San Diego Padres Minor League Recaps

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New Padres’ GM A.J. Preller-Mandatory Credit: mlb.com

While yesterday was an off-day for the Padres, all of their minor league affiliates were in action. Collectively their record was 4-4, the AZL Padres played a doubleheader accounting for the eighth game. While the Padres do have one of the top farm systems in baseball, all of their prospects are spread out through all the different levels. It will be interesting to see how new GM A.J. Preller will go about filling out the roster as he plans for the future. Will he trade the prospects in the low levels for more Major League ready talent? Or will he trade away the Major League ready talent for his type of players while giving himself a few years of a buffer before Mike Dee and the ownership group will be expecting results.

I know Preller is a smart guy, but I am interested to see how he evaluates talent throughout his new organization and throughout the league. While his track record is based on his abilities to identify international talent, is he also good at trading value for value? What will his niche be? Kevin Towers was amazing at filling out a bullpen with undervalued arms. Josh Byrnes even had a few buy low trades which he cashed in on e.g. Tyson Ross and Seth Smith. I wonder what Preller’s first order of business will be? Let’s take a look down on the farm and take a quick look at the future of the Padres organization.

Triple-A: El Paso Chihuahuas (57-62)

The El Paso Chihuahuas defeated the Salt Lake Bees 13-2. Every El Paso starter had at least one hit as the team collectively had 17 hits, 8 of which were extra base hits. Code Decker and Adam Moore each had a homerun.

Rymer Liriano who has just been destroying the PCL, had 3 hits including a triple, a double, and 2 RBI. Liriano has now played 13 games at the Triple-A level, and owns a triple slash line of .462/.533/.654. During that span he has had 7 multi-hit games with 11 RBI and 3 stolen bases. If Liriano continues to hit the cover off the ball between now and when the rosters expand in September, I see him getting a cup of coffee before the end of the season. Unless Preller moves around the current logjam of outfielders on the Padres roster I think Liriano will start next season in Triple-A. This will give the Padres another year before Liriano will hit arbitration and subsequently free agency.

More from Padres Prospects

Future Friar of the Game:

Rymer Liriano 3-for-5, 2B, 3B, 3 R, 2 RBI

Cody Decker: 3-for-5, BB, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 R

Future Friar of the Game:

Tyler Greene: 1-for-5, 2K

Double-A: San Antonio Missions (58-59)

When the game started, it seemed that it was going to an offensive-sided game. The Missions scored one run in the top of the first, when Alex Dickerson doubled to left. The Travelers then scored 3 runs in the bottom of the first to take the early lead against Missions’ starter Joe Ross.

Not to be out done, the Missions came out swinging in the top of the 2^nd inning. The inning began with back-to-back singles by Casey McElroy and Austin Hedges. After back-to-back strike outs and an RBI single by Cory Spangenberg, brought Missions CF Travis Jankowski to the plate. Jankowski rips a long single to right field plating 2 RBI to make the score 4-3 going into the bottom of the second.

In the bottom of the 2^nd inning Josh Geer would enter the game and pitch 6 strong shutout innings allowing only 2 hits while striking out 6 to earn his 7 win of the season. R.J. Alvares would pitch a perfect 9^th inning to earn his third save of the season.

The Missions begin a three-game series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals before having an off-day on Monday.

Future Friar of the Game:

Travis Jankowski 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R

Future Friar of the Game:

Joe Ross 1 IP, 4 H, 3ER, 1 K

Single-A: Lake Elsinore Storm (64-53)

The Lake Elsinore Storm lost a close game to the High Desert Mavericks 2-1. The Storm scored first in the bottom of the second when Mallex Smith laid down a bunt single to score Jeremy Baltz from third base. However that would be it for the Storm offensively. Storm starter Elliot Morris would take a tough loss. Morris earned a quality start pitching 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out 5. Morris is now 5-5 on the season with a 3.45 ERA.

Smith has been having a very solid season at Lake Elsinore. On the season he owns a triple slash line of .318/.390/.474 with 5 home runs, 6 RBI, 28 R, and 29 stolen bases. Smith is becoming a very good table setter and has hit at every level he has played at so far since being drafted by the Padres in the fifth round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft our of Santa Fe (FL) College.

Only being 1.5 games up on the Mavericks the remaining 3 games of their current 4 game series will help set up the current trajectory for each teams remainder of the season.

Future Friar of the Game:

Mallex Smith 2-for-4, 2B, 1 RBI

Future Friar of the Game:

Albreth Martinez 0-for-3, 1 K

Mandatory Credit: padres.mlblogs.com

Single-A: Fort Wayne TinCaps (52-63)

The Fort Wayne TinCaps won a slugfest against the Lake County Captains 12-11. Many of the TinCaps players got in on the offensive excitement lead by Fernando Perez, who hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 8^th inning and had 6 RBI on the night. Perez now owns a triple slash line of .283/.323/.421 on the season. Originally selected in the third round of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft out of Central Arizona College, Perez has been a stable force in the TinCaps lineup through the season with 10 home runs, 71 RBI, and 3 stolen bases.

First round pick Trea Turner also joined in on the fun going 2-for-6 with a triple, 1 run, and 1 RBI. Turner continues to live up to his first round pick status. Since joining the TinCaps, Turner has slashed .439/.491/.643 with 2 home runs, 13 RBI, and 8 stolen bases.

On the pitching side of the ball, the TinCaps had a pitcher by committee game. Using 4 pitchers to get through the 10 innings. Ryan Butler pitched the final 2 innings to earn the win. Butler allowed 3 hits and 1 walk while striking out 2.

Future Friar of the Game:

Fernando Perez 1-for-4, 1 HR, 6 RBI

~~Future Friar of the Game:~~

Dustin Peterson 0-for-5

Mandatory Credit: MiLB.com

Class-A: Eugene Emeralds (22-30)

The Eugene Emeralds lost to the Hillsboro Hops 5-2. Rivers Stevens continues to be a bright spot on the Emeralds roster this season. Playing strong 2B, he was the other side of a power double play duo before Trea Turner was promoted to Fort Wayne. Since then, Stevens has been doing his best Turner impersonation. Stevens extended his hitting streak to 4 games going 1-for-4 with a double and 1 run scored and a stolen base in last night’s game. Stevens now owns a triple slash line of .394/.477/.455. This OBP is what makes me the most excited; Stevens has good plate discipline and is not afraid to take his walks to help the team. If Stevens can keep up with Turner throughout the minors and both can reach the Major Leagues at the same time, the Padres will not have to worry about their middle infield for a few years.

Emerald starter Walker Wickel pitched 4 innings allow 3 runs (2 unearned) on 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. He was replaced by Travis Radke who pitched 2.1 innings before Wilson Santos would pitch the final 1.2 innings of the game.

Future Friar of the Game:

River Stevens 1-for-4, 2B, 1 R

Future Friar of the Game:

Edwin Moreno 0-for-4, 1 K

Rookie: AZL Padres won 5-3, lost 4-1

Rookie: DSL Padres lost 4-3

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