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Padres Press Clips Thursday, June 15, 2017

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Cordero clutch, Chacin strong as Padres sweep Reds UT San Diego Sanders 2

Padres not shy about adding arms as draft concludes UT San Diego Lin 4

First pitch: DL'd Trevor Cahill ramping up activity again UT San Diego Sanders 6

Carlos Asuaje sends El Paso to win UT San Diego Sanders 8

Luis Urias starting at shortstop in Texas League All-Star UT San Diego Sanders 10

Game

Padres rally to beat Reds, sweep series MLB.com Ruiz/Paris 12

Padres bet on youth with prep picks, arms MLB.com Cassavell 14

Padres draft rookie Bellinger's brother, Cole MLB.com Cassavell 17

Diaz to face former club in first start MLB.com Ruiz 19

Padres to host blood drive at Petco Park Padres.com Center 21

Padres fans deserve a round of applause Padres.com Center 23

Padres finish 3-game sweep of Reds, 4-2 Associated Press AP 26

Padres Finalize 2017 Draft Class NBC San Diego Togerson 28

Padres Complete Sweep of Reds NBC San Diego Togerson 29

Bloodlines a factor for pair of Padres draft picks UT San Diego Lin 30

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Cordero clutch, Chacin strong as Padres sweep Reds Jeff Sanders

Yes, Franchy Cordero showed bunt. It was only a show. The 22-year-old rookie, too, believes he’s swinging the bat too well at the moment to give himself up.

“I was just trying to bring the infield in,” Cordero said through an interpreter after his seventh-inning single propelled the Padres to a 4-2 win over the Reds on Wednesday afternoon and just San Diego’s second series sweep of the season. “I was trying to bring them in just a little more. Then any ball I hit would be able to get through.”

It worked.

Cordero’s single through the right side of the infield with runners on first and second staked the Padres to their first lead of the afternoon. It was his seventh hit of a series that saw the converted center field prospect blast the first three homers of his career – including two on Tuesday – double and drive in four runs in 14 at-bats.

Which is why third baseman Glenn Hoffman felt compelled to have a brief conversation with Cordero drawing strike one with a half-hearted attempt at a bunt with runners on first and second.

The reliever, Michael Lorenzen, had walked the first two hitters on eight pitches. No one outside Jose Pirela was swinging the bat better than Cordero. The message was succinct when Hoffman called timeout to speak into the Dominican’s ear just up the third base line.

Hoffman just hoped nothing was lost in translation when he delivering the directive in English: Swing.

“I didn’t know the Spanish word for ‘swing,’” Hoffman said with a chuckle, “but he got it.”

Cordero’s getting a lot these days.

His second single of the afternoon pushed his batting line to .339/.383/.625 through his first 17 games in the majors and – paired with Hunter Renfroe’s game-tying blast in the sixth – made right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (6-5, 5.10 ERA) a winner for the fourth time in seven Petco Park starts (1.72 ERA).

The 29-year-old Venezuelan struck out four, walked one and allowed two runs – Jose Peraza homer to lead off the game and Joey Votto’s solo shot in the fourth – over an efficient seven-

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inning outing that might have gone even longer had his spot in the lineup not come up to lead off the seventh.

“He was really pitch efficient all day, the two home runs being the only damage,” Green said. “The rest of the day he was getting early action with pitches just outside the strike zone very often. That's a great recipe for success.”

At 85 pitches in a 2-2 game, Chacin was lifted for pinch-hitter Matt Szczur, who walked to lead off the inning.

Pirela followed with a walk and Cordero pulled a 1-1, 91 mph cutter through the right side of the infield to give the Padres their first lead of the game. Renfroe’s RBI groundout to second with the bases loaded extended that advantage to 4-2 before Brad Hand and Brandon Maurer closed the game with scoreless frames.

An inning before Cordero’s go-ahead single, Renfroe interrupted a 1-for-19 slump with a two-run, 433-foot homer off Amir Garrett (6 IP) that bounced off the back of the Estrella Jalisco Landing deck in left field.

The home run was his 14th of the season, tied with Nate Colbert (1969) for the most by a Padres rookie before the All-Star break despite his .224 batting average.

“He's a power guy,” Green said. “At the end of the day he's going to run through phases where he's not squaring the ball up consistently. What we want as an organization when he's going through those stretches, if he's staying in the strike zone, it's going to come back quicker.”

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Padres not shy about adding arms as draft concludes Dennis Lin

In 2015, the Padres drafted 23 pitchers and 16 position players, 29 college players and 10 high schoolers. Last year, they selected 24 pitchers and 19 position players, 27 college players and 16 high schoolers.

On Wednesday, they completed their third draft under General Manager A.J. Preller and Scouting Director Mark Conner. Once again, San Diego did not shy away from adding young arms.

Of San Diego’s 41 selections, 20 were drafted as pitchers. Five catchers, three first basemen, two shortstops, three third basemen and eight outfielders rounded out the class. Twenty-five players came from the college ranks, 16 from high school.

“We thought there was a lot of catching in this draft, which there hasn’t been in years past, and I think we had a few good ones, not just two (on day one),” Preller said. “We had mentioned pitching as a potential strength of the draft this year. The ability to go get some of the pitchers we did, left-handed pitching and catching, and get guys that our scouts liked, guys that from a makeup standpoint I know are going to help us win and help us get better at the big-league level down the road, it’s a good feeling.”

Notable final-day choices included right-hander Cole Bellinger, the brother of Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger; right-hander Jake Lyons; and outfielder Daniel Cabrera. The Padres took two players with local connections: Fresno State left-hander and Coronado High alum Fred Schlichtholz, and Madison High righty Kevin Abel.

Nabbed later in the draft, Abel (35th round) and Cabrera (26th) are highly regarded prep players with strong college commitments. Abel is an Oregon State pledge. About an hour before he was selected, Cabrera tweeted that he was “100% a (LSU) tiger.”

The Padres have the majors’ fourth-largest bonus pool ($11,839,000) and significant negotiating flexibility, though it remains to be seen if they can convince someone such as Cabrera to forgo college. Baseball America rated Cabrera and Abel as the No. 82 and No. 216 draft-eligible prospects in the country, respectively.

“Daniel Cabrera is one of our scouts’ favorite hitters in the entire draft class,” Conner said of the Parkview Baptist (La.) School outfielder. “Truthfully, the commitment to LSU’s pretty strong, but from our relationship and what we’ve scouted of him and how well we know him and knowing we believe in him, we wanted to take him in the draft and see how it all plays out. Whether it’s this year or down the road, we’ll find out.”

Cole Bellinger (15th round) starred as a two-way player for Hamilton (Ariz.) High. His older brother, whom Padres executive Logan White drafted for the Dodgers in 2013, is a leading candidate for National League Rookie of the Year.

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“Our first-year area scout James Parker did a really good job on (Cole Bellinger),” Conner said. “Cole is considered more of a position player by a lot of people in this draft. (Parker) went in and saw him pitch and really, really liked him and kind of sparked our interest.

“Logan’s ties to the family definitely helped that connection and comfort of knowing the makeup of the family and of Cole. And then between James’ work and the added work of Logan, just from the history with the family — he came to a workout and threw for us, and honestly our entire group was excited about his upside.”

Lyons, a 22nd-rounder out of Weatherford College, was ranked No. 282 in the draft class by Baseball America. Other noteworthy picks included hard-throwing right-hander Chandler Newman (11th round, Chattahoochee Valley); power-hitting third baseman Jason Pineda (17th round, James Monroe (N.Y.) High); and Baseball America’s No. 236 prospect, outfielder Christian Robinson (27th round, Viera (Fla.) High).

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First pitch: DL'd Trevor Cahill ramping up activity again Jeff Sanders

Andy Green figured Trevor Cahill’s shoulder was moving in the right direction when he spotted the right-handed pitcher swinging a bat over the weekend. That was about the time when an antsy Cahill – on the DL since May 17 – was swapping Wil Myers’, Austin Hedges’ and Clayton Richard’s game jerseys for Saturday’s replica giveaways.

“I was thinking Wil might fall for it,” Cahill said with a wry smile, “but he didn’t.”

The 29-year-old Oceanside native has since moved on to more productive endeavors.

Like Tuesday’s bullpen.

It was only about 15 pitches, all fastballs and change-ups, but it was an important first step on Cahill’s road back to the rotation. He’s expected to throw another side – full go, he said – in Milwaukee, face live hitters on the road trip and could begin a rehab assignment before the Padres return to San Diego.

“Tuesday was about as good as I could have hoped for,” said Cahill, whose initial attempt to ramp up a throwing program last month was halted by continued discomfort. “The arm felt good this time. It was coming out good. I’ll just build up and get ready to start again.”

The DL stint is the second of the season for Cahill, the most consistent of the Padres’ starters in his first year in a rotation since 2014.

A lower back strain shelved him briefly in April. While it was his shoulder that sent him to the DL the second time, Cahill doesn’t necessarily believe the return to a starter’s workload led to his injury.

“I’ve never had any shoulder or elbow problems,” said Cahill, who has already thrown 41 1/3 innings this year after tossing 65 2/3 innings last year as a reliever. “It was something I had never experienced before so I can’t put my finger on it. It’s not like I’ve pushed myself in any one start too much. I’ve felt strong. I threw over 100 (pitches) in Arizona and felt my strongest in the last inning.

“It might have been one of those things that no matter what role I was in – because I had never been on the DL to where my body has rested during the season – it might have just been my time to be beat up.”

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ON DECK | Reds (29-35) at Padres (26-40)

Game 3: 12:40 p.m. Wednesday

Reds LHP Amir Garrett (3-5, 7.40 ERA)

The 25-year-old rookie hasn’t gotten out of the third in either of his last two starts, allowed 11 runs – 10 earned – in 3 2/3 innings to the Braves and Dodgers. He hasn’t turned in a quality start since allowed two runs in six innings to the Giants on May 6.

Padres RHP Jhoulys Chacin (5-5, 5.35 ERA)

Chacin is making his third straight start at home after allowing five earned runs in 13 innings to the Rockies and Royals, upping his home ERA to 1.58. He last faced Cincinnati in 2014 (6 IP, 2 ER) and is 1-2 with a 3.10 ERA, 24 strikeouts and a 1.00 WHIP in 29 career innings against the Reds (six games, four starts).

Up next

After an off-day Thursday, the Padres will play three in Milwaukee and three in Chicago. The Brewers took three of four in San Diego last month, while the defending champion Cubs dropped all three games for the Padres’ first sweep of the season.

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Carlos Asuaje sends El Paso to win Jeff Sanders

Carlos Asuaje’s second run through the Pacific Coast League has been more rocky than rosy. Consider Wednesday’s a bright spot.

Asuaje’s three-run homer in the eighth inning broke a tie and sent Triple-A El Paso to a 9-6 win over visiting Tacoma.

Asuaje also singled and walked in a two-hit game that raised his average to .242. A year ago, the 25-year-old Asuaje hit .321/.378/.473 with nine homers and 69 RBIs as the PCL’s rookie of the year.

Jabari Blash (.265) hit his 11th homer and drove in two runs on two hits and Diego Goris (.279) also drove in two runs on two hits, include his fourth homer.

Right-hander Kevin Quackenbush (2-0, 4.22) allowed one in 1 2/3 innings in relief for the win after right-hander Bryan Rodriguez (4.89) allowed three runs in six innings in the start.

The Chihuahuas are 32-34.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (38-27)

Missions 6, Frisco 3: RHP Chris Huffman (2-0, 1.73) struck out five and allowed two runs on nine hits and two walks in six innings as the Missions’ magic number shrunk to 2. C Stephen McGee (.274) hit his third homer and drove in three runs on two hits, LF Alberth Martinez (.278) and RF Nick Torres (.240) each had two hits and 1B Noah Perio (.249) singled in two runs.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (36-30)

Lancaster 4, Storm 0: RHP Jacob Nix (1-1, 3.00) struck out three and allowed four runs – two earned – on nine hits and no walks over six innings. RF Edwin Moreno (.283) collected two of the Storm’s seven hits, all of which were singles. Rockies RHP Jon Gray started the game with four shutout innings on a rehab assignment.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (24-42)

Lake County 7, TinCaps 5: RF Jorge Ona (.300) drove in two runs on his fourth homer, CF Jack Suwinski (.207) hit his fourth homer and DH Marcus Greene Jr. (.274) went 2-for-3 with a walk and his fourth homer. LHP Will Headean (1-4, 5.92) allowed three runs

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in two innings after RHP Jim McDade (2.45) allowed four runs – one earned – in six innings in the start.

ROOKIE DSL PADRES (6-4)

D-backs 4, Padres 1: C Gilberto Vizcarra (.206) doubled and drove in a run with a two-hit day and RF Yordi Francisco (.263) went 2-for-4. RHP Moises Lugo (0.00) started the game with five shutout innings.

Also

20-year-old Luis Urias headlines five Missions selected to the Texas League All-Star Game.

Transactions

INF River Stevens was transferred from El Paso to San Antonio.

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Luis Urias starting at shortstop in Texas League All-Star Game Jeff Sanders

Luis Urias likely isn’t the shortstop of the future. He is, however, arguably best one in the Texas League.

The 20-year-old infielder not only headlines the Padres’ five representatives in the Texas League All-Star Game, he was named the South Division’s starting shortstop, a position he’s added to his resume this season. Urias will be joined by Double-A San Antonio right-handers Michael Kelly, Trey Wingenter and Eric Yardley and fellow infielder Jose Rondon in a June 27 showcase to be played in Frisco, Texas.

Last year’s Cal League MVP and Baseball America’s sixth-ranked Padres prospect to open the season, Urias is hitting .311, leads the league with 47 runs scored, is second in walks (41) and third in hits (74) and on-base percentage (.413).

Rondon is a Texas League All-Star for the second year in a row after hitting .460 with eight doubles and nine RBIs in 12 games this month. He is hitting .305 on the season.

Kelly is 6-1 with a 2.55 ERA and 75 strikeouts, good for second in the league, over 74 innings in the rotation.

Out of the bullpen, Wingenter is 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA, four saves and 30 strikeouts in 22 innings, while Yardley (3-0) also has four saves, a 2.34 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 34 2/3 innings.

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Padres rally to beat Reds, sweep series By Nathan Ruiz and Jay Paris / MLB.com | June 14th, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Since Franchy Cordero entered the Padres' system, the organization has viewed him as

an impactful hitter. He made sure the Reds see him the same way, as he paced San Diego to a sweep of

Cincinnati, hitting his first three Major League homers in the first two games before driving in the go-

ahead run in Wednesday's 4-2 victory.

After Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen issued consecutive four-pitch walks to start the seventh, Cordero

grounded a 1-1 pitch into right field, scoring Matt Szczur to give the Padres a 3-2 lead. It was the 22-

year-old's fifth RBI of the series, during which he had multiple hits in each game and slashed

.500/.500/1.214.

"I think it was a great series," Cordero said through a team interpreter. "I think everything was going well.

I think the biggest thing is just to keep working hard so that I can repeat it for the next one."

The Padres added an insurance run in the frame when Hunter Renfroe hit an RBI groundout with the

bases loaded. Renfroe tied the game the inning before when he crushed a two-run home run off left-

hander Amir Garrett.

"I made a mistake to Renfroe,'' Garrett said, "but stuff like that happens.''

The Reds jumped ahead on Jhoulys Chacin's second pitch, which Jose Peraza sent over the left-field

fence for his first career leadoff homer and the Reds' first of the season. Joey Votto took Chacin deep in

the fourth for his 19th home run. Besides the two long balls, Chacin was exceptional, as he often has been

at Petco Park this season. The right-hander allowed only the two runs in his seven innings to improve to

4-1 with a 1.72 ERA at home as the Padres won their third straight.

"Guys aren't quitting," Padres manager Andy Green said. "They're not laying down. They're going to

fight."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Renfroe's rookie rockets: With his team down 2-0 and Yangervis Solarte on first, Renfroe pounded a 1-

1 pitch from Garrett into Petco Park's Estrella Jalisco Landing. At 112.4 mph off the bat, it was the

second-hardest home run of his career, according to Statcast™. His 14th blast also tied the Padres' record

for home runs by a rookie before the All-Star break, set by Nate Colbert in 1969. His 10 career home runs

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at Petco Park have traveled an average projected distance of 403.5 feet, with the latest going 433 and

ending an 0-for-17 stretch for Renfroe. Green said Renfroe will at times be overaggressive, adding his

swing is quick enough that he doesn't need to cheat on a pitch to hit a ball well.

"That's been the consistent message to him, just trust who you are," Green said. "You don't have to hit it

over the scoreboard, over the TV or over Western Metal. Just the fence counts the same. Every now and

again, he wants to hit it further than a human being's ever hit it."

Aybar-ed from scoring: With the Reds leading 1-0 in the second and Erick Aybar on first, Padres

catcher Luis Torrens laced a double to left-center. With Aybar racing around the bases as the tying run,

center fielder Arismendy Alcantara tracked the ball in the gap and fired toward the infield. Second

baseman Scooter Gennett, serving as the cutoff man, quickly threw home, where Tucker

Barnhart waited. With Barnhart blocking his path to the plate, Aybar attempted to slide around the Reds'

catcher. When he did so, he failed to touch home plate and was called out. Green challenged the call, and

after a two-minute, 36-second review, it was upheld, keeping the Padres off the board.

QUOTABLE

"I think as the year goes on, we'd love to see a greater measure of consistency, but we understand kind of

where we are in the process right now. There's going to be some young guys and some big ups and some

big downs, and the more we can level off the downs, the better team we're going to be throughout the

course of the season." -- Green, on the Padres' outlook after the sweep

"We played some good games in these six games, but, however, we lost all six and that's not a good sign.''

-- Reds manager Bryan Price, on the Reds' 0-6 West Coast road trip, which extends their road losing

streak to nine

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

The Padres swept the Reds for the first time since 2014. Even so, Cincinnati hasn't claimed a season series

against the Friars since 2012. San Diego is 19-9 against the Reds since then.

A SAVVY SIDE OF FRANCH

When Cordero attempted to bunt on the first pitch he saw from Lorenzen in the seventh, third-base coach

Glenn Hoffman called him over and delivered a simple message: "Swing." Cordero was already planning

on it.

He showed bunt without an intent to actually give himself up for the first out of the inning.

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"I was just trying to bring the infield in," Cordero said. "The thought process was try to get them in a little

bit more, and then, any ball that I hit would be able to get through."

He proved prophetic, sending the next strike he saw from Lorenzen through the right side to drive in the

game-winning run. Cordero wasn't being selfless by laying one down; he was being smart by pretending

to. Batting .339 with a 1.008 OPS in his rookie season, Cordero has left Hoffman pleased.

"He's got talent and a sweet left-handed swing," Hoffman said. "It's going to be fun to watch. Glad he's a

Padre."

WHAT'S NEXT

Reds: RHP Tim Adleman kicks off a brief three-game homestand against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with

first pitch on Friday night at 7:10 p.m. ET at Great American Ball Park. Adleman has produced three

quality starts in his last four outings, going 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA. Against the Dodgers, Adelman has won

his only decision in two starts. He surrendered three runs (two earned) and five hits over five innings in

the Reds' 9-7 loss to the Dodgers on Sunday.

Padres: The Padres will send rookie right-hander Miguel Diaz (1-1, 6.92) to the mound as they begin a

series with the Brewers at 5:10 p.m. PT Friday. Diaz's second career start will come against his first

organization, as he spent his first five professional seasons with the Brewers until San Diego took him

with the first pick of the Rule 5 Draft this offseason.

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Padres bet on youth with prep picks, arms By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | June 14th, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Every team in baseball got a bit younger via the Draft this week. The Padres went

younger than most.

San Diego's early selections skewed heavily toward high schoolers, as general manager A.J. Preller set a

club record by taking prep players with each of his first six picks.

"You're trying to draft to build a championship organization," Preller said. "You're trying to get as many

guys as you can get that you feel like can be championship performers down the road. ... Sometimes that

falls on the college ranks, sometimes that falls on the high school ranks."

Eventually, the trend turned to pitching, as the Padres took hurlers with 12 of their first 17 picks,

including eight in a row at one point. The Friars finished with 20 pitchers, five catchers and eight

infielders and outfielders apiece.

Ace in the deck?

Last year, San Diego had more picks than anyone in baseball. This Draft was less about quantity on Day 1

and more about finding a franchise-changing player with the third pick.

In selecting MacKenzie Gore, the Padres feel as though they've done exactly that.

"The group of scouts we have in there, especially some of the veteran guys, we felt like he was as talented

as any left-handed high school pitching prospect that we've seen over the course of the last 10 years,"

Preller said. "I think he stacks up pretty favorably to really anybody that we've seen."

The 18-year-old lefty is the highest Draft choice by the Padres since they selected Donavan Tate at No. 3

in 2009. Gore's high school numbers -- a 0.19 ERA and more than two strikeouts per inning -- are

downright absurd. And his accentuated leg kick has already drawn the attention of Dontrelle Willis.

"The athleticism, ease of operation, arm angle jump off the table at you," Padres scouting director Mark

Conner said. "As you start watching, the competitor comes out more and more. He's easy to fall in love

with."

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Catching on

After Gore, the Padres went with consecutive backstops to end Day 1, taking Luis Campusano-Bracero

with the 39th pick and Blake Hunt at 69. To some, the selections seemed curious, given the young

catchers -- Austin Hedges and Luis Torrens -- on the big league roster.

"You make mistakes if you sit there and try to draft for need or try to draft based on the current state of

the big league club," Preller said.

There's a nice side effect to securing Campusano-Bracero and Hunt, who are both years away from the

Majors. They'll be tasked with bringing along some young pitchers. In that regard, both catchers come

with high marks.

"We have a lot of pitching prospects, and there's a comfort that they're going to be throwing to quality

young catchers," Preller said. "I really look forward to seeing the development on both sides. With

Campusano and Hunt in particular, we're getting two guys that are quality receivers, and can handle some

pitching prospects. Those guys will grow together."

The Last Frontier

With their fifth-round pick, the Padres selected Jonny Homza from South Anchorage HS, making him the

21st Alaska high schooler ever taken in the Draft. Only one of those selections went on to play in the big

leagues -- left-hander Chad Bentz, who made 40 appearances for the Expos and Marlins in 2004-05.

The high school season in Alaska is predictably short, and typically prospects from the state are raw and

unproven. Preller indicated that wasn't the case with Homza, who played with the Langley Blaze, a club

that toured Arizona this year, and competed against pro competition on Spring Training back fields.

Homza, who is committed to Hawaii, hit .560 with an OPS north of .700 this season. He took home a

second consecutive state player of the year award.

"I'm excited to see the change from being outside maybe five months to being able to play year-round,"

said Taylor Nerland, Homza's high school coach. "We're in a corner of the United States that doesn't get

much recognition. We tell all our guys that if you're good enough, someone is going to find you."

Day 3 roundup

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Among the Padres' 30 selections on Day 3, the most notable was arguably 15th-rounder Cole Bellinger,

brother of Dodgers rookie first baseman Cody Bellinger and fresh off a state championship title at

Hamilton High in Chandler, Arizona. Unlike his brother, Cole throws right-handed and projects as a

pitcher.

One round earlier, the Friars selected Vijay Miller, from East Mississippi Junior College. Along with his

3.97 ERA and 10.4 K/9, Miller passed for 599 yards and six touchdowns as a quarterback on the football

team, which is featured in the Netflix series "Last Chance U."

Talent-wise, the most intriguing of Wednesday's selections is 28th-round center fielder Daniel

Cabrera out of Parkview Baptist High in Louisiana. Cabrera, the Draft's 55th-ranked prospect

by MLBPipeline, is expected to follow through on his commitment to LSU -- hence his freefall into the

latter rounds. If the Padres can sign Cabrera, it'd be an impressive Day 3 coup.

"Daniel Cabrera is one of our scouts' favorite hitters in the entire Draft class," Conner said. "Truthfully,

his commitment to LSU is pretty strong. ... We wanted to take him and see how it all plays out."

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Padres draft rookie Bellinger's brother,

Cole

San Diego selects right-hander out of Hamilton High

School in 15th round

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | June 14th, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Since his April debut, Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger has torched National

League West pitching. The Padres have taken an interesting new tack to combat the rookie slugger.

They drafted his younger brother.

With their 15th-round selection on Wednesday, the Friars selected Cole Bellinger, fresh off his state title

with Hamilton High School in Chandler, Ariz. Cole, a right-handed pitcher, possesses a starkly different

skill set from his older brother, a left-handed hitting first baseman.

Once Cole saw his name pop up on MLB.com's Draft tracker, it didn't take long for his mind to wander

toward the possibility of pitching in the same division as his brother.

"That would be awesome," said Cole. "If everything goes right and someday I sign and make it to the big

leagues and get to pitch to my brother, that would be the coolest experience of my life."

As Cole tells it, the two brothers -- with a four-year age gap -- played plenty of Wiffle ball growing up.

But they've only actually squared off once on an actual baseball field.

It was two years ago during Hamilton High School's alumni game. Cole threw a first-pitch fastball; Cody

lined a single.

"I took it easy," Cody quipped.

The next time they square off could very well come on a Major League field as division rivals.

"It would be awesome," said Cody. "It's a long road, and he knows that. The rest of our family knows that.

But I'm excited for him to start."

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First, Cole -- whose father Clay played four big league seasons with the Yankees and Angels -- would

need to sign with San Diego. He's currently committed to Grand Canyon University.

"I'm just waiting to talk with the Padres and my family, see what we want to do," Cole said. "Obviously,

it's ultimately my decision. But [having a baseball family] makes that a lot easier."

The two brothers were drafted by current Padres executive Logan White, who served as Dodgers scouting

director when Cody was taken in 2013.

Cole also played second base in high school, but he's unquestionably a pitcher in the long term. He

possesses a four-pitch mix with a fastball, curveball, slider and changeup.

"He came to a workout, threw for us, and our entire group was excited about our upside," said scouting

director Mark Conner, who also praised the Bellinger family as being "wired the right way" to succeed in

the Majors.

In his senior season at Hamilton, Bellinger posted a 2.06 ERA in nine starts. He pitched four scoreless

frames in the state title game and earned the win.

Naturally, Cole credits a lot of his success to his older brother.

"He obviously helped me from a hitting standpoint," Cole said. "As far as the past couple years, being in

the Majors, he's definitely helped me realize that's what I want to do. He's talked to me about how cool it

is, but how much hard work it takes. He has, hopefully, guided me down that path."

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Diaz to face former club in first start By Nathan Ruiz / MLB.com | June 14th, 2017

Miguel Diaz's second start will come against his first organization.

The rookie right-hander, who spent 2012-16 in Milwaukee's farm system before San Diego selected him

with the first pick of the Rule 5 Draft this offseason, will start the Padres' series opener on Friday.

Milwaukee will send Junior Guerra (1-1, 2.45 ERA) to the mound for his sixth start. The right-hander

went 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two starts against San Diego last season.

Diaz pitched exclusively in relief for the Padres up until making his first Major League start Saturday

against the Royals. He pitched two scoreless innings, sitting 95-99 mph with his fastball, but lost

command in the third and exited with the bases loaded and no outs.

"I thought him in the windup was outstanding," Padres manager Andy Green said earlier this week. "I

think you saw more velo out of the windup. You saw live stuff out of the windup. Out of the stretch, he

just wasn't synced up as well."

Diaz had a 10.67 ERA on May 6, but since, he's posted a 2.31 mark. At 22, Diaz needs refinement, and

the Padres know that. To Green, the most exciting park of Diaz's move to the rotation is that it affords him

a regular routine and time to work with pitching coach Darren Balsley.

"Now he's on a regimented schedule where I think we can start to see and expect some real progress in

him," Green said. "I'm excited for what he brings. Do I expect him to go five innings next time? No,

probably not, not at this point in time, but I expect him to continue to move towards that, and before this

is all said and done, I expect him to be well beyond that."

Three things to know about this game

• Diaz's 47.8-percent strike rate is the eighth-lowest for a starter in a game this season (minimum 40

pitches).

• After losing the first of a four-game series at Petco Park in mid-May, the Brewers won three straight

against the Padres to claim the series.

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• A handful of injured Padres will make the road trip with the team. Right-hander Trevor Cahill (right

shoulder) is expected to throw a bullpen session while the Padres are in Milwaukee before going on a

rehab assignment. Green hopes outfielder Manuel Margot (right calf) will also leave for a rehab

assignment at some point while the team is away from Petco Park.

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Padres to host blood drive at Petco Park

Donors to receive tickets, autographs, meal vouchers

By Bill Center / MLB.com | June 14th, 2017

There is no name attached to the quote.

There doesn't need to be. The words speak for the thousands who over the years have benefited from

donated blood.

"A grateful heart is a magnet for miracles," said an anonymous recipient. "Thank you for donating your

blood. It has given me and countless others the miracle of life."

The chance for creating more miracles comes to Petco Park on June 27 as the Padres join the San Diego

Blood Bank for the inaugural Padres Summer Blood Drive.

The link between the San Diego Blood Bank and professional sports is not new. But when a certain

football team departed, a void was created. The Padres jumped in, joining the San Diego Blood Bank in

creating a new program.

The drive will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, June 27, at Petco Park. Sycuan Casino will be a

presenting sponsor.

In addition to Padres players and alumni signing autographs, the Friar and Pad Squad will be on hand.

There will be activities for kids, including wiffle ball games.

Also on hand will be a number of patients, including children, whose lives have been saved by the

donation of blood.

"Surviving cancer at eight taught me how to make the most of any situation and to be thankful for those

around me," one recipient said. "I am so thankful for all the blood donors that helped save my life," said

another.

Donating blood is donating the gift of life. One pint of blood can save up to three lives. And about one in

seven people entering a hospital will need blood.

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The San Diego Blood Bank collects up to 100,000 units of blood annually with six donor centers and 10

bloodmobiles.

Donors at the inaugural Padres Summer Blood Drive will receive several bonus rewards including:

-- Two tickets to the Padres game on either July 24 or 25 (while supplies last).

-- VIP access to the Padres and Padres alumni autograph booths.

-- A free event-day ballpark meal voucher.

Plus, free parking in the Lexus Premier Lot to the east of Petco Park will be available on a first-come,

first-served basis.

There are two other ways to participate in the Padres Summer Blood Drive.

Those donating blood at any San Diego Blood Bank donor center between June 20 and June 26 will

receive a voucher to join the June 27 festivities. And those donating blood at a San Diego Blood Bank

donor facility between June 27 and July 4 will receive two tickets to a future Padres game.

Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh at least 114 pounds and

in general good health.

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Padres fans deserve a round of applause

Ovations for Maton, Richard were memorable moments

By Bill Center / MLB.com | June 14th, 2017

I salute you, Padres fans.

Enjoy this one-man standing ovation. You deserve it.

Padres fans haven't had a lot to cheer about the past couple of years. But when they do see something they

respond in a way that makes me proud to be a San Diegan.

It's happened twice in the past three days.

On Sunday -- in a loss, fans rose to applaud Phil Maton as he walked off the mound after striking out one

in a perfect inning in his Major League debut. It was the perfect "Welcome to San Diego!" moment.

Then came Tuesday night, I have to admit I got a chill when Clayton Richard walked off the mound

after falling one pitch shy of the Padres first complete-game shutout in two seasons.

Those at Petco Park stood and applauded Richard. And not just for the moment. It continued until the

veteran left-hander walked down the steps of the dugout and disappeared into the night. And it wasn't just

cursory applause. It was a standing ovation.

And don't be mistaken, Padres fans. Richard heard you. He even talked about it after the game.

"It's nice to know that the fans get it," said Richard. "It's special to receive that."

Now it's my turn to salute Padres fans. Insert one of those hand-clapping emojis here. The big one.

Richard's ovation - like Maton's - was deserved for different reasons. No. 1, "Nice way to start, Phil . . .

welcome to your new home." No. 2, "That was impressive, good on you Richard."

Richard came within one pitch of throwing a complete-game shutout when Cincinnati pinch-

hitter Tucker Barnhart dropped a full-count, two-out, two-run double into right in the ninth inning. It

would have been Richard's second complete game of the season.

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Richard worked out of a two-on, none-out jam in the eighth and came within one pitch of duplicating that

performance in the ninth.

There was also applause at the start of the ninth when Richard went out to start the inning. The fans

wanted to see Richard go for the complete-game shutout. And so did Padres' manager Andy Green.

"I desperately wanted Clayton to get that last out (for the shutout)," said Green. "He's earned the right."

Honestly, I think some fans might have been applauding Green for letting Richard start the ninth.

Either, way, I'm applauding Padres fans!

NOTE WORTHY:

--I had a favorite play of the game Tuesday night; it was neither of Franchy Cordero's homers. It was a

double-play relay by Rule 5 shortstop Allen Córdoba. After touching second for the force to begin the

twin-killing, Córdoba threw sidearm to first - forcing Cincinnati baserunner Joey Votto to slide around 20

feet shy of the bag. Old school. This is the way infielders used to turn double plays. They didn't need rules

to protect their bodies at second. They dropped their arm angles, avoiding collisions at second by forcing

runners to slide early.

--I am saddened by the news that left fielder Alex Dickerson might not play this season due to recurring

lower back problems . . . plus the added news that Dickerson could be facing surgery. Dickerson has been

on the disabled list since spring training. "He's had another setback," Padres manager Andy Green said of

Dickerson Tuesday. "I'm not optimistic that he plays this year." Dickerson, who had worked out at

extended spring training, was projected to hit fourth or fifth in the Padres' order this season.

--CF Franchy Cordero hit two home runs Tuesday night, a game after hitting the first home run of his

Major League career. He was 3-for-5 with three runs scored, also marking the first time in his 16-game

Major League career that he had three hits and three runs scored in a game. Cordero is hitting .327 since

being promoted from Triple-A El Paso on May 27 as the replacement for injured CF Manuel Margot.

--LF Jose Pirela was 2-for-5 Tuesday to extend his career-long hitting streak to seven straight games. He

is 15-for-27 during the streak with multi-hit performances in six of the seven games. But he did fall under

.500 (15-for-31) since being promoted from Triple-A El Paso.

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--And 3B Cory Spangenberg had an RBI single in three at-bats Tuesday night to extend his hitting streak

to five straight games (9-for-18) with a double, two homers, three RBIs and five runs scored. He also

made a great play to end the eighth inning and keep Richard's shutout alive. Spangenberg charged a roller

by Adam Duvall, made a bare-hand pickup and threw to first to get Duvall by inches. "That was an

awesome play, a big-time play," said Richard. And by the way, Padres fans cheered that play, too.

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Padres finish 3-game sweep of Reds, 4-2 Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- Franchy Cordero and Hunter Renfroe, teammates in the Pacific Coast League last season, combined to drive in all of the San Diego Padres' runs in a 4-2, sweep-clinching victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.

Renfroe hit his 14th home run, a two-run shot that tied the score 2-2 in the sixth inning, and Cordero hit a tie-breaking single in the seventh before Renfroe's RBI groundout finished the surge.

"I know exactly what Franchy's all about, and he's done everything I expected of him since he came up," Renfroe said of his fellow rookie.

Padres starter Jhoulys Chacin (6-5) pitched seven innings, allowing five hits and two runs. Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen (3-2) inherited a 2-2 score from starter Amir Garrett and began the seventh with two walks, leading to two runs.

The Reds, who have lost their past nine road games, were swept at both Dodger Stadium and Petco Park to go 0-6 on the West Coast trip.

The left-handed hitting Cordero hit three home runs over the first two games of the series.

He had two singles in the finale. The second, a groundball to right field, scored Matt Szczur, who had drawn a leadoff walk against Lorenzen as a pinch-hitter.

The RBI single came after Cordero mistakenly attempted to bunt, causing third-base coach Glenn Hoffman to tell him to swing away.

"We made sure that he got the message that we trusted his bat," manager Andy Green said. Green said Cordero, who made his major league debut May 27 as a replacement for injured center fielder Manuel Margot, was "being selfless" when he tried to bunt, but the smarter play was to swing because Lorenzen is a strikeout pitcher.

Green said the advice to Renfroe was to be patient.

"Hunter Renfroe does not need to cheat to get to any pitch," Green said.

Renfroe hit Garrett's 88 mph fastball 429 feet into the top of the second deck to score Yangervis

Solarte and tie Nate Colbert for the most home runs by a Padres rookie before the All-Star break. Colbert went on to hit 24 home runs in that expansion season, 1969. Brandon Mauer recorded his 12th save in 14 tries after Brad Hand threw a scoreless eighth.

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The Reds rediscovered their home run prowess, getting solo shots from Jose Peraza and Joey

Votto after not adding to the team's majors-leading home run total in the series' first and second games.

Peraza hit Chacin's second pitch of the game into the left-field seats for the team's first leadoff homer of the season. For Peraza, it was his third home run.

Votto cleared the wall in right-center field for his 19th homer.

Garrett took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before Solarte singled and Renfroe blasted the lefty's 91st pitch of the afternoon.

The lefty starter, 25, brought in an ERA of 7.40.

"This was a great step," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He's a great kid, he's a great worker, everybody pulls for Amir to do well, and I think that was certainly a step in the right direction because he was throwing three pitches over the plate for strikes and he was on the attack."

HIGHLIGHT DEFENSE

Prompting applause from Garrett, three Reds defenders teamed up to nab Erick Aybar trying to score from first on Luis Torrens' second-inning double. Center fielder Arismendy Alcantara threw to second baseman Scooter Gennett, who threw to catcher Tucker Barnhart. Video review upheld the out call of plate umpire Ted Barrett.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Reds: Zack Cosart, who went into Wednesday as the leading vote-getter at shortstop for the All-Star Game, was out of the starting lineup with a quad injury for the second day in a row. He was pulled from Monday's lopsided game due to the quad.

Padres: RHP Trevor Cahill is expected to throw bullpen sessions on the upcoming trip and then begin a minor league assignment.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Tim Adelman (4-2, 4.34) on Friday will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in Cincinnati after going 2-0 with 2.08 ERA in his past four starts. Padres: RHP Miguel Diaz, who made 21 relief appearance this year, will make his second career start Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers in San Diego. In his first start, last Saturday against the Kansas City Royals, the rookie was unable to get an out in the third inning.

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Padres Finalize 2017 Draft Class Friars select 41 players overall including two San Diego natives

By Derek Togerson

The Padres finished their 2017 MLB Draft class with 30 more selections on Wednesday. Once

again the theme was strength up the middle of the diamond.

Between the 9th and 16th rounds the Friars took eight straight pitchers, three of them left-

handers and one of them a local product. In the 13th round San Diego took Fresno State left-

hander Fred Schlichtholz, a native of Coronado.

The Padres grabbed another local hurler in the 35th round when they took Madison High

School right-hander Kevin Abel, who was ranked as one of the top-200 prospects in the class

but is going to be tough to sign due to his commitment to play at Oregon State.

Overall the Padres had a clear emphasis on players who patrol the middle of the diamond. Of

their 41 selections, nearly 75% are pitchers, catchers, shortstops or centerfielders and several

others have the potential to convert into catchers.

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Padres Complete Sweep of Reds San Diego takes three from Cincinnati, finishes winning homestand

By Derek Togerson

When Hunter Renfroe hits a baseball hard he hits it REALLY REALLY hard.

The Padres rookie demolished his 14th homer of the season in a 4-2 win over the Reds on

Wednesday at Petco Park. Renfroe’s shot came in the 6th inning against Cincinnati starter

Amir Garrett. Renfroe’s 14 homers before the All-Star break matches the San Diego franchise

record for pre-break homers by a rookie, set by Nate Colbert all the way back in 1969.

Renfroe was not the only rookie that made an impact. Franchy Cordero continued to show he

can be an impact big leaguer.

In the 7th inning Cordero snapped a 2-2 tie with an RBI single to right-center then took 2nd

base on the throw, showing off impressive speed. Renfroe followed with an RBI groundout to

put San Diego up 4-2.

That was enough to get Jhoulys Chacin another win at home. Chacin allowed two runs, both

on solo homers, in 7.0 innings to get the win.

The Padres swept Cincinnati, their second sweep in the last three series at Petco Park, to finish

a 4-2 homestand. The Friars get a day off then hit the road to start a weekend set in

Milwaukee against the Brewers on Friday.

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Bloodlines a factor for pair of Padres draft picks Dennis Lin

Later this month, a collection of young men, some just weeks removed from their senior proms, will embark on their professional baseball careers. They will visit unfamiliar locales, adopt rigorous routines and play inside mostly empty stadiums.

For many, the adjustment will be jarring. For a select few, it could be relatively smooth.

On Wednesday, the Padres completed their latest draft. Among the 41 selections were two with pro pedigree: catcher Luis Campusano-Bracero, taken in the second round, and right-hander Cole Bellinger, plucked in the 15th.

Campusano, from Cross Creek High in Georgia, has a father who played the game. Genaro Campusano spent four seasons in the minors, first in the Pirates’ organization, then with the Rangers.

Hamilton (Ariz.) High’s Bellinger has a father who played the game, and a brother who is a leading Rookie of the Year candidate. Eighteen years after Clay Bellinger debuted as a utility man with the Yankees, rookie first baseman Cody Bellinger is launching majestic home runs for the Dodgers.

When drafting the pair, the Padres took bloodlines into account. It is a term often used by Director of Player Personnel Logan White, who employed a family-tree strategy during his time as the Dodgers’ scouting director. More than a few of White’s draft picks had siblings or fathers who came before them. (Besides Cody Bellinger, examples include Corey Seager, Joc Pederson and Preston Mattingly.)

“Logan talks about it all the time,” Padres General Manager A.J. Preller said. “You’re just constantly looking for guys where there’s that tie to the game. … It doesn’t necessarily guarantee anything. Obviously, there’s tons of great players (whose) parents never played baseball or haven’t been around it. But when you look at the number of kids that come out of baseball families that continue playing the game, it’s something that we factor in.”

While newer to catching than some of his peers, Luis Campusano emerged as the top-rated backstop in his draft class. Cole Bellinger is less heralded than his older brother, but his potential on the mound intrigued the Padres. Familial connections for both draftees should only help.

“This is what we believe,” said Scouting Director Mark Conner, who selected Cal Quantrill, son of former big-leaguer Paul Quantrill, eighth overall last June. “It helps them be wired in the right way. They’re wired to play baseball. They’ve lived it, they’ve been around it, they’ve seen it, they understand the environment. And a lot of the kids that haven’t been around that are coming to an environment they’ve never seen. So there’s a lot more comfort, there’s an understanding of how to do things from a maturity standpoint, just a physical standpoint.”

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“Even if it’s a small separator, you’re looking at two different guys,” Preller added. “A guy that maybe it’s a shock what’s going to happen when they sign here in a couple weeks, playing baseball as a profession. And somebody that it’s just kind of a way of life and something they’ve been around.”

As Campusano put it, “It’s pretty nice to have a father who played professional baseball, teaching you what to expect.”

Double team If Campusano and Bellinger sign professional contracts in the near future, they likely will be assigned to the Arizona Rookie League, a common destination for recently drafted high school and college players. To which roster remains to be seen.

After a mass influx of lower-level talent last summer, the Padres decided to begin fielding two AZL teams in 2017. San Diego is the only franchise with two affiliates in the league this season.

With more players about to enter the organization, the additional roster space should prove beneficial.

“You’re trying to create an atmosphere where young players can really develop, and you’re trying to create an atmosphere for your scouts where they’re being aggressive and guys are going to get opportunity,” Preller said. “Sometimes you start stacking guys on top of each other and it really slows down their development curve because they just don’t get as much opportunity.

“Credit to ownership to want to put in for the extra team and add to the expense, knowing that that’s going to help the development for those guys.”

The “AZL Padres 2” team’s opener is June 24. The “AZL Padres” will play their first game the next day.