Padres minors: Lamar King Jr. stretching his legs, arm with Storm

Among the Lake Elsinore Storm players shuttled to Petco Park on Monday to participate in Michael King’s first simulated game, Lamar King Jr. did not mince words after a three-pitch strikeout accounted for one of the rehabbing right-hander’s punchouts.

“That’s the best pitching I’ve ever seen in my life,” the 21-year-old King said.

Makes sense.

King collected NL Cy Young votes last year, while King has yet to progress out of the low Single-A California League.

Not that he isn’t making good progress.

Slowed by shoulder dislocated suffered on a slide in 2023, King is back to catching regularly and beginning to live up to his potential as the offensive-minded catcher selected in the fourth round in 2022.

He collected two more hits Wednesday, lifting his batting line to .290/.375/.414 in 80 games in essentially his first full season since the Padres drafted the son of former NLF defensive end.

The younger King, who is 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, played just four games in rookie ball after the 2022 draft and was back in the rookie-level Arizona Complex the next season when that slide ended his season after just 21 games (.837 OPS).

He played 62 games last year (.800 OPS) and finished the year in Lake Elsinore, but he split his time between first base and DH while working his right throwing arm back into shape.

This year, King is back behind the plate and improving by the day.

“It’s getting better every time I go out there,” King said. “Just got to continue to trust it.”

As far as the bat, that’s coming along too now that he’s back to regular action. His four home runs are a career high as are his 37 RBIs and 18 steals.

“Just keep seeing the ball, hitting it,” King, who is ranked No. 19 among Padres prospects by MLB.com, said of his goals the rest of the season. “Continue to work on my throwing and cut down my chase a little bit. And just stay healthy. That’s my main thing — stay on the field.”

Wednesday’s scoreboard

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (55-48)

Chihuahuas 8, Round Rock 6 (10): C Rodolfo Duran (.700 OPS) went 3-for-5 his eighth homer, a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. 1B Nate Mondou (.775 OPS) went 3-for-6 with an RBI. RF Yonathan Perlaza (.886 OPS) and SS Mason McCoy (.792 OPS) both had two hits. RHP Logan Gillaspie (8.51 ERA) allowed four runs in five innings in the start. RHP Alek Jacob (2-0, 6.08 ERA) struck out four over 1⅔ scoreless innings.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (52-46)

Missions 7, Frisco 4: RHP Tyson Neighbors (2.57 ERA) struck out a batter and recorded four outs in securing his first Texas League save. RHP Enmanuel Pinales (6-5, 6.40 ERA) allowed three runs in six innings in the win. RF Moises Gomez (.704 OPS) drove in two runs on his sixth homer. 3B Devin Ortiz (.681 OPS) drove in two runs on three hits, including a double. DH Marcos Castañon (.724 OPS) went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. 2B Ripken Reyes (.709 OPS) went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (48-49)

TinCaps 4, Great Lakes 3 (10): A third single from CF Brandon Butterworth (.782 OPS) walked off the win. SS Leo De Vries (.767 OPS) went 1-for-4 with a double, a walk and a run scored. 2B Rosman Verdugo (.755 OPS) went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. C Oswaldo Linares (.604 OPS) drove in two runs on a double. RHP Garrett Hawkins (8-1, 1.43 ERA) struck out two over two scoreless innings in the win. RHP Clark Candiotti (4.91 ERA) struck out two over two scoreless innings in the start,

LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (45-53)

Inland Empire 5, Storm 4 (10): LHP Kash Mayfield (3.12 ERA) struck out five and allowed a run on five hits and a walk in four innings in the start. CF Kasen Wells (.757 OPS) went 2-for-4 with his second homer, three RBIs and a walk. King (.789 OPS) went 2-for-5.