Padres minors: Ryan Wideman off and running with Storm; Kale Fountain lands on injured list
LAKE ELSINORE - The son of an overseas basketball pro, Ryan Wideman was a taller kid long before he was called up to his high school's varsity team as a 6-foot-2 sophomore. He didn't put a ball over the wall until his senior year, but the power that Wideman grew into as a collegian hasn't at all taken away from his No. 1 tool:
His wheels.
The 22-year-old center fielder swiped a career-high four bases in yet another busy day in low Single-A Lake Elsinore's 13-6 win over visiting Visalia on Thursday. Wideman went 2-for-3 with a double and two walks to lift his batting line to .319/.419/.569 through 18 games to start his first full year of pro ball.
Wideman's four steals pushed his total to 12. He's also been caught four times, something that he's especially mindful of even while setting his sights on 60 bags this season.
"I don't want to be running to the point where it's like I'm getting caught all the time," said Wideman, adding that he wants his success rate above 80%. "I just have to steal at the right time and make the right decisions."
Wideman's decisions so far have been on point.
He parlayed two successful years in junior college at Georgia Highlands (22 homers, 54 steals, 115 games) into an opportunity to play NCAA Division I ball every day at Western Kentucky. The goal that he told coaches on his visit was to have his junior season get him into pro ball.
Wideman went on to pair 10 homers and 45 steals with a .398/.466/1.118 batting line to land on the Padres' radar. He ultimately signed for $650,000 as a third-round pick with plus speed and intriguing raw power as a potential five-tool center fielder.
He didn't hit any home runs in a 26-game run with the Storm after the draft, but he's up to three to start the year in the California League, including two on Tuesday.
One was, of course, an inside-the-park job. The other was off the batter's eye at The Diamond.
"I'm starting to learn to hit home runs," Wideman said. "I've always been a doubles guy - line drives to the gaps. I'm still trying to do that … but (Tuesday) I got one up in the air, back spun. So just trying to stay gap-to-gap and hope that some leave sometimes."
Admittedly under recruited as a hitter who was more instinctual than mechanically sound, Wideman expects the routine of pro ball to whip his swing into shape.
Still a lanky kid at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he found somewhat of a comp as a mentoring voice when Wil Myers stopped by the fall instructional league last offseason. The former Padre outfielder turned special assignment coach was in Wideman's ear this week in Lake Elsinore speaking about his strengths as a former All-Star and AL Rookie of the Year.
Look right-center and look for the hard stuff.
"It just starts on being on the fastball," Wideman said. "I believe I'm a really good off-speed hitter. … I'm confident I can do damage on those, but just learning on to get on those 98-99 mph fastball and be able to do damage with them. When my swing's locked in, I can do that."
Fountain to IL
New to the outfield this year, Kale Fountain has been placed on Lake Elsinore's seven-day injured list with a shoulder injury after a run-in with a wall.
Fountain, 20, was hitting .182/.286/.327 with two homers in 14 games.
A fifth-round pick in 2024, Fountain is ranked No. 10 in the Padres system by MLB.com.
Thursday's scoreboard
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (11-13)
Chihuahuas 8, Reno 5: LHP JP Sears (2-1, 7.15 ERA) allowed four runs in six innings in the win. LHP Yuki Matsui (4.70 ERA) struck out two and allowed a run in an inning in continuing his rehab assignment. RF Jase Bowen (1.015 OPS) went 2-for-5 with his sixth homer. DH Samad Taylor (.907 OPS) went 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. 1B Jose Miranda (.826 OPS) and SS Mason McCoy (.778 OPS) both drove in two runs. McCoy doubled.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (5-13)
Amarillo 7, Missions 5: RHP Miguel Mendez (3.68 ERA) allowed four runs in two innings in the start. DH Leandro Cedeno (1.022 OPS) went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, an RBI and two runs scored. CF Braedon Karpathios (.551 OPS) went 1-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a walk. C Ethan Salas (.633 OPS) and 1B Romeo Sanabria (.632 OPS) both had two hits.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (6-12)
Wisconsin 9, TinCaps 7: RHP Kleiber Olmedo (1-2, 7.59 ERA) allowed three runs in 1⅔ innings in the loss after RHP Carson Montgomery (3.00 ERA) allowed two runs in four innings in the start. C Carlos Rodriguez (.608 OPS) hit his second homer and 2B Oswaldo Linares (.610 OPS) hit his first homer.
LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (9-9)
Storm 13, Visalia 6: Beyond Wideman, the Storm collected 12 hits and seven walks. 3B Bradley Frye (1.074 OPS) went 1-for-3 with his second homer and two RBIs. LF Conner Westenburg (.932 OPS) went 2-for-4 with his 11th steal. LHP Javier Chacon (2-0, 2.08 ERA) struck out four over three hitless innings after RHP Bryan Balzer (4.50 ERA) allowed four runs in four innings in the start.
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This story was originally published April 24, 2026 at 5:16 AM.