PADRES ON DECK: Ornelas, Cruz, Beshears join Top-30 prospect list; LHP Snelling sharp at Double-A San Antonio
By Bill Center
The trade that has brought two-time batting champion Luis Arráez to the Padres has created a shakeup in the list of the Padres’ Top-30 prospects with more soon to follow.
Going to the Miami Marlins in the trade were three of the Padres’ Top-30 Prospects list — №6 center fielder Dillon Head, №9 center fielder Jakob Marsee and №14 first baseman Nathan Martorella. Those departures allowed left fielder Tirso Ornelas (№28), right-handed pitcher Humberto Cruz (№29) and infielder Jay Beshears (№30) to be added to the list.
The list will soon change again when rookies center fielder Jackson Merrill and right-handed reliever Stephen Kolek “graduate” from the list due to their time on the Major League roster. Infielder Graham Pauley could also graduate from the Padres’ Top-30 prospect list.
Ornelas, a 24-year-old native of Tijuana, returns to the Padres’ Top-30 list and is with Triple-A El Paso. Cruz, 17, signed with the Padres near the end of the 2024 international signing period. Beshears, who turns 22 Monday, was the Padres’ sixth-round pick in the 2023 amateur draft out of Duke University and was the April Player of the Month for Single-A Lake Elsinore.
In other prospect news, the rookie-level Padres begin play in the Arizona Complex League Saturday.
Left-handed starting pitcher Robby Snelling, the Padres’ №3 prospect, gave up three runs (two earned) on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win for Double-A San Antonio Friday night. He has a 3.89 earned run average.
Right-handed starter Ryan Bergert (0–2, 7.13 ERA) didn’t fare as well in the second game of the Missions’ doubleheader — giving up six runs on four hits and two walks with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.
Catcher Brandon Valenzuela, now the Padres’ №13 prospect, had a two-run double in four at-bats for San Antonio and is hitting .265.
Shortstop Rosman Verdugo, the Padres’ №26 prospect, was 2-for-5 with a two-run homer for Single-A Lake Elsinore. Catcher J.D. Gonzalez, the Padres’ №14 prospect, was 1-for-5 with a RBI. Beshears (.342) was 2-for-4 with a walk.
Center fielder Homer Bush Jr., the Padres’ №9 prospect, was 1-for-4 with hit 11th stolen base and a run scored for High Single-A Fort Wayne. Ethan Salas (.195), the Padres’ №1 prospect, was 1-for-5 with his fourth stolen base. Ornelas was 1-for-4 with an RBI for El Paso.
AROUND THE FARM:
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (13–18) — Sugar Land 9, CHIHUAHUAS 6: RF Tim Locastro (.323) was 2-for-4 with a run scored behind Ornelas. 2B Clay Dungan (.277) had a solo home run in 4 at-bats with a walk and 2 runs. DH Nate Mondou (.292) had a solo homer in 4 ABs. 3B Matthew Batten (.241) was 1-for-4 with a walk, a RBI and a run. 1B Donovan Solano (.293) was 1-for-5 with a RBI. SS Mason McCoy (.210) was 1-for-4 with a run. CF Bryce Johnson (.222) was 1-for-4. Starting RH Nolan Watson (5.52 ERA) gave up 5 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 4 innings. RH Robert Milacki (0–2, 13.00) gave up 2 runs on a hit and 2 BBs with a K in 2 IPs to take the loss. RH Kevin Kopps (4.11) gave up 2 runs on 2 hits and a BB in an IP. RH Logan Gillaspie (7.20) had a K in a perfect IP. RH Nick Hernandez (3.38) gave up a hit in a scoreless IP.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (13–12) — Missions 4–2, ARKANSAS 3–14: LH Omar Cruz (3.21) followed Snelling in the first game and issued a walk with 3 Ks in 1 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings to earn his second save. 2B-SS Ray-Patrick Didder (.232) had 2 doubles in 5 at-bats with 2 walks, a stolen base and a run scored behind Valenzuela. LF Cole Cummings (.267) was 2-for-5 with a double, a walk, 2 RBIs and a run. RF Robert Perez Jr. (.218) was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. C Juan Zabala (.250) was 2-for-3 with a double and a RBI. RH Ethan Routzahn (7.56) followed Bergert and gave up 5 runs on 6 hits and a BB with 3 Ks in 2 1/3 IPs. RH Reggie Lawson (7.84) gave up 3 runs on a hit, 3 walks and a hit batter with 2 Ks in an IP. RH Raul Brito (4.15) allowed a hit with 2 Ks in a scoreless IP. RH INF Chase Valentine (0.00) pitched a perfect IP.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (10–15) — LAKE COUNTY 6, TinCaps 4: C Anthony Vilar (.200) was 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and 4 RBIs behind Salas and Bush. RF Kai Murphy (.286) was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk. SS Nik McClaughry (.213) had a double in 4 at-bats. 3B Devin Ortiz (.282) was 1-for-5 with a stolen base. Starting RH Henry Baez (0–2, 4.74 ERA) gave up 5 runs (4 earned) on 2 walks and 4 strikeouts in 5 innings to take the loss. RH David Morgan (8.49) allowed a run on 3 hits with a K in 3 IPs.
SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (9–14) — SAN JOSE 4, Storm 3 (10 innings): 1B Romeo Sanabria (.299) was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored behind Beshears, Gonzalez and Verdugo. LF Ryan Wilson (.230) and 2B Jose Sanabria (.196) were each 1-for-4. Starting RH Eric Yost (5.09 ERA) gave up 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks with 4 strikeouts in 6 innings. RH Will Varmette (11.32) gave up a run on 3 hits with 2 Ks in an IP. RH Dwayne Matos (1–2, 5.09) gave up an unearned run on 2 hits with a K in 2 IPs to take the loss.
