Braden Nett appears to be ready to take the next step.
The 22-year-old right-hander struck out seven over four innings on Saturday in Double-A San Antonio’s 2-0 loss at Corpus Christi.
Nett allowed one run on two hits and a walk. He has a 1.29 ERA through his first two starts and a 11-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio through is first seven innings.
An undrafted free agent who signed in August 2022, the 6-foot-3 Nett is ranked No. 9 among the Padres’ top prospects by MLB.com.
Nett lowered his ERA from 4.46 over 40 ⅓ innings in 2023 to 3.88 over 65 innings last year as he rose from high Single-A Fort Wayne to finish the year in the Texas League.
Invited to his first big-league camp this spring, Nett allowed four runs in four innings in his two Cactus League starts.
Right-hander Jose Espada (5.06 ERA) struck out four over and allowed a run in two innings after Nett’s exit.
Singles from shortstop Francisco Acuña (.346 OPS) and center fielder Joshua Mears (.426 OPS) were the Missions’ lone hits.
San Antonio is 5-3.
Around the farm
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (6-8)
Las Vegas 11, Chihuahuas 2: Eguy Rosario (.539 OPS) played his second career game in center field and went 0-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a strikeout. DH Luis Campusano (1.057 OPS) went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. RF Yonathan Perlaza (1.036 OPS) and 3B Mike Brosseau (.689 OPS) both went 2-for-4 with a double. LHP Wes Benjamin (0-1, 7.11 ERA) allowed eight runs in four innings in the loss.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (4-4)
Dayton 6, TinCaps 0: RHP Isaiah Lowe (0-1, 7.71 ERA) threw 32 pitches in the first inning and allowed four runs — three earned — on three hits and a walk while recording just two outs. RHP Garrett Hawkins (10.38 ERA) struck out four while allowing two runs in 1⅓ innings. CF Nerwilian Cedeno (.417 OPS) went 1-for-4 with a double. SS Leo De Vries (.459 OPS) went 1-for-4 and was caught stealing for the first time this year.
LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (1-7)
Storm 10, Modesto 1: SS Ryan Jackson (1.121 OPS) went 4-for-4 with his first homer, a walk, three runs scored and a stolen base. 3B Zach Evans (.724 OPS) drove in three runs on three hits, including a triple. LF Kaden Hollow (.781 OPS) drove in four runs on two doubles. RHP Bryan Balzer (3.86 ERA) struck out three and allowed two hits and two walks over four scoreless innings in the start. RHP Carson Swilling (1-0, 6.35 ERA) struck out three over two scoreless innings in relief for the win.
