Saturdays are better with Padres minor league baseball, and the San Diego affiliates went 2-3 in regular season action. 

Here is a recap of Saturday’s game action. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Lost 6-4 vs Las Vegas) (22-22 on the season) 

Trenton Brooks – 2-for-4, Home Run, Double, Two RBI

Bryce Johnson – 1-for-2, Home Run, Three Walks

Ryan Bergert – 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 3 K (55 pitches – 33 strikes)

Ryan Bergert threw an impressive start, albeit in abbreviated fashion. The Chihuahuas’ right-hander was efficient and effective, tossing four scoreless innings on 55 pitches. Bergert got seven whiffs on 26 swings against, and his three main pitches (fastball, slider, sweeper) showed impressive shape according to the Stuff+ models. Bergert’s sinker looks to be a pitch he aims to incorporate more, as he threw it three times in the game; he got two whiffs on three sinkers, and the pitch showed impressive two-plane movement, with 12.6 inches of induced vertical break and 14.4 inches of horizontal break on average.

Wes Benjamin came on in relief but was ineffective, getting burned for five runs on six hits while recording only four outs. The rest of the Chihuahuas’ bullpen was fairly effective, with only Ron Marinaccio being charged with an earned run. Francis Pena worked around two walks to post 1.2 scoreless innings. While the Stuff+ models aren’t bullish on his heater, he was able to use the sinker to play off his strong cutter for soft contact. Pena has dropped the velo on his cutter this season by about 1.8 mph compared to 2024, and the pitch has remained effective (100 tjStuff+ in 2024, 105 tjStuff+ in 2025). 

At the plate, Trenton Brooks looks to be finding his early-season form. Brooks slugged a homer and a double in the game, driving in two runs. Brooks has hit safely in five of his last seven games. Bryce Johnson worked three walks on the evening and slugged his second home run of the season as well. Tirso Ornelas roped a double and came around to score a run, while Luis Campusano had a 2-for-4 day at the plate with a passable defensive performance behind the plate. Campusano has slowly been weened off the catcher position, spending more time at DH in recent weeks, and has performed well as a result.

San Antonio Missions (Won 7-6 vs Midland) (19-19 on the season)

Marcos Castanon – 3-for-4, Game-Tying Two-Run Home Run

Devin Ortiz – 3-for-4, RBI Single

Braden Nett – 6 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 4 K (94 pitches – 54 strikes)

A comeback win was in the cards for San Antonio, as the team used a five-run seventh inning to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 7-6 final score. Marcos Castanon and Devin Ortiz continued their hot hitting in this series, with both hitters finishing the day 3-for-4. Castanon tied the game in the seventh inning with a two-run home run. Ortiz had an RBI single that capped off the five-run inning. Brandon Valenzuela continued to take advantage of his newfound everyday playing time, walking twice and scoring two runs. Moises Gomez had a double and two RBI in the ballgame, as the team finished with a very tidy 4-for-6 mark with runners in scoring position. 

Taking the mound for San Antonio was Braden Nett, and while his final line was not the ace-like outing that evaluators have seen from the right-hander, it was a game where Nett fought through not having his best stuff. Nett allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings, striking out four. Despite allowing four walks as well, Nett has shown an ability to navigate his way out of jams efficiently and sports a 4.14 FIP this month, skewed heavily by this outing. The Missions’ bullpen did their job, bending but not breaking over the final three frames. Eduarniel Nunez continued to throw gas on the mound, but a bequeathed baserunner of his came around to score on a Drew Swift single off Jake Higginbotham. Manager Luke Montz called on Manuel Castro for a four-out save, and Castro escaped the eighth scot-free. A one-out double in the ninth brought the tying run to the plate, and Shane McGuire singled in the run from second with two outs. A subsequent single brought the tying run just 90 feet away, but Castro struck out Caeden Trinkle on a high-and-tight fastball to secure the save and the Missions’ win. 

Braden Nett completed six innings for the first time this season and earned the gritty win for the Missions. He is tonight’s @FrostBank Player of the Game! pic.twitter.com/10Qtymxc5U

— San Antonio Missions Baseball (@missionsmilb) May 18, 2025

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Lost 4-1 vs West Michigan) (20-18 on the season)

Ethan Long – 2-for-4, Two Singles

Brandon Butterworth – 1-for-4, Double

Isaiah Lowe – 4.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K (87 pitches – 49 strikes)

Isaiah Lowe pitched into the fifth inning but allowed three runs on five hits. Three walks did the right-hander zero favors, especially with just two strikeouts on the day. Lowe has been an arm that has upside for eating innings and providing some swing-and-miss, but this season, the swing-and-miss has been alarmingly lacking (16.2% strikeout rate vs 15.2% walk rate). Lowe pitched well over his first four innings, but Whitecaps batters ambushed him in the fifth inning, with a two-run single from Max Clark highlighting the biggest blow against the TinCaps starter. Tyler Morgan tossed 2.2 innings of one-run baseball in relief, striking out four batters. Morgan has been the kind of arm that can go on a dominant run out of the bullpen, as this outing marked his fourth outing in 12 games with a strikeout total greater than or equal to four. Fernando Sanchez and Tyson Neighbors each tossed a scoreless inning, with Neighbors getting some help from Jose Sanabria’s tumbling catch by the dugout in the ninth inning, which earned itself a “hang-a-star”. 

You might want to bring your Tin Cap next time! ?

The bat goes flying — and so does @Padres prospect Jose Sanabria to make the catch for the @TinCaps! pic.twitter.com/6fwmzYjg9V

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 18, 2025

The offense continued to be treading through the muck for Fort Wayne, as the team did not score until the ninth inning. Ethan Long finished the day with two singles, and five other players had one base hit each. Brandon Butterworth had the team’s lone extra-base hit on the night with a double, and the team finished 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Jack Costello had the lone RBI of the night for the TinCaps, scoring Butterworth on an RBI single with two outs in the ninth. Part of the team’s struggles this month come down to the lineup, which has seen key contributors struggle this month. 

Lake Elsinore Storm (Lost 6-5 vs Fresno) (16-22 on the season)

Lamar King Jr – 2-for-4, Two RBI

Ryan Jackson – 3-for-5, Two Doubles, Run Scored

Luis Patino – 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K (46 pitches – 28 strikes)

Bryan Balzer – 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K (86 pitches – 50 strikes)

Luis Patino made his second rehab start with Lake Elsinore on Friday, tossing three scoreless innings. It appears that the Padres organization is stretching Patino out to be a starter, and he has delivered so far in that regard. Patino faces an uphill battle for MLB innings this season, but he could be a useful depth arm should he return back to full health after Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2024 campaign.

Luis Patiño went 3 innings, allowed 0 runs, and struck out 2 batters! #EmbraceTheStorm?️ pic.twitter.com/63KTknIw80

— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) May 18, 2025

Bryan Balzer threw five innings in relief of Patino, and while the strikeout numbers were there (six strikeouts on the night), he was knocked around for three runs in his five full innings. Balzer actually returned to the mound in the ninth with the team up 5-3, but allowed a walk and double to make it a one-run game. Xavier Ruiz relieved Balzer, and got the next two outs on a sac bunt and punchout. Ruiz was one strike away from securing the win, but a questionable hit-by-pitch to Tommy Hopfe had runners on the corners. One strike away again, Ruiz tossed an 0-2 fastball middle-middle, and Robert Calaz drove it to right field, over the head of Ryan Wilson to give Fresno a 6-5 lead. 

Down to the final strike, Robert Calaz delivers a two-run double to erase a five run deficit. pic.twitter.com/cvgjD8kjlg

— Fresno Grizzlies (@FresnoGrizzlies) May 18, 2025

Offensively, the Storm had several strong performances while also being aided by some shoddy defense from the Grizzlies. Cobb Hightower roped a single to lead off the game, and came around to score on a passed ball, and Zach Evans reached, thanks in part to a throwing error from third baseman Blake Wright, allowing a second run to score. Aside from cutting down a baserunner in the first inning, Colton Vincent came through at the plate with an RBI to extend the lead to 3-0. Lamar King Jr had two hits in the game, with a double and a third-inning single that drove in two runs. Lake Elsinore wouldn’t score for the rest of the game, and while the team had opportunities to score further, they finished a paltry 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position on the evening. Ryan Jackson finished 3-for-4 on the evening with two doubles and a run scored, raising his OPS to .919 despite an elevated .371 batting average on balls in play. 

ACL Padres (Won 7-5 vs ACL Mariners) (4-7 on the season)

Victor Figueroa – 3-for-4, Two-Run Home Run

Kai Roberts – 1-for-2, Solo Home Run

Bryan Hoeing – 1 IP, 3 H, 3 R (2 ER), 0 BB, 1 K

Luis Maracara – 3.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 7 K

Vedder Cup, ACL Edition! Victor Figueroa drove in four runs on three hits and a homer, his fifth of the season. Figueroa is hitting an insane .605 with a 1.922 OPS, and could very well be promoted soon. Figueroa’s five home runs in eleven games is higher than half of his power production in his last season at Mississippi Valley State in 2023 (eight home runs in 52 games). Kai Roberts hit his first home run of the season in the first inning, a solo homer to right field. Roberts isn’t particularly known for his power, but has shown so far in his young career that he can turn on the ball with authority to the pull side. Yimy Tovar had two singles, extending his hitting streak to six games. Catcher Jesus Castro drew two walks and had a single, driving in a run. 

On the mound, Bryan Hoeing got the start on a rehab assignment. One week apart from his last outing, Hoeing went an inning, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits. It remains to be seen what the next step in his rehab assignment will be. Luis Maracara relieved Hoeing and threw 3.1 innings of one-run baseball. The Venezuelan-born right-hander walked five in his outing, but also struck out seven batters. Maracara is still 17 and showed impressive stuff at the DSL level in 2024, prompting a Top 30 placement in our 2025 Top 30 prospect list, and while he remains a project arm, he has some upside that is tantalizing. Manuel Davila, another EVT Top 30 Padres prospect entering the season, made his ACL debut, tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief. Darlin Mendez, making his stateside debut as well, got the first two outs of the seventh before Miguel Valdez slammed the door with the final out recorded.

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.