SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres announced today that they have renamed their annual prospect game the Don Welke On Deck Classic in honor of their late Vice President of Scouting Operations, who passed away last week at the age of 75. This year's contest will take place on Thursday, September 27 at Petco Park, when top prospects from the organization will take on prospects from the Texas Rangers' organization. 
Don worked in baseball for over 50 years, beginning his career in 1965 with the Cincinnati Reds. A pioneer in scouting, Don possessed an unmatched passion for baseball and a keen eye for talent. He was an integral part of the success of the Toronto Blue Jays in the early 1990s, working directly under Pat Gillick as they won consecutive World Series titles in 1992 and 1993, and was instrumental in the Texas Rangers' World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011. Don was directly involved in the acquisitions of Pat Hentgen, John Olerud, Willie Blair, Shawn Green, Adrian Beltre, Elvis Andrus, and Jurickson Profar. 
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