#PadresOnDeck: Franmil Reyes Homers Again, Kyle Overstreet Hits Walk-Off Slam
By Bill Center
Triple-A right fielder Franmil Reyes struck again Saturday, hitting his seventh homer in a four-game span while going 3-for-4 with a double in addition to his Pacific Coast League-leading 12th homer while raising his batting average to .327 for El Paso.
But it was another player from outside the Padres’ Top-30 prospects list who stole the spotlight from the 6-foot-5, 275-pound Reyes.
Kyle Overstreet capped a two-homer game with a walk-off grand slam capping a six-run ninth inning, giving Double-A San Antonio a fifth straight win.
The versatile Overstreet was 3-for-4 Saturday with the two homers and six RBIs to raise his batting average to .305. Overstreet, 24, a 14th-round pick in the 2015 draft, plays both corner infield positions as well as catcher for the Missions.
Top performances Saturday by leading Padres’ prospects:
— Right-handed starting pitcher Michel Baez, 22, allowed no runs on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in four innings for Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore. The Padres’ №5 ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline lowered his earned run average to 3.75.
— Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr., 19, the Padres’ №1 prospect, continued his rise, going 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored for San Antonio to raise his batting average to .223.
— Second baseman Esteury Ruiz, 19, the Padres’ №11 prospect, was 3-for-5 with two triples, two RBIs and a run scored for Single-A Fort Wayne . . . raising his batting average to .277.
— Center fielder Jeisson Rosario, 18, the Padres’ №18 prospect, was 2-for-3 with a walk, a sacrifice fly and two runs scored for Fort Wayne. Rosario is hitting .316.
Around the Farm:
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (18–12): ALBUQUERQUE 4, Chihuahuas 1–2B Cory Spangenberg (.273) back Franmil Reyes with a double in four at-bats. LF Dusty Coleman (.178) had a double in three at-bats. PH Brett Nicholas (.313) singled. Starting RHP Chris Huffman (2–2, 4.50 ERA) gave up four runs on seven hits and three walks with two strikeouts in four innings. LHP Tyler Webb (1.13) allowed a hit with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings. RHP Robert Stock (0.00) issued a walk in an otherwise perfect inning. RHP Colten Brewer (3.00) issued a walk with a strikeout in an otherwise perfect inning.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (19–10): MISSIONS 9, Corpus Christi 8 — Starting LHP Jerry Keel (5.01 ERA) allowed six runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts in five innings. RHP Jason Jester (1.76) allowed a hit with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. LHP Jose Castillo (3.75) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning. LHP Matt Strahm (1–0, 2.51) allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in the top of the ninth but got credit for the win thanks to the Missions’ six-run bottom of the ninth. DH Forrestt Allday (.258) backed Overstreet and Tatis, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. 2B Peter Van Gansen (.258) was 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. 3B Ty France (.267) was 0-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitcher with a run scored. PH River Stevens (.293 drew a bases-loaded walk in front of Overstreet’s walk-off grand slam.
ADVANCED SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (11–19): Modesto 2, STORM 1 — RHP Dauris Valdez (4.15 ERA) followed Baez and issued a walk with two strikeouts in two otherwise perfect innings. RHP David Bednar (7.62) allowed a run on two hits in an inning. RHP Trevor Megill (1–1, 3.24) allowed a run on three hits with four strikeouts in two innings to take the loss. 2B Eguy Rosario (.280) was 1-for-3 with a RBI. 3B Hudson Potts (.252) was 1-for-4 with a run scored. CF Edward Olivares (.270) had a double in four at-bats. 1B Brad Zunica (.195) was 1-for-3 with a walk. DH Luis Torrens (.272) was 1-for-4.
SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (13–16): Wisconsin 8, TIN CAPS 4 — C Juan Fernandez (.209) backed Ruiz and Jeisson Rosario, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. RF Jack Suwinski (.247) and 3B Justin Lopez (.222) were each 1-for-3 with a walk. Starting LHP Aaron Leasher (1–2, 4.21 ERA) allowed four runs on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts in four innings. RHP Evan Miller (0.00) allowed two unearned runs on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in three innings. RHP Jared Carkuff (3.86) allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in an inning.
