Padres minors: 19th-, 20th-round picks hit first homers with TinCaps

by Jeff Sanders

The Padres’ last pick in the 2025 draft is off to a good start to his career. So is their second-to-last pick.

Both first baseman Luke Cantwell and shortstop Jonathan Vastine hit the first homers of the career on Friday, leading high Single-A Fort Wayne to 6-1 win at West Michigan.

Cantwell was a 20th-round pick out of Pittsburgh in July who is playing in his third game. He went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored and is 3-for-12 since joining the TinCaps.

Vastine was a 19th-round pick out of Vanderbilt. His home run was a grand slam. He is hitting .242/.329/.318 through the first 21 games of his career.

Center fielder Kasen Wells (.651 OPS) went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored.

Right-hander Maikel Miralles (1-1, 2.13 ERA) struck out six over 6⅔ shutout innings in the win. He scattered five hits and did not walk a batter.

Fort Wayne is 56-73.

Friday’s scoreboard

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (72-63)

Salt Lake 8, Chihuahuas 7: LHP JP Sears (3.72 ERA) struck out five and allowed a run on two hits and a walk in 3⅔ innings in the start. RHP Bryan Hoeing (4.70 ERA) allowed a run in 1⅓ innings. RHP Francis Pena (4-3, 4.60 ERA) allowed two runs in in the eighth in the loss. 3B Marcos Castañon (.964 OPS) drove in two runs on his first homer in his third Triple-A game. DH Luis Campusano (1.042 OPS) went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. 1B Tim Locastro (.806 OPS) went 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (62-67)

Missions 7, Corpus Christi 1: RHP Victor Lizarraga (4-10, 6.21 ERA) allowed a run in five innings in the win. RF Braedon Karpathios (.785 OPS), 1B Romeo Sanabria (.683 OPS), 3B Devin Ortiz (.654 OPS) and SS Francisco Acuña (.708 OPS) all had two hits and Sanabria, Karpathios and C Oswaldo Linares (.516 OPS) each had a double.

LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (56-74)

Inland Empire 6, Storm 4: CF Ryan Wideman (.608 OPS) went 3-for-4 with two RBIS and a run scored. DH Alex McCoy (.896 OPS) and 1B Truitt Madonna (.519 OPS) each had a double. RHP Kleiber Olmedo (5-7, 6.49 ERA) allowed three runs in three innings in relief in the loss.