Padres Down on the Farm: April 26 (Storm sweep six-game set)

Padres minor league affiliates went 2-2 to close out the week. 

Here is your friendly neighborhood Daily Minor League Report!

El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 9-5 vs Reno) (12-15 on the season)

Samad Taylor – 3-for-5, Three-Run Home Run

Jase Bowen – 2-for-4, Two Singles, RBI

Jackson Wolf – 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 0 BB, 3 K (67 pitches – 48 strikes)

The Chihuahuas’ offense pounced on Reno starter Kohl Drake, striking for eight runs in 2.1 innings. Samad Taylor was at the center of the action for El Paso, as his three-hit performance was a triple shy of the cycle. Taylor doubled in the first inning, scoring on a double by Carlos D. Rodriguez. Rodolfo Duran reached on an error to allow Nick Solak to score, giving the Chihuahuas a 2-1 lead. 

El Paso trailed 3-2 in the bottom of the second inning, as Reno struck for three runs in the first two frames against Jackson Wolf. Wolf allowed four barrels over the first two innings, and Reno scored twice in the second inning. However, Wolf was able to salvage the outing, pitching through the fifth inning. Wolf struck out three batters while issuing no walks, and generated seven whiffs on 29 swings (24% whiff rate). Wolf is likely to remain in that 65-75 pitch range as he continues to pitch in the rotation going forward, in case he is needed at the MLB level. 

The Chihuahuas got two runners on with one out for Samad Taylor in the third inning, and Taylor launched his fourth home run of the season. Taylor’s 98.9 mph blast gave the Chihuahuas a 5-3 lead. The scoring continued in the third inning, with Rodolfo Duran and Mason McCoy reaching via single. Nick Schnell reached base on a throwing error by Andrew Velazquez, allowing Duran to score. Bryce Jarvis relieved Reno starter Kohl Drake, and Jase Bowen welcomed the right-hander to the game with an RBI single. Samad Taylor did what Samad Taylor does, hitting a single to right field to score Schnell. El Paso now led 8-4. 

Down 3-2, Samad Taylor flips it in a hurry with a 3-run shot (his 4th of the year), putting the Chihuahuas on top 5-3 in the second. pic.twitter.com/pEjiRfhf5W

— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) April 26, 2026

After Jackson Wolf, the Chihuahuas’ bullpen kept posting goose eggs. Eli Villalobos threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, topping out at 95.2 mph on his four-seam fastball. The right-hander then made way for Yuki Matsui, who threw two scoreless innings. Matsui’s scoreless innings came with some red flags, as the southpaw’s velocity was still down across the board. His fastball was 0.6 mph below his 2025 average, while his secondary offerings were down by an average of 0.9 mph. Matsui also allowed two barrels on five balls in play; the average exit velocity against him was 94.9 mph, so technically not barreled up, but barely at the cutoff point. Alek Jacob allowed a run in the ninth inning, but closed out the win with a double play ball and a strikeout. 

San Antonio Missions (Lost 3-2 in 11 innings) (5-16 on the season)

Carson Tucker – 1-for-3, RBI Triple, Walk

Tirso Ornelas – 1-for-5, Double, Run Scored

Ian Koenig – 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K (61 pitches – 41 strikes)

The Missions and Sod Poodles engaged in a pitching duel with an 11-inning staredown. San Antonio saw Ian Koenig return to the mound after missing just over one week, and the right-hander came back with minimal limitations. Koenig fired three scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Koenig picked up eight whiffs on 34 swings (23.5% whiff rate) as well. Omar Cruz made his first Double-A appearance of the year, striking out three batters in two innings of relief. As the freshest arm in the bullpen, Cruz did well to bridge the early-middle innings. Sadrac Franco was back to pitching scoreless baseball, as he fired off two innings, allowing no runs. Franco threw twice in the series, each time throwing two scoreless innings. Michael Flynn pitched the eighth inning, allowing a game-tying home run to Junior Franco. Harry Gustin threw a scoreless ninth, keeping the game tied into extra innings. 

The Missions’ offense was without Ethan Salas, as the Padres’ No. 1 prospect simply had an off-day. The rest of the lineup picked up some of the slack, but never pushed across a big inning. Tirso Ornelas’ second-inning double allowed him to score the team’s first run, as after a wild pitch and walk, San Antonio had runners on the corners with one out. Braedon Karpathios hit a drive to center field for a sac fly, scoring Ornelas. Leandro Cedeno and Chris Sargent each had a single in the game, and defensively, Sargent threw out one of one attempted base-thieves. 

Amarillo pulled ahead against Francis Pena in the tenth, as Danny Serretti’s sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run. The lead lasted all of two pitches in the bottom of the tenth, as Carson Tucker tripled down the right field line to score Braedon Karpathios.

CARSON TUCKER ?? pic.twitter.com/ilxajm9oLI

— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) April 26, 2026

Karpathios also had an impact on defense in the eleventh, as with two outs, Ben McLaughlin hit a go-ahead double to right field. With two on, the lead runner scored, but Karpathios made a strong throw towards home. Francisco Acuna cut off the throw, relaying to home and getting out number three on Cristopher Torin. Despite the defensive play, San Antonio went down 1-2-3 to end the game, with Braedon Karpathios flying out to Druw Jones at the center field warning track for the final out.  

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 8-0 vs Wisconsin) (7-14 on the season)

Jack Costello – 1-for-3, Double

Jake Cunningham – 1-for-4, Double

Abraham Parra – 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R (3 ER), 2 BB, 7 K (81 pitches – 49 strikes)

Fort Wayne saw it all in a tough six-game set against Wisconsin, dropping the series closer by an 8-0 final score. The TinCaps saw two of their five hits go for extra bases, and while they only struck out three times, making 17 of 27 outs via the ground ball ultimately held them back. Jack Costello doubled in the second inning, and Kavares Tears walked with two out to set up an RBI chance. Dylan Grego hit into a forceout to end the threat. More of the same came to be in the third inning; Jake Cunningham doubled, and Kasen Wells worked a walk with no outs. Carlos E. Rodriguez stepped up to the plate, having hit two home runs in the series. The TinCaps’ DH hit into a double play to stymie any momentum. 

Wisconsin was held scoreless through two by Abraham Parra, who continued his strong month to open the season. The third inning saw the tide change, as Luis Castillo took a high slider from Parra just over the left field wall for a solo home run. After two walks, Braylon Payne and Marco Dinges hit back-to-back doubles to score two more runs. Parra was able to end the threat in the third and went on to strike out the side in the fourth inning. Parra allowed an unearned run in the fifth inning, ending his day after 4.2 innings. The right-hander picked up 11 whiffs on 36 swings (30.5% whiff rate), and his season ERA stands at 3.12 over 17.1 innings.

That crush came courtesy of Luis Castillo ??

Wisconsin 1 | Fort Wayne 0 #tratnation pic.twitter.com/7Dy6ZVtKaz

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) April 26, 2026

Payne & Dinges brining some double trouble today⚾️⚾️ @payne_braylon @MarcoDinges

Back-to-back RBI doubles make it 3-0 Rattlers! #tratnation pic.twitter.com/cjqWJZQcwn

— Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (@TimberRattlers) April 26, 2026

Bernard Jose allowed three runs in 1.1 innings of relief, including back-to-back home runs in the sixth inning. Right-hander Will Varmette pitched a scoreless seventh inning in relief, working his way around two base hits. The former undrafted free agent showed velocity as high as 96 mph in his brief outing, and his newly-refined sweeper showed impressive vertical drop, with his one strikeout coming on a whiff against said pitch. Luis German pitched the final two innings, walking and striking out three batters. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 5-2 vs Visalia) (12-9 on the season)

Jorge Quintana – 1-for-3, Home Run

Bradley Frye – 1-for-3, Triple, Two RBI

Carlos Medina – 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K (59 pitches – 39 strikes)

What’s another term for six straight wins at home? A homestand sweep, of course. Lake Elsinore swept the Visalia Rawhide after a 5-2 win on Sunday, taking sole possession of first place in the California League South. Starter Carlos Medina set the tone early, as the right-hander pitched four innings of one-run baseball, averaging just under 15 pitches per frame. While Medina did not pick up whiffs in bunches, he did get whiffs on 27.5% of swings against. Medina, who spent time in the Mexican Pacific Winter League this past offseason, is making the transition to starting look like a breeze, as he has pitched to a 1.35 ERA in two starts so far. Look out for the 21-year old from Culiacan, as he has shown poise and execution that is mature for his age on the mound. 

Carlos Medina

4 IP
2 H
1 ER
3 K

Presented by Tommy’s Express Car Wash pic.twitter.com/ibHsqBq2SZ

— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) April 26, 2026

The Storm’s lineup did not have another five-run inning, but they were able to get the job done early. Jorge Quintana launched his first home run of the season in the second inning, a 98.5 mph drive to right-center field that traveled a clean 400 feet. Quintana has now reached base in each of his last seven games, hitting .259 in that stretch with three walks and three extra-base hits. Lake Elsinore took the lead in the bottom of the third, as in just his third professional game, Qrey Lott doubled to score Yoiber Ocopio, giving the Storm a 2-1 lead. Lott came in to score on a triple from Bradley Frye, who is in contention for California League Player of the Month honors with a .414 average and 1.084 OPS. Jose Verdugo bunted to score Frye, and the score was now 4-1 in Lake Elsinore’s favor. 

Padres No. 6 prospect Jorge Quintana goes YARD for the first time this season@EVT_News https://t.co/6VpQqBiLo1

— Diego Garcia (@StatNerd_Base) April 26, 2026

Qrey Lott’s first professional double and RBI gives us the lead!#EmbraceTheStorm?️ pic.twitter.com/n54SCiGuGU

— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) April 26, 2026

Javier Chacon entered the game in the fifth inning, and the left-hander pitched two scoreless frames. Chacon retired all six batters he faced, picking up a ground ball double play in the process. Right-hander Daichi Moriki bounced back from a three-walk outing on April 21 to pitch a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. Moriki, the former NPB first-rounder, has not allowed an earned run since April 7. Sean Barnett allowed one run on a double and a wild pitch, but left the tying run at the dish by getting Kayson Cunningham to ground into an inning-ending double play. Despite his 12.00 ERA, he has one of the highest ground ball rates on the Storm pitching staff; per MLB.com, Barnett has a 3.00 groundout to flyout ratio this season. The ERA will surely go down for Barnett as he focuses on pitching full-time, as he can work on his command behind the scenes. Vicarte Domingo made his second appearance of the series, picking up the final three outs for the save and the six-game series sweep

Diego Garcia

A born and raised San Diegan, Diego Garcia is a lifetime Padres fan and self-proclaimed baseball nerd. Diego wrote about baseball on his own site between 2021-22 before joining the East Village Times team in 2024. He also posts baseball content on his YouTube channel “Stat Nerd Baseball”, creating content around trades, hypotheticals, player analyses, the San Diego Padres, and MLB as a whole.

A 2024 graduate of San Diego State, Diego aims to grow as a writer and content creator in the baseball community.