San Diego Padres prospect watch: Eguy Rosario

Eguy Rosario playing for the San Diego Padres during 2021 spring training in Arizona. - photo by Joe Alexander
Eguy Rosario playing for the San Diego Padres during 2021 spring training in Peoria, Arizona.
Eguy Rosario is the No. 18 ranked prospect in the San Diego Padres organization, according to MLB.com.

The 21-year-old infielder from the Dominican Republic was in the the Padres’ 2021 big league spring training camp as a non-roster invitee. He batted .219 with two home runs in 22 spring training games.

Rosario saw limited action with the San Antonio Missions in 2018, playing in three games in the Double-A Texas League. He spent most of 2018 in the Class-A Cal League and batted .239 with nine home runs in 121 games.

Rosario played in the Class-A Cal League again in 2019, batting .278 with seven home runs, eight triples and 25 doubles in 122 games.

San Diego Padres prospect watch: CJ Abrams

San Diego Padres infield prospect CJ Abrams playing at a 2021 spring training game in Arizona. - photo by Joe Alexander
San Diego Padres infield prospect CJ Abrams playing at a 2021 spring training game in Arizona.
CJ Abrams spent the spring of 2019 as the top high school baseball player in the state of Georgia.

Two years later he is coming off a strong showing in the San Diego Padres’ big league spring training.

Abrams appeared in 25 spring training games and batted .240 with two home runs, one double and one triple. He is listed as a shortstop. He played both middle infield positions at Blessed Trinity High School in Alpharetta, Ga.

Just 20 years old, the 6-foot-2 Abrams bats left and throws right.

The Padres drafted Abrams in the first round, No. 6 overall, in the 2019 draft. He made a big impression in his first summer as a pro, earning 2019 MVP honors in the rookie Arizona League. He batted .401 with three home runs, eight triples, 12 doubles and 14 stolen bases in 32 games. He also played two games in Class A that summer.

Like other players in the minors, Abrams doesn’t have any stats to show for the 2020 covid season. He still got to work with the Padres last summer at the team’s alternate site as part of their 60-man player pool.

Abrams is the No. 2 prospect in the San Diego Padres organization, according to recent rankings by MLB.com.

The Padres are expected to officially announce their opening day roster Wednesday. Here is a projected roster that was published Monday:
Possible opening day roster: By AJ Cassavell on MLB.com

Abrams is not listed on there. If that holds up, he would start the season in the minors or on the Padres’ pool of players at their alternate site.

Missions baseball alumni update: Travis Shaw

The Brewers' Travis Shaw (21) celebrates after hitting a home run during a 2021 spring training game on March 24 in Phoenix. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Brewers’ Travis Shaw (21) celebrates after hitting a home run during a 2021 spring training game on March 24 in Phoenix. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Milwaukee Brewers sent Travis Shaw down to the Triple-A San Antonio Missions in 2019 when he went through a hitting slump.

Shaw spent 42 games with the Missions and batted .285 with 12 home runs.

The Brewers and Shaw parted ways after that season. He spent 2020 with the Toronto Blue Jays, batting .239 in 50 games.

Shaw is back with the Brewers in spring training this year. He played in 17 spring games and is projected to be the Brewers’ main third baseman when the season opens on Thursday.

The 6-foot-4 Shaw bats left-handed and throws right-handed. He has hit 105 career home runs in six seasons the majors. He spent three seasons with the Brewers and hit 31 home runs in 2017 and 32 home runs in 2018.

Travis Shaw had one hit and played third base for the Missions on Monday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Travis Shaw batting for the San Antonio Missions during the 2019 season.

San Diego Padres prospect watch: Luis Campusano

San Diego Padres catcher prospect Luis Campusano playing in a 2021 spring training game in Arizona. - photo by Joe Alexander
San Diego Padres catcher prospect Luis Campusano playing in a 2021 spring training game in Peoria, Arizona.
Luis Campusano is the No. 3 prospect in the San Diego Padres organization, according to MLB.com ratings.

His strong showing in spring training combined with the Padres’ need for another catcher due to an injury means Campusano will start the season in the majors. Multiple media reports from San Diego indicated Campusano was told today that he will be on the Padres’ opening day roster. He batted .279 in 20 games in the Padres’ 2021 spring training big league camp.

Campusano has played in only one major league game, having made his debut in the bigs last year in the covid-shortened 2020 season, and has never played in Double-A or Triple-A.

The 5-foot-11 catcher from Augusta, Georgia was drafted in the second round by the Padres in 2017. He spent that summer in rookie league, followed by Single-A ball in 2018 and 2019. He batted .325 with 15 home runs in 110 games in 2019.

His fast progression allowed him to jump over Double-A, meaning San Antonio Missions fans probably won’t ever get a chance to see him in person at Wolff Stadium.

Missions baseball alumni update: Miguel Sanchez

Miguel Sanchez of the 2019 San Antonio Missions pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers during 2021 spring training in Phoenix. - photo by Joe Alexander
Miguel Sanchez of the 2019 San Antonio Missions pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers during 2021 spring training in Phoenix.
Miguel Sanchez has pitched in 124 minor league games in four seasons in the United States, including 40 games for the San Antonio Missions during the 2019 Triple-A Pacific Coast League season.

Sanchez made five starts and 35 relief appearances in 2019. He had a 4-5 record with one save and a 4.35 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 60.0 innings pitched.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander from the Dominican Republic has not pitched in a major league game.

Sanchez pitched in 17 games in 2019-20 in the Dominican Winter League for the champion Toros del Este.

Sanchez was in the Brewers’ 2021 spring training big league camp. He has pitched in eight games this spring, all in relief, with an 0-1 record and a 4.70 ERA.

He was assigned to the Brewers’ minor league camp on March 12.

Miguel Sanchez pitching for the Missions at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Miguel Sanchez pitching for the Missions at Wolff Stadium during the 2019 season.

Missions baseball alumni update: Corey Ray

Corey Ray playing for the Milwaukee Brewers during a 2021 spring training game in Phoenix. - photo by Joe Alexander
Corey Ray playing for the Milwaukee Brewers during a 2021 spring training game in Phoenix.
Corey Ray played in 53 games for the 2019 San Antonio Missions, roaming center field when he was healthy.

Ray batted .188 with seven home runs in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He also saw action in 11 games in Double-A and 5 games in Rookie League as he worked his way back from injury.

The 6-foot, left-handed hitting Ray was part of the Milwaukee Brewers’ alternate site last summer during the covid-shortened season. Like other minor league players, he didn’t see any game action in 2020.

A first-round draft pick by the Brewers in 2016, Ray was invited to Milwaukee’s 2021 big league spring training. He has played in 18 games this spring and batted .200.

The Brewers optioned Ray to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds on March 12.

San Antonio Missions center fielder Corey Ray playing against the New Orleans Baby Cakes on Tuesday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Corey Ray playing for the Missions at Wolff Stadium during the 2019 season.

Missions baseball alumni update: Troy Stokes Jr.

The Missions' Troy Stokes Jr. receives his Gold Glove award Thursday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Troy Stokes Jr. receives his Double-A Gold Glove award for the 2018 season during a 2019 Missions game at Wolff Stadium.
Troy Stokes Jr. played 95 games in the outfield for the 2019 San Antonio Missions. Stokes hit .233 with nine home runs and 22 doubles.

Stokes is in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He was a non-roster invitee to 2021 big league spring training. Media reports indicate he made a good impression and will start the season in Triple-A with a chance to move up over the summer.

The Detroit Tigers claimed Stokes on Sept. 3, 2019, two days after the Milwaukee Brewers designated him for assignment.

The Pirates claimed Stokes on Jan. 21, 2021, a week after the Tigers designated him for assignment.

The Missions' Troy Stokes Jr. tracks down a fly ball in left field on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Troy Stokes Jr. playing in the outfield for the 2019 Missions.

Missions baseball alumni update: Jacob Nottingham

Former San Antonio Missions catcher Jacob Nottingham playing for the Milwaukee Brewers in spring training in Phoenix on March 24, 2021. - photo by Joe Alexander
Former San Antonio Missions catcher Jacob Nottingham playing for the Milwaukee Brewers in spring training in Phoenix on March 24, 2021.
Jacob Nottingham played in 83 games for the San Antonio Missions in 2019, mostly at catcher. He batted .231 with five home runs in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

Nottingham played in nine games for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2019. He played in 20 games for the Brewers last season and hit four home runs.

Nottingham had thumb surgery in the offseason. He has had some at-bats in spring training but hasn’t caught any games yet. He is expected to open the season on the injured list, according to reports from Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.

San Antonio Missions and Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jacob Nottingham playing for San Antonio this season at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions catcher Jacob Nottingham snares a pop-up at Wolff Stadium during the 2019 season.

San Diego Padres assign pitchers to Missions

The San Antonio Missions’ 2021 pitching staff is starting to take shape.

The San Diego Padres assigned pitcher Anderson Espinoza to the Missions on March 24.

The Padres assigned pitchers Reggie Lawson and Jordan Humphreys to the Missions on March 16.

– Espinoza pitched in one game for the Padres last summer, going one inning for his only major league experience. The 6-foot right-hander from Venezuela pitched in the minors at the rookie league and Single-A level in 2015 and 2016. He had Tommy John surgery in the summer of 2017.

– Lawson pitched in two games in relief for the Padres last season. The 6-4 right-hander pitched in six games, all starts, for Amarillo in the Texas League in 2019. He had a 3-1 record with a 5.20 ERA

– Humpreys was picked up by the Padres earlier this month after the San Francisco Giants designated him for assignment. The 6-2 right-hander pitched in 33 games in the minors in 2015-17 and missed the 2018 season due to injury. He pitched in two games in 2019.

The Missions will play this season in the Double-A Central League – basically the old Texas League, where the Missions have played throughout much of franchise history.

Missions baseball alumni update: Tyrone Taylor

Former San Antonio Missions outfielder Tyrone Taylor playing for the Milwaukee Brewers in a 2021 spring training game in Arizona. - photo by Joe Alexander
Former Missions outfielder Tyrone Taylor playing for the Brewers in a 2021 spring training game in Phoenix.
Tyrone Taylor looked like he would be a mainstay in the outfield for the San Antonio Missions when the 2019 season opened.

Instead, injuries limited Taylor to 92 games. He still hit 14 home runs and batted .269 during the Missions’ only season in Triple A.

Taylor showed enough for the Milwaukee Brewers to call him up to the majors on Sept. 7, 2019. He played in 15 games for the Brewers late in the season.

In the covid-shortened 2020 season, Taylor played in 22 game for the Brewers and hit his first two major league home runs and batted .237.

A second-round draft pick by the Brewers in 2012, Taylor has played in 19 games so far in 2021 spring training in Arizona and hit .293 with two home runs.

During Saturday’s spring training game, Taylor was playing right field and was involved in a collision with first baseman Dustin Peterson while chasing a fly ball. Early indications were that Taylor was not seriously injured.

Projections are that Taylor could start the season in Triple A and join the Brewers later in the season. He is on the Brewers’ 40-man roster and still is a possibility to make the Brewers’ opening day roster.

Brewers transactions at MLB.com

The San Antonio Missions' Tyrone Tyrone Taylor hits his 13th home run of the 2019 season at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions outfielder Tyrone Tyrone Taylor hits his 13th home run of the 2019 season at Wolff Stadium.