Padres’ Minor League Roundup For August 15th

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

Yesterday MLB.com Padres’ beat writer Corey Brock wrote a great expose on the Friars new general manager A.J. Preller. Brock outlines Preller’s long road through the baseball industry that led to him being hired by the Padres executive team and ownership group. After playing baseball in high school, Preller’s baseball career began as an intern in the Phillies organization, where he wrote a research paper on baseball in Latin America focusing on the academy system that is very prevalent in that part of the baseball world.

Since that paper, Preller has developed a deep love, understanding, and strong relationship with people in that part of the world. After spending time in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ organization, he was hired to work for the Texas Rangers’ front office. In this position, he was given full autonomy to scout, recruit, and sign players in Latin America. He developed unique systems that included doing background checks and getting to know the players beyond the diamond as well as in between the ears. Preller wanted to make sure he was signing ball players who loved to play baseball and was not just trying to find a way to leave their native country and get to America.

Preller was very successful scouting and signing players that have produced on the Major League level including Jurikson Profar and Leonys Martin. While he wasn’t the sexiest pick, I believe A.J. Preller can rise to the challenge and improve the Padres international scouting and signing of high-ceiling players to elevate the Padres Major League squad. Let’s take a look down on the farm that A.J. Preller is now tasked with adding to.

Mandatory Credit: MiLB.com

Triple-A: El Paso Chihuahuas (61-60)

The El Paso Chihuahuas pulled out the win to split the four-game series with the Nashville Sounds. Joe Wieland earned a quality start pitching 6 strong innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 5. Wieland has had a very solid start to his season as he continues to work back from Tommy John surgery. He has only made 6 starts so far this season and has performed very well on the mound owning a 2.57 ERA, 1.27 WHIP with 21 strikeouts while only walking 2 batters in 21 innings pitched. Down 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning the Chihuahuas’ offense broke out and scored 5 runs to put them ahead and ended up winning the game 7-3.

Cameron Maybin played his first rehab games as he looks to return after a 25-game suspension for testing positive for amphetamines. While Maybin was taking the medication for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) he did not have the proper paperwork exemption filed with Major League offices. Maybin looks to salve what is left of the season after missing the beginning of the season due to a bicep injury sustained during Spring Training. Maybin batted leadoff and went 0-for1 with 2 walks. It is good to see Maybin demonstrated patience at the plate and take what the pitchers gives him. If he can do that at the next level, he will be able to put this speed to use on the base paths. Maybin has a lot fo work to do to restore his stock; he has struggled offensively and will more than likely be the Padres Opening Day centerfielder due to his speed and defense, but the Padres have a lot of outfield talent in their farm system, so Maybin needs start hitting or he won’t be a Padres once his current contract ends if he is not traded before then.

Future Friar of the Game:

Johnathan Glavez 2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R

Future Friar of the Game:

Taylor Lindsey 0-for-4, 1 K

Mandatory Credit: milb.com

Double-A: San Antonio Missions (60-64)

The Missions dropped the first game of their three-game series against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals 6-4. Mission starter Leonel Campos had a night on the mound he would like to forget. He pitched 4.1 innings allow 5 runs on 7 hits and 1 walk while striking out 7. Campos has had a horrible season. He started at Triple-A El Paso but after 11 games was demoted after posting a 11.70 ERA with opposing hitters emulating Ted Williams averaging .408 against Campos. His demotion did not provide much of a reprieve; Campos has appeared in 28 games posting a 5.05 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, with batter hitting .249 against him. One of this problems has been his command or lack thereof. He issues 5.1 walks per every 9 innings that he pitches. Campos will need to spend the offseason figuring out what his wrong with his mechanics and fix the problem if he looks to get back on the track towards the Major Leagues.

Campos didn’t have a huge amount of offensive support last night. The Missions lineup only muster 5 hits. Casey McElroy had one of those hits; he belted a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 8^th inning for his 10^th slam of season. While McElroy is smart with the bat and earns his share of walks, I don’t see him having a high ceiling. I think at best he would be a serviceable bench player, but even then he would need to be able to play multiple defensive positions to really be of any value.

Future Friar of the Game

Casey McElroy 1-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Future Friar of the Game

Lee Orr 0-for-3, 3 K

Mandatory Credit: milb.com

Single-A: Lake Elsinore Storm (67-57)

After getting swept by the Inland Empire 66ers the Storm were able to win the first game of a four-game series against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 10-8. The Storm had a hit parade with nearly every player in the lineup getting a hit. Storm 2B Benji Gonzalez lead the charge going 4-for-5 including a go ahead 3-run home run in the top of the ninth inning. Mallex Smith continued his hot hitting going 3-for-6 and has now reach base safely in his last 9 games including 6 multi-hit games during that span. Smith can also change the game with his speed; he has 83 stolen bases on the season and has his eye on patrolling centerfield at Petco Park in a few years.

Not to be left out Storm LF Luis Domoromo went 2-for-5 while registering his third triple of the season. Domoromo owns a triple slash line of .278/.318/.442 on the season including 9 home runs, 43 RBI, and 4 stolen bases. He has come a long way since signing out of his native country of Venezuela and playing his first pro season at the Padres facility in the Dominican Republic and is having one of this best offensive seasons of this career.

Future Friar of the Game

Benji Gonzalez 4-for-5, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R

Future Friar of the Game

Matthew Shepherd 4 IP, 7 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 3 K

Mandatory Credit: milb.com

Single-A: Fort Wayne TinCaps (54-68)

The TinCaps scored runs in the final two innings of the game to secure the victory in the first game of a three-game series against the Lake County Captains 5-4. While no player had more than one hit all the runs were a product of two players, Fernando Perez and Henry Charles. Perez started off with a solo home run in the top of the first inning to the Fort Wayne on the board and Charles added a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 7^th inning to start the rally that was completed the following inning to secure the win.

TinCaps 1B Jake Bauers—who I believe to be the prospect breakout star for the Padres this season—went 1-for-3 with a run scored and 2 walks. Bauers now owns a triple slash line of .300/.378/.421 on the season and is doing all of this as an 18-year-old. This means that he has plenty of more power and baseball acumen to building as he continue to grow and mature. Bauers has 25 extra-base hits on the season and many of his singles will be doubles and many of his doubles will be home runs if he continues to focus on his swing and keeping himself healthy and he progresses his way through the Padres’ system. Since he was drafted out of high school he will not be rushed to the Majors and may repeat a level or two to makes sure his is not over-challenged by opponents 4 or 5 years older than him.

Future Friar of the Game

Henry Charles 2-for-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R

Future Friars of the Game

Nick Schulz 0-for-4, 2 K