Padres minor league affiliates returned to action on Thursday, going 3-2 in five games.

Here is a recap of the day’s events. 

Roster Roundup:

There was a trio of roster moves made before Thursday’s slate of games. Firstly, Luis Patino’s rehab assignment came to a close, as the right-hander officially reported to Double-A San Antonio, with Ryan Och placed on the development list as a corresponding move. Second, outfielder Jake Snider was activated off the development list by Fort Wayne, with Kaden Hollow reassigned to Single-A Lake Elsinore in a corresponding move. Lastly, right-hander Matt Waldron’s rehab assignment was transferred to El Paso, which will likely see the right-hander pitch this weekend. 

El Paso Chihuahuas (Won 8-5 vs Sacramento) (28-26 on the season)

Mike Brosseau – 1-for-4, Grand Slam

Forrest Wall – 2-for-4, Home Run

Wes Benjamin – 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 2 K (83 pitches – 48 strikes)

El Paso broke out the big shillelagh on Thursday against Sacramento, scoring eight runs on 12 hits in the ballgame. Power came from two of the team’s veterans, as Forrest Wall slugged a solo homer in the third inning to open the scoring. After falling behind 3-1, Nate Mondou closed the gap with an RBI single and bases-loaded walk in back-to-back innings. Mike Brosseau had the big blow of the night, launching a grand slam to left field to give El Paso a 7-3 lead. Tirso Ornelas was 2-for-4 on the night with two doubles, scoring two runs. Yonathan Perlaza had two base hits as well, including an RBI double, his 20th double of the season. 

Mike served up a Grand Slam, no breakfast required. Denny’s Approved ?✅ pic.twitter.com/1M2xxZrMhQ

— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) May 30, 2025

The El Paso pitching staff performed well considering the pitcher-unfriendly nature of Sutter Health Park. Wes Benjamin allowed three runs in four innings of work, striking out two. The left-hander did not have his A+ stuff like he did in his last start, but he was able to execute when he needed to, giving his team a chance. Bryan Hoeing made another rehab appearance, allowing two runs on four hits in an inning of work. Ethan Routzahn earned the win with 1.1 clean innings of relief, and Harold Chirino locked down the save in the ninth with two strikeouts. Chirino is likely to serve as the Chihuahuas’ closer going forward, as Reiss Knehr last appeared on May 21, departing with an injury. 

San Antonio Missions (Lost 6-4 vs Arkansas) (26-22 on the season)

Brandon Valenzuela – 1-for-4, Two-Run Home Run

Marcos Castanon – 3-for-5, Two Doubles

Sam Whiting – 3.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K (74 pitches – 44 strikes)

Sam Whiting’s second start of the season was not as strong as his first, as the right-hander was unable to escape the fourth inning. Whiting allowed four runs on a pair of home runs and struck out just three batters. Missed locations on important pitches in the second were the root of Whiting’s struggles, as the right-hander hung a 1-2 slider for the first home run, and the second home run he allowed came on a middle-middle fastball. Carter Loewen got five outs for the Missions, with four via the K. Jose Geraldo allowed two runs in two innings of relief, and has posted a 5.14 ERA in May after a dominant April. 

THAT’S ONE SHINY DIAMOND pic.twitter.com/FiT1TQguZb

— Arkansas Travelers (@ARTravs) May 30, 2025

The offense was again led by two of the hottest hitters in the Texas League, as Marcos Castanon had a three-hit game with a pair of doubles. Brandon Valenzuela had a two-run home run in the game, his third homer of the month. Joshua Mears had two hits, and Nerwilian Cedeno delivered an RBI single in the ballgame. Addison Kopack made his Missions debut, going 1-for-3 with a single as the designated hitter. Romeo Sanabria walked and scored a run as a pinch-hitter, with Devin Ortiz starting at first base and driving in a run. 

Fort Wayne TinCaps (Won 7-5 vs Great Lakes) (24-24 on the season)

Braedon Karpathios – 3-for-4, Double, Three RBI

Brandon Butterworth – 1-for-3, Two-RBI Triple

Jose Luis Reyes – 5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K (77 pitches – 40 strikes)

While right-hander Jose Reyes did not have his best stuff in the outing, the right-hander battled through to toss five innings of three-run baseball. Reyes struck out two batters and walked three, throwing 51.9% of his offerings for strikes. The TinCaps bullpen was impressive in their own regard, with Fernando Sanchez tossing two innings of one-run ball in direct relief of Reyes. Sanchez struck out three batters and has struck out 24.7% of opposing batters faced with Fort Wayne this season. Garrett Hawkins danced around two walks to toss a scoreless eighth inning, and Tyson Neighbors earned the save in the ninth. Neighbors allowed one run on two hits, breaking a four-outing scoreless streak. 

The offense finally got off the schneid, as the TinCaps put up seven hits, runs, and walks apiece. Braedon Karpathios had one of his best performances this month, finishing 3-for-4 with a double, single, and three RBI. The 21-year-old has reached base at a .397 rate this month, and while he has only batted .217 this month, his on-base ability and slugging have given the left-handed hitter a solid slash line for the month. Brandon Butterworth had one hit in three at-bats, walking twice and driving in two runs on a two-RBI triple. Jake Snider drove in a run on an RBI single in his return from the development list.

Lake Elsinore Storm (Won 13-1 vs Stockton) (21-27 on the season)

Kavares Tears – 3-for-5, Home Run, Double, Five RBI

Chase Valentine – 2-for-5, Two Doubles, Three RBI

Boston Bateman – 5 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 6 K (77 pitches – 50 strikes)

The Lake Elsinore offense certainly stormed their way to a win, scoring thirteen runs en route to one of their strongest performances of the season. Kavares Tears had one of his best performances, finishing with three hits, including a home run. Tears drove in a career-high five runs, and if he is able to remain healthy as he has this season, he could see himself rise through the Padres’ system in short order. Chase Valentine has been “Mr. Do-It-All” for the Padres’ system this season, having spent time with the Storm, TinCaps, and Missions this season. In his 13th game with the Storm, Valentine had himself an In-N-Out sort of game, hitting two doubles in the game to score three runs. Lamar King Jr had a double-double as well, scoring two runs and playing a crucial role in Storm rallies. Kaden Hollow and Ryan Wilson each had multi-hit games as well, and Ryan Jackson scored two runs out of the leadoff spot. 

There were Tears on Valentines this year!

Chase Valentine and Kavares Tears go double-double to give us a 4-run lead!

Presented by Temecula Valley Buick GMC pic.twitter.com/zEQpJCZGsp

— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) May 30, 2025

Come for the Kavares Tears home run, stay for the epic call, hang around for the Nando skp before third base.

WE NOW LEAD 13-1 IN THE FIFTH INNING!! pic.twitter.com/Ya0TmEGqLe

— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) May 30, 2025

After missing a start due to illness, Boston Bateman looked as though he hadn’t missed a beat. Bateman tossed five innings, striking out six batters. Bateman was in control throughout his time on the mound, walking only two batters and throwing 64.9% of his pitches for strikes. Bateman has pitched in five games this month, and his 3.18 ERA in 22.2 innings shows a strong performance, which is backed up by a 3.03 FIP. Adam Conrad tossed three innings in relief, and (stop me if you’ve heard this before) he did not allow a run. Conrad has pitched to a 3.35 FIP and 0.00 ERA in 21.2 innings this season, and is making a case for a midseason promotion with performances that have been rock solid. 

⚠️ Beware of Big Foot ⚠️

Tommy’s Express Car Wash offers a fast, convenient, and high-quality cleaning experience, ensuring your vehicle shines like new in just minutes. pic.twitter.com/rRx7baSYoR

— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) May 30, 2025

Making the effort, no matter the score!! Kaden Hollow with an #SCTop10 worthy diving catch!! #EmbraceTheStorm?️ pic.twitter.com/4HKEV5HF9T

— Lake Elsinore Storm (@Storm_Baseball) May 30, 2025

ACL Padres (Lost 10-1 vs ACL Brewers) (5-15 on the season)

Jesmaylin Arias – 1-for-4, Triple

Kevin Hacen – 1-for-4, Triple

Humberto Cruz – 2 IP, 1 H,1 R, 2 BB, 1 K

Humberto Cruz took the mound for the Padres in Arizona, and the right-hander was strong in an abbreviated outing. In two innings of work, Cruz struck out one batter and walked two, still working his way back from a slow spring and a sore shoulder. The right-hander will continue to get stretched out as the season progresses, and his development will be one of the more intriguing to follow this season. Langston Burkett was hit hard in relief, allowing five runs in 0.2 innings of work. Dariel Polanco ate up 3.2 innings of relief, allowing just one run of his own in the game. 

The Padres’ offense struck out a whopping 14 times in the nine-inning affair, limiting any chance they had to mount a seismic comeback for the ages. Yimy Tovar had the team’s lone RBI on the night, hitting an eighth-inning single to score Eguy Rosario. Rosario reached base twice in the game via a hit and a walk. Kale Fountain returned to the lineup after missing two weeks and went 1-for-5 with a base hit in his return. Jesmaylin Arias and Kevin Hacen each had a triple in the game, and Yoiber Ocopio singled as part of a 1-for-4 day, extending his hitting streak to five games. Every member of the starting lineup reached base at least once in the game.

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.