The San Diego Padres got three useful showings from a thin farm system on the Arizona Fall League All-Star stage, with right-hander Kannon Kemp, outfielder Alex McCoy and shortstop Justin DeCriscio all taking part in the game and holding their own, according to a followup report from Jesse Borek and Tim Cowley of MLB.com.
Kemp was asked to handle a tricky spot right away. He came in during the third inning with the bases loaded and escaped the jam after allowing what the writers described as a “loud and deep” fly ball.
He then came back for a clean fourth inning, setting down the side in order and flashing the kind of power arm that stood out in the game. The 22-year old touched 99.3 mph and finished with three strikeouts on eight swings over 1-1/3 innings.
McCoy’s weekend already included a turn in the league’s home run derby, and his game action was a mixed bag. He grounded into a double play in his first at-bat, then picked up a single in the ninth to improve his final line.
DeCriscio delivered the biggest moment for San Diego’s group. In the eighth inning, he dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt that gave the NL squad a lead it never gave back in a 7-4 win. The RBI single came off his bat at 15.1 mph, per the writers, and he later flew out to right in the ninth.
For the Padres, it was a welcome reminder that there is still some talent working through the system, even if the buzz around the farm has been limited. That excitement largely centered on catcher Ethan Salas before his promotion, and Salas’ rapid climb through the upper levels and arrival at Petco Park made his minor league season a success.
The bigger question hanging over the organization is what the new ownership group will do with the farm system moving forward. So far, the Padres have mostly worked the margins, leaning hard on prospects such as Salas while not adding much in the way of depth.
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