Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
The honors keep coming for Triple-A El Paso.
The morning after clinching the Pacific Coast League's Pacific South division title, the Chihuahuas learned that right fielder Hunter Renfroe had been selected as the PCL's Most Valuable Player for the 2016 season. Renfroe, 24, ranked the Padres' third-best prospect by MLBPipeline.com, is hitting .306 with 34 doubles, five triples, 29 homers, 104 RBIs and 94 runs scored.
He leads the PCL in extra-base hits (68) and total bases (290); ranks second in homers, RBIs and hits (159); is third in runs scored and slugging percentage (.558); tied for third in doubles, and is ninth in batting average and OPS (.894). Renfroe also ranks among the PCL leaders in outfield assists.
Renfroe is the first El Paso player to be named the MVP of the PCL and the first Padres prospect to be honored with the award since catcher Sandy Alomar Jr. in 1989.
Renfroe's MVP award is the latest in a series earned by Padres prospects. Renfroe, catcher Austin Hedges, center fielder Manuel Margot and second baseman Carlos Asuaje were all named to the All-PCL team. Asuaje was also named the PCL's Rookie of the Year.
Nineteen-year-old infielder Luis Urias was named the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year of the California League. Right-handed closer Jason Jester made the Texas League post-season All-Star team and Austin Allen is the catcher on the Midwest League postseason All-Star team.
In Thursday's action, Class A affiliates Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne each scored walk-off wins and right-handed starter Kyle Lloyd led Double-A San Antonio to a 3-1 win at Midland while left-hander Eric Lauer (the Padres' third, first-round pick in the Draft) pitched two scoreless innings in his debut with Fort Wayne.
In moves Thursday, Lauer and right-handed starter Joey Lucchesi were promoted from short-season single-A Tri-City to Fort Wayne; right-handed pitchers Will Stillman and Evan Miller were transferred from Fort Wayne to Arizona rookie camp, and left-hander Ryan Buchter was recalled by the Padres from El Paso as the Major League team's first September callup.
AROUND THE FARM
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (73-66): Las Vegas 5, CHIHUAHUAS 2. A day after El Paso clinched a second straight division title, Hedges, Renfroe and Margot got the night off. But Asuaje (.324) hit his eighth homer in four at-bats. RF Patrick Kivlehan (.258) also homered in four at-bats. Starting RHP Dinelson Lamet (0-2, 4.22 ERA) allowed five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings in his second Triple-A start. RHP Derek Eitel (3.74) struck out two in a perfect inning. LHP Buddy Baumann (1.65) allowed a hit in a scoreless inning.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (35-31, 57-79): Missions 3, MIDLAND 1. DH Ryan Miller (.231) hit his third homer in two games to give him seven on the season. Lloyd (7-7, 3.31 ERA) allowed a run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in seven innings. RHP Adam Cimber (2.58) retired the only hitter he faced for his third save.
CLASS A ADVANCED LAKE ELSINORE (35-31, 67-69): STORM ELSINORE 6, Modesto 5. CF Chase Jensen (.254) was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and the game-winning, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth. Urias had a double and triple in two at-bats with three RBIs, a run scored and two walks. C Ricardo Valenzuela (.256) was 3-for-4 with a run scored. Starting RHP Chris Huffman (3.78 ERA) allowed four runs on five hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings. LHP Jose Castillo (1-0, 1.74) allowed a run on a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings to get the win.
CLASS A FORT WAYNE (26-40, 62-74): TIN CAPS 5, Great Lakes 4 (10 innings). SS Chris Baker was 2-for-5, including a three-run walk-off double in the bottom of the 10th. LF Kodie Tidwell (.249) was 2-for-3 with three walks, a steal and three runs scored. 3B Carlos Belen (.224) was 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs. Lauer allowed a walk with two strikeouts in two innings. RHP J.C. Cosme (3.22 ERA) allowed three hits and a walk with six strikeouts in five scoreless inning. LHP Elvin Liriano (2-2, 3.45) allowed two runs on four hits with three strikeouts in an inning and got the win on Baker's double.
SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (13-21, 32-40): SS Hudson Potts (.245) had a triple in four at-bats. Starting RHP Adrian De Horta (2-3, 3.95 ERA) allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in four innings. LHP Nathan Foriest (3.07) allowed two walks with two strikeouts in two hitless/scoreless innings. RHP Diomar Lopez (3.12) allowed two hits and a walk with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings.
ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (25-30): The Arizona Rookie League season is completed.
DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (36-33): The DSL season is completed.