Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
Three of the Padres' top prospects will be making their Petco Park debuts July 10 during the Futures Game during the All-Star Game Weekend. Outfielder Hunter Renfroe has been selected to play on the U.S. team. Second baseman Carlos Asuaje and center fielder Manuel Margot have been selected to play on the World Team.
Meanwhile, four other Padres prospects contributed Tuesday night to the South's win in the annual Double-A Texas League All-Star Game, while catcher Austin Hedges continued his torrid hitting for Triple-A El Paso.
Hedges, 23, was 3-for-6 with two homers and four RBIs to raise his batting average to .380 as Triple-A El Paso dropped a 15-12 decision at Reno.
Hedges is 22-for-44 (.500) during an 11-game hitting streak with nine home runs, 15 runs scored and 21 RBIs. He has also drawn three walks during the streak for a .521 on-base percentage. Hedges has 11 home runs on the season with 32 RBIs in 28 games (he missed two months with hand surgery).
The Padres' three representatives in the Futures Game are all Hedges' teammates at El Paso.
Renfroe, 24, is hitting .325 with the Chihuahuas and leads the Pacific Coast League in home runs (18) and extra-base hits (47), and he is second in RBIs (69).
Margot, 21, is hitting .295 with 13 doubles, seven triples, three RBIs and seven steals with 59 runs scored and 32 RBIs.
Asuaje, 24, is hitting .324 with 15 doubles, seven triples and four homers with 57 runs scored and 38 RBIs.
Renfroe and Margot are tied for the PCL lead in runs scored and Asuaje is third. Margot and Asuaje are tied for the PCL lead in triples.
Renfroe was the Padres' first-round pick (13th overall) in the 2013 draft. Margot and Asuaje came to the Padres in the trade last November that sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox.
At Springfield, Mo., San Antonio outfielder Nick Torres was 2-for-5 with a double and Missions shortstop Jose Rondon was 1-for-2 to help the South to an 8-5 win in the Texas League All-Star Game.
The last two pitchers used by the South to hold the lead were also from San Antonio. Right-hander Adam Cimber allowed a hit with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Right-hander Jason Jester allowed two hits with a strikeout in a scoreless inning to get the save.
AROUND THE FARM:
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (46-33) - RF Jabari Blash (.260) was 2-for-5 with his ninth homer and two RBIs in support of Hedges. Renfroe was 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored. Asuaje was 2-for-6 with a steal, a RBI and a run scored. 3B Diego Goris (.375) was 3-for-6 with two RBIs and a run scored. Starting RHP Daniel McCuthen (8-4, 5.32) allowed 11 runs (seven earned) on 12 hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. LHP Daniel Moskos (3.38) allowed four runs on five hits and a walk in an inning. RHP Derek Eitel (2.21) walked two with three strikeouts in 1 1/3 hitless innings. LHP Buddy Baumann struck out the side in his inning.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (2-4, 24-52) - The Missions were off Tuesday for the Texas League All-Star break.
HIGH CLASS A LAKE ELSINORE (4-2, 36-40) - STORM 4, INLAND EMPIRE 2: 2B Luis Urias (.326) was 2-for-4 with a RBI and a stolen base. RF Franmil Reyes (.247) had a triple in three at-bats with two RBIs. DH Ricardo Valenzuela (.375) was 2-for-4. Rehabbing Padres RHP Andrew Cashner started and allowed two hits with a strikeout in three scoreless inning. RHP Walker Lockett (2-3, 3.80 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts over five innings. LHP Brad Wieck (1.58) allowed a hit with a strikeout in a scoreless eighth. RHP Phil Maton (0.87) struck out two in a perfect ninth to get his third save.
LOW CLASS A FORT WAYNE (4-2, 40-36) - TIN CAPS 4, DAYTON 3: C Austin Allen (.319) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. LF Kodie Tidwell (.240) had a double in three at-bats with a walk, a RBI and two runs scored. 2B Peter Van Gansen (.230) had a double in three at-bats with a RBI and a walk. SS Ruddy Giron (.188) had a double in four at-bats with two runs scored. Starting LHP Thomas Dorminy (3.25 ERA) allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in five innings. RHP Corey Kimber (4.30) allowed two hits with four strikeouts in four scoreless innings. RHP Louis Distacio (1-0, 3.45) struck out the side in the ninth to get the win.
SHORT-SEASON CLASS A TRI-CITY (7-5) - DUST DEVILS 2, VANCOUVER 1: 1B Chris Mattison (.167) had a double in three at-bats with a RBI and a run scored. Starting RHP Angel Mejia (1-0, 2.45 ERA) allowed a run on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings. RHP Chasen Ford (0.00) allowed two hits with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. LHP Braxton Lucchesi (3.00) allowed a hit with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (6-1) - PADRES 4, WHITE SOX 2: C Tucker Pennell (.364) was 2-for-4 with a run scored. RF Euri Minaya (.211) was 2-for-4 with a triple and a run scored. RHP Mayky Perez (1-0, 0.87 ERA) walked one while striking out five without allowing a hit over five innings. RHP Juan Arias (3.60) allowed two runs on four hits in two innings. RHP Grant Zawadzki (1.93) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning. RHP Kyle Gauthier (0.00) allowed a hit with two strikeouts in a scoreless inning to get his first save.
DSL PADRES (9-11) - WHITE SOX 10, PADRES 7: Sixteen-year-old 2B Eguy Rosario (.387) was 4-for-5 with a double, a RBI and two runs scored. 1B Janigson Villalobos (.259) was 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs. DH Juan Fernandez (.542) was 2-for-5 with a double. CF Edward Burgos (.394) was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Starting LHP Anderson Polanco (3.27) allowed a run on four hits with four strikeouts in five innings. LHP Adolfo Hernandez (2.70) allowed a hit and a walk with three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.