Now that the Lake Elsinore Storm made it through Thunder-gate, the retiring, then un-retiring of their beloved mascot, the front office finally put the “media” back into Media Day last week. On Wednesday, April 6, members of the media were granted access to the Diamond in Lake Elsinore where they were allowed to follow players going through the pictures and video aspects of their day.
For those following the San Diego Padres, Lake Elsinore is home to their Low-A affiliate and will be opening the 2022 season with the organization’s top two picks from the 2021 draft. Shortstop Jackson Merrill and outfielder James Wood highlight a roster that features 10 returning players and three of the Padres’ preseason top 20 prospects.
Mexicali native Gilberto Vizcarra figures to get the bulk of playing time behind the dish and Merrill, the 27th overall pick in last year’s draft, will definitely be the one to watch in the infield as the everyday shortstop.
Max Ferguson is a versatile speedster who will see time at second base but can play every position except catcher. He played with Lake Elsinore at the end of last season, seeing most of the time in center field. USC star Matthew Acosta returns for a second stint with the Storm and should see time at first base and in the outfield.
Rising Star James Wood, who was drafted in the second-round last year out of the athletically prestigious IMG Academy in Florida, will patrol centerfield most days, but there will likely be a lot of mixing and matching on the corner spots. Outfielder Pierce Jones got a late-season promotion to Lake Elsinore in 2021 and ended the season with a bang, connecting on a homer in the season’s final game. Justin Farmer, an undrafted free agent from Florida International, should see some time in the outfield as well. In 53 plate appearances, Farmer hit .302/.415/.581 with the Arizona Coast League Padres adding three homers.
According to Kevin Charity, who has written for ‘MadFriars’ since 2015 and has had work featured on Fox Sports San Diego, “the Storm aren’t loaded by any means, but they have a few players worth the pilgrimage to southwest Riverside County.”
How about the pitching? Well, after two years disrupted by COVID, coaches are anticipating that starting pitchers in the low minors will have more traditional workloads this year.
It is definitely a different time in COVID with player development,” Mark Connor, Padres Minor League Field Coordinator, told the media. “Every pitcher in our system will be overseen a little bit differently; particularly because you are dealing with college, high school and international players. Everyone that is going out is going out with the intention to pitch and as the season goes on, we will monitor it and keep a close eye on where they are at physically and with arm health.”
The starting staff should be led by 18-year-old RHP Victor Lizarraga, the San Diego-born hurler who was signed out of Mexico as part of the January 2021 international class. Kobe Robinson should come out of the bullpen. Robinson was drafted in the 13th round last year and features a fastball that reached 99 mph while he pitched in the MLB Draft League. Mason Feole, who had Tommy John surgery shortly after being drafted in 2019, when the Padres selected him in the 11th round out of the University of Connecticut, is another big arm out of the bullpen.
“I think that we are looking pretty solid,” RHP Brandon Heiss said at Storm media day. “We have some guys that are returning, we have a lot of speed out there, guys that can swing it and our bullpen is pretty stacked. The older guys are teaching the younger guys what they need to do and what they can expect and what they need to work on.”
Heiss signed with the Padres last year as an undrafted free agent out of Florida Gulf Coast. He will slot into the bullpen as well. Garrett Hawkins was the Padres’ ninth-rounder last year after starring for Trenton in the MLB Draft League and will also see time in relief. In 24 innings, the big righty from British Columbia had a 32:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In 15.1 innings last season, Hawkins blew away the competition, striking out 27 while walking just two.
2022 projected lineup
C: Gilberto Vizcarra
1B: Matt Acosta
2B: Max Ferguson
SS Jackson Merrill
3B: Kervin Pichardo
LF: Pierce Jones
CF: James Wood
RF: Justin Farmer
DH: Carlos Luis
SP: RHP Jairo Iriarte
SP: RHP Victor Lizarraga
SP: RHP Garrett Hawkins
SP: LHP Jesus Gonzalez
RHRP: Kobe Robinson
LHRP: Mason Feole
Lake Elsinore opened up on the road Friday, April 8, with a 10-0 win against the 66ers at San Manuel Stadium in San Bernardino. Currently at 1-2 on the season, their opening home stand against the Visalia Rawhide begins Tuesday, April 12. Visit www.stormbaseball.com for season tickets or contact the Lake Elsinore Storm at 951-245-4487 for more information. Kevin Charity’s ‘MadFriars’ article was used for contributing information to this article.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
