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San Diego Padres name their 2025 Minor League Players of the Year with some controversy

One choice was easy. The other was not.
ByPJ Potter|
Mar 15, 2022; Peoria, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Garrett Hawkins during spring training workouts at the San Diego Padres Spring Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mar 15, 2022; Peoria, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Garrett Hawkins during spring training workouts at the San Diego Padres Spring Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Awards season continues on among minor league players. Several San Diego Padres farmhands had impressive campaigns in 2025, and the Friars just unveiled their organization's Players of the Year.

In what was probably an easy decision, the Padres selected right-hander Garrett Hawkins as their 2025 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. On the contrary, San Diego had a much more difficult decision for their 2025 Minor League Player of the Year, but they went with Yonathan Perlaza.

Padres select Garrett Hawkins, Yonathan Perlaza as their 2025 Minor League Players of the Year

Garrett Hawkins, a 6-foot-5 right-handed reliever, was borderline unhittable for the entire season. Across two leagues with High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio, Hawkins racked up 80 strikeouts in 60 innings, registering a 9-1 record with a 1.50 ERA. Opponents hit .138 against him, and he went 10-for-10 in save opportunities with three holds.

From April 27 to August 9, Hawkins did allow a run, which spanned 38 innings (29 appearances). Hawkins was promoted to Double-A on August 1 as part of a wild trade deadline for the Padres, which saw plenty of top prospects get traded to other teams.

This was Hawkins' fourth minor league season. He missed all of the 2024 season to recover from Tommy John surgery, and he came back as good as ever.

Though choosing Hawkins was pretty simple, selecting their Player of the Year has some people scratching their head. Perlaza and Luis Campusano each tore it up with Triple-A El Paso, and ultimately, it was given to the infielder.

Campusano batted .336 this season with the Chihuahas, along with 25 home runs. He even broke the all-time franchise record in home runs. Perlaza drove in 113 runs and scored 106, which was more impressive in the eyes of the decision-makers.

Either way, both of these hitters deserved the recognition. They are both on the cusp of turning 27 years old, so age didn't have any factor at all. Campusano, however, has struggled in the big leagues, while Perlaza has never played in an MLB game. Maybe he is viewed as more of a prospect than Campusano, so he was given the nod for this season's award.

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