Missions Opening Night Roster Announced
San Antonio - The San Diego Padres have announced the 2018 Opening Night roster for their Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions. The Missions will open their 2018 season with six of San Diego's top 30 prospects (according to MLB.com) in shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (#1), RHP Cal Quantrill (#4),
San Antonio - The San Diego Padres have announced the 2018 Opening Night roster for their Double-A affiliate, the San Antonio Missions.
The Missions will open their 2018 season with six of San Diego's top 30 prospects (according to MLB.com) in shortstop
Tatis Jr., who will enter the season just 19 years old, spent the bulk of his 2017 campaign with Class A Fort Wayne, where he set a TinCaps record with 21 home runs in addition to leading the Midwest League in walks with 75. The San Pedro De Macoris, DR native became the first 18-year old in Midwest League history to post a 20-20 season (29 steals). The son of former big leaguer Fernando Tatis, also collected 26 doubles, seven triples, 69 RBI and 78 runs in 117 games with Fort Wayne. Tatis Jr. finished the season in San Antonio, where he batted .255 (14-for-55) with a double, a homer, six RBI and six runs scored over 14 games. He is ranked as the No. 8 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB.com.
In 22 starts between High-A Lake Elsinore and San Antonio last season, Quantrill went 7-10 with a 3.80 ERA and 110 strikeouts over 116 innings. Quantrill was selected by San Diego with the eighth overall pick in the 2016 First-Year MLB Draft out of Stanford University. In his eight starts with the Missions in 2017, the 23-year-old pitched to a 4.04 ERA, while punching out 34.
Allen will be making his Double-A debut this season after an impressive 2017 during which he pitched to a 2.95 ERA over 24 games (23 starts) between Fort Wayne and Lake Elsinore. San Diego acquired the lefty from Boston along with OF
Managing the Missions once again in 2018 will be Phillip Wellman, who enters his third season in the Padres' organization and his 34th in professional baseball. The reigning Texas League Manager of the Year is coming off a terrific 2017 season in which he piloted the Missions to a 78-62 record and both First and Second Half South Division titles. The division crowns were the club's first since winning both halves of the 2011 season and the playoff appearance was San Antonio's first since 2013.
The 13-time Texas League champions will open the 2018 campaign on Thursday, April 5 at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock, AR when they square off with the Arkansas Travelers (Seattle Mariners AA) for the first of three. Following their series with the Travs, the Missions will play another three-game set against the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Kansas City Royals AA) from April 8-10.
San Antonio kicks off its 25th season at Wolff Stadium on Thursday, April 12 when they take on the Travelers at 7:05 PM. The Missions' opening homestand, which includes another series with the Naturals, runs through April 17.