Sept. 27, 2008 — Trevor Hoffman records his 552nd and final save as a Padre in the 161st game of the season. It was also his 902nd and final game as a Padre. Hoffman closed his Padres career with a perfect inning in a 3–2 win over the Pirates at Petco Park. Hoffman holds the National League records for saves and appearances with a single team.

Sept. 27, 2016 — Right fielder is 2-for-4 with two home runs, driving in all seven runs as the Padres defeat the Dodgers 7– 1 at Petco Park. 29

#PadresOnDeck: Baez, Patiño, Lawson, Munoz, Coleman lead Right-handed Pitchers at Petco Park Thursday night for Don Welke On Deck Classic

By Bill Center

Five of their Top-30 prospects — led by №7 Michel Baez and №12 Luis Patiño — will be among the 25 right-handed pitchers the Padres will have at Petco Park Thursday for the Don Welke On Deck Classic Game.

The third annual game — which ends the Arizona Instructional League season — will feature the top younger prospects from the Padres and Texas Rangers. Complimentary tickets for the 6:10 game can be acquired here.

The Padres’ other three Top-30 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, among the right-handed pitchers on the Welke Classic roster will be Reggie Lawson(№21), Andres Munoz (№22) and Dylan Coleman (№26).

Baez, Patiño and Lawson are starting pitchers. Munoz and Coleman are relievers. Baez and Lawson are also from the Padres’ Advanced Camp at the Arizona Instructional League.

Baez is a 22-year-old, 6-foot-8, 210-pound Cuban who split the 2018 season between Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore, where he had a 2.91 earned run average in 17 starts, and Double-A San Antonio. Baez had 113 strikeouts in 105 innings over a total of 21 starts with a 1.33 WHIP and a .242 opponents’ batting average.

Like Baez, the 18-year-old Patiño was a member of the Padres heralded 2016 international signing class. He spent this past season at Single-A Fort Wayne where

30 he was 6–3 with a 2.16 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and a .220 opponents’ batting in 17 starts. He had 94 strikeouts against 24 strikeouts in 83 1/3 innings. Over his last four starts, Patiño had a 1.23 ERA with 29 strikeouts against seven walks in 22 innings.

The 6-foot-4, 21-year-old Lawson was the 71st overall pick of the 2016 draft. He spent the entire 2018 season with Lake Elsinore where he had a 4.69 ERA with 117 strikeouts in 117 innings over 24 appearances (22 starts). Over his last three starts, Lawson had a 2.25 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 16 innings.

The 19-year-old Munoz, who is a native of Los Mochis, Mexico, routinely reaches 100-mph with his fastball. He finished the season with 20 appearances at San Antonio after starting the campaign with Short-Season Single-A Tri-City. He had a combined 0.73 ERA with a 0.97 WHIP and a .139 batting opponents’ batting average with 28 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings.

Coleman was the Padres’ fourth-round pick in the June Draft and had a 3.18 ERA while splitting his first professional season between Tri-City and Fort Wayne. He had a 3.18 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP and a .238 opponents’ batting average. He also had 29 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings over 18 appearances.

The cast of right-handed pitchers at Petco Park from the AIL camp has a number of interesting figures.

Eighteen-year-olds Efrain Contreras (2.11 ERA, a 0.92 WHIP and a .201 opponents’ batting average in a total of 16 appearances and seven starts) and Jeferson Garcia (71 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings) advanced from the Dominican Summer League to Arizona and finally Tri-City while 17-year- olds Mauricio Rodriguez, Carlos Guarate and Miguel Rondon spent their first professional seasons in the Dominican Republic.

Carlos Belen, 22, was transformed into a after starting the season as a corner infielder with Fort Wayne and had a 3.05 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings while moving from Arizona to Tri-City back to Fort Wayne.

Nick Thwaits, 19, was a 15th-round June Draft pick out of high school who had 35 strikeouts in 26 innings in the Arizona Rookie League with a 2.42 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP and a .189 opponents’ batting average.

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The list includes (third round, 83rd overall) and Jesse Scholtens (ninth round) from the 2016 Draft; Sam Keating (fourth round) and Cole Bellinger (15th round) from the 2017 Draft, and Jake Sims (31st round) also from the 2018 Draft.

Other relievers to watch are 6-foot-8, 22-year-old Dauris Valdez, who had 76 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings with a .224 opponents’ batting average at Lake Elsinore, and converted starter Hansel Rodriguez, who had a 0.84 WHIP and a .100 opponents’ batting average in a short season delayed by injury. Also returning from injury is Jean Cosme.

The roster includes 6-foot-4, 19-year-old Henry Henry, who was 5–4 with a 4.54 ERA while splitting the season (18 appearances, 13 starts) between Tri-City and Fort Wayne. He had a 2.42 ERA over his last four starts.

The list is completed by teenagers Luarbert Arias (17, 1.31 WHIP), Manny Guzman (19, 1.19 WHIP), Frank Lopez (17, 35 strikeouts in 28 innings) and Michell Miliano (18, 34 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings) from the Arizona Rookie League.

*None of the players mentioned in this article are guaranteed to play in the Padres Don Welke On Deck Classic.

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