Three of the Padres top pitching prospects were on the mound on Friday.<\/p>\n
Left-hander Kruz Schoolcraft\u2019s early struggles continued, while left-hander Kash Mayfield and right-hander Miguel Mendez continued strong starts to the season.<\/p>\n
Of that trio, Schoolcraft is the youngest. The 18-year-old was drafted 25th overall last summer, signed for $3.6 million and began his professional career over the final weekend of the 2025 season with two runs allowed over 1\u2154 innings at low Single-A Lake Elsinore.<\/p>\n
Schoolcraft has returned to the California League to start 2026 and has stumbled out of the game. He allowed six runs on four walks and four hits in an inning of work on April 3 and on Friday couldn\u2019t get out of the first inning as he walked two, allowed two hits and gave up four runs \u2014 three earned \u2014 in one-third of an inning.<\/p>\n
Schoolcraft pushes triple-digits with his fastball that also gets seven feet of extension from 6-foot-8 frame. He pairs that pitch with a changeup and a developing slider.<\/p>\n
Schoolcraft marked the second high school left-hander selected 25th overall by the Padres in as many years as the 21-year-old Mayfield was the team\u2019s first-rounder in 2024.<\/p>\n
Mayfield posted a 2.97 ERA while striking out 88 over 60\u2154 innings at Lake Elsinore last year and has carried that momentum to high Single-A Fort Wayne, where he has eight strikeouts over seven no-hit innings to start his stay in the Midwest League.<\/p>\n
Mayfield went three innings in his season debut and on Friday struck out four and walked three over four shutout innings.<\/p>\n
Mayfield signed for $3.4 million. He topped out as 97 mph as an amateur, but sat 92 mph last year. His focus this offseason was increasing his strength to get the zip back on a fastball that plays off a plus, low-80s changeup.<\/p>\n
Mendez, 23, was added to the 40-man roster last year after jumping from Lake Elsinore to Fort Wayne to Double-A San Antonio. He had an 8.06 ERA in six starts to finish the year in the Texas League, but has a 1.17 ERA through his first two starts after striking out six over four shutout innings. He scattered three hits and two walks.<\/p>\n
Mendez can also push triple-digits with his four-seamer, which he pairs with a mid-80s slider and a high-80s changeup.<\/p>\n
Schoolcraft is ranked No. 1 in the Padres system as ranked by MLB.com. Mendez is No. 3 and Mayfield is No. 4.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s scoreboard<\/p>\n
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (6-7)<\/p>\n
Chihuahuas 10, Albuquerque 8:<\/a> Marcos Casta\u00f1on (1.021 OPS) hit a pinch-hit, three-run, walk-off homer for the win. DH Sung-Mun Song (.665 OPS) went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and two walks in continuing his rehab assignment. 2B Clay Dungan (.367 OPS) went 3-for-4. CF Jase Bowen (.920 OPS) went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a walk and a run scored. RHP Griffin Canning (3.18 ERA) struck out four and allowed a run on three hits and three walks in 3\u2153 innings in the start. RHP Garrett Hawkins (1-0, 0.00 ERA) struck out a batter while recording the final four outs.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (1-6)<\/p>\n Corpus Christi 2, Missions 1:<\/a> Mendez (1.17 ERA) struck out six and allowed three hits and two walks over four shutout innings in the start. RHP Eric Yost struck out five over four scoreless innings in relief. RHP Sadrac Franco (0-1, 13.50 ERA) allowed two runs in the ninth inning. 1B Romeo Sanabria (.544 OPS) went 1-for-4 with an RBI. DH Ethan Salas (.449 OPS) went 1-for-3 with a walk.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (2-5)<\/p>\n