Padres minors: Kash Mayfield's gains, three homers for Jake Cunningham
Kash Mayfield didn't get all the way back on track on Friday. He did get his season pointed in the right direction again, which had been among the best starts of the season for Padres pitching prospects.
The 21-year-old left-hander allowed three solo homers in high Single-A Fort Wayne's 11-8 loss to visiting Lake County. He struck out four and surrendered seven hits and two walks over five innings in what was still a rebound outing.
Last time out, Mayfield, the Padres' first-round pick in 2024, allowed six runs in one-third of an inning as his ERA ballooned from 1.30 to 2.93. It's sitting at 3.15 through 10 starts (40 IP) as he's struck out 47 against 18 walks and has held hitters to an .162 batting average to start his second full season in pro ball.
Last year, Mayfield posted a 2.97 ERA over 60⅔ innings at low Single-A Lake Elsinore. He struck out 88 and held hitters to a .207 batting average.
The Padres have just two players in MLB.com's top-100 prospects - catcher Ethan Salas (50) and left-hander Kruz Schoolcraft (89) - and only Salas (11) in Baseball America's top-100, but Mayfield had been trending toward inclusion following the gains he's made.
The 6-foot-4 pitcher is at 209 pounds, up from 194 at his signing, has been up to 96 mph and is averaging 91.2 mph with his fastball, up from 90.9 mph last year.
Adding velocity had been a point of emphasis for Mayfield following his first full season.
"He's 21; he's still growing," Padres assistant farm director Mike Daly said. "It's hard to think he wouldn't end up throwing harder given his work ethic and how much he's already improved. He'll continue to trend in that direction."
Jake Cunningham's power surge
Two minor league free agent additions are tied for the team lead in home runs.
Jake Cunningham blasted three home runs in the TinCaps' loss on Friday, giving him 13 on the season, tied with the recently promoted Jase Bowen for the most in the Padres system.
The Orioles' fifth-round pick out of Charlotte in 2023, the 23-year-old Cunningham was released in January before the start of spring training and promptly signed with the Padres. He has yet to play above A ball, but is vying for a Double-A promotion after hitting .300/.384/.627 through 44 games to start the year with Fort Wayne.
The 13 homers are nine more than he had in any season and three home runs on Friday matched last season's total at Aberdeen, where he hit .206/.295/.303 in 76 games.
Friday's scoreboard
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (25-36)
Sugar Land 9, Chihuahuas 6: LHP JP Sears (4-2, 7.62 ERA) struck out five but allowed seven runs in 3⅔ innings in the loss. RHP Ty Adcock (54.00 ERA) allowed two runs in one-third of an inning in his El Paso debut. 1B Marcos Castañon (.863 OPS) went 1-for-5 with a double and an RBI. 3B Clay Dungan (.734 OPS) and DH Nick Solak (.939 OPS) both had two hits.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (23-32)
Missions 2, Wichita 0: RHP Miguel Mendez (2-1, 3.90 ERA) struck out four and allowed two hits and two walks over five shutout innings in the win. DH Romeo Sanabria (.746 OPS) went 1-for-4 with an RBI. CF Carson Tucker (.720 OPS) went 1-for-3 with two walks and a run scored. RF Braedon Karpathios (.719 OPS) and SS Francisco Acuña (.625 OPS) both had two hits.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (24-31)
Lake County 11, TinCaps 8: Cunningham (1.011 OPS) drove in six runs on his three homers. LF Justin DeCriscio (.803 OPS) went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. 1B Jack Costello (.787 OPS) went 1-for-4 with a triple. The TinCaps had a lead until RHP Clay Edmondson (1.59 ERA) allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning to blow his second save.
LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (32-23)
Storm 9, Fresno 4: LHP Kruz Schoolcraft (1-2, 6.98 ERA) earned the first win of his career on Friday, allowing one run over a career-high five innings. He struck out three, did not walk a batter and allowed four hits. 1B Kerrington Cross (1.064 OPS) went 2-for-4 with his eighth homer, a double and two RBIs. 2B Jose Verdugo (.750 OPS) went 2-for-4 with his third homer and two RBIs. CF Ryan Wideman (.897 OPS) went 3-for-5 with his sixth triple, two RBIs and two runs scored.
ROOKIE ACL PADRES (12-13)
Royals 3, Padres 2: RHP Lan-Hong Su (0.90 ERA) struck out five over three no-hit innings after an opener. 2B Luis De Leon (.693 OPS) went 2-for-4 and swiped his eighth base. 1B Colton Vincent (1.625 OPS) went 2-for-4 with an RBI. LF Cardell Thibodeaux (.713 OPS), SS Santiago Vargas (.877 OPS) and RF Santiago Contreras (.691 OPS) each had a double.
ROOKIE DSL BROWN (1-3)
Padres 13, Athletics 11 (7): SS Ronnier Heras (.777 OPS) drove in three runs on three hits. 3B Yonaiker Hernandez (.650 OPS) and LF Endy Rios (.774 OPS) both drove in two runs on two hits. Rios tripled.
ROOKIE DSL GOLD (2-2)
Padres 11, Braves 6: RHP Josias Figuereo (4.15 ERA) struck out eight while allowing two runs in four innings. LF Eddson Martinez (1.436 OPS) went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, two walks and two runs scored. 1B Abraham Bastidas (1.609 OPS) went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, a walk and two runs scored.
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 5:16 AM.