More zeros for Missions' Paddack

If not for Tommy John surgery that cut short his 2016 season and eliminated 2017 altogether, Chris Paddack might very well be knocking on the door to the big leagues. 
San Diego's No. 9 prospect turned in his second straight scoreless outing, allowing two hits and striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings as Double-A San Antonio defeated Corpus Christi, 1-0, on Wednesday night at Nelson Wolff Stadium.

Paddack (3-1) has won three of his four starts while posting a 1.19 ERA and a 20-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio for the Missions in his dynamic return from Tommy John surgery.

"I wouldn't necessarily say I've been surprised at my success this year," he said. "I've been very blessed to have this opportunity and to be healthy. It's very special for me to be back out there. There were a lot of days I spent going over starts like [tonight's] in my head and telling myself what I'd do. Now I'm able to go out there and execute. When I'm out there, I feel like I'm the best pitcher in the world."
Gameday box score
MLB.com's No. 95 overall prospect picked up where he left off after blanking Frisco for five innings last Thursday. Paddack opened Wednesday's outing by striking out two batters in each of his first three frames. The right-hander hit Abraham Toro in the first inning but did not allow a hit until Taylor Jones doubled with two outs in the fourth. Alex De Goti singled for the Hooks' second hit in the fifth, but he was erased trying to steal second by Missions catcher Austin Allen, the No. 28 Padres prospect. 
Paddack fanned Lorenzo Quintana for the final out in the fifth and retired Anibal Sierra and Chas McCormick to begin the sixth before exited the game. The 22-year-old tossed 57 of his season-high 85 pitches for strikes. Of the 79 batters Paddack has faced through four Texas League starts, only 12 have reached safely. The opposition is batting .096 against him in 73 at-bats.
"Having the confidence in the guys behind me plays such a big part," Paddack said. "The talent we have in this entire organization is so special, so to have that trust and confidence is something I can lean on. But honestly, it all goes back to Allen. He calls a great game back there and we've been on the same page since the first pitch. That's exactly what you want from a catcher."
Selected in the eighth round of the 2015 Draft by the Marlins, Paddack was dealt to the Padres in the Fernando Rodney trade in 2016. He made three starts for Class A Fort Wayne after the deal, but was shut down and underwent Tommy John surgery. That cost him all of the 2017 season.
"There were some days I let negative thoughts creep in," Paddack said. "But it was just one of those things. I told myself that I'd come out, get better and take advantage of the time off. It also helped having other [rehabbing] players around. That helped me stay positive and stay focused during those hard days of rehab."

He stayed behind in extended spring training and made his season debut with Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore on April 30. Paddack won four of five decisions and posted a 2.24 ERA while striking out 83 in 52 1/3 innings across 10 starts for the Storm before his promotion to Double-A on July 5. Overall, the native of Austin, Texas, is 7-2 with a 1.92 ERA while averaging 12.36 strikeouts per nine innings in 14 starts.
Miguel Diaz allowed two hits and struck out two over the final 3 1/3 innings to pick up his first save.
Allen had three hits and scored the game's only run on a single by Peter Van Gansen single in the fourth.
Corpus Christi starter Framber Valdez (3-4) allowed one run on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. Houston's No. 15 prospect struck out nine and walked two.