P | Bats/Throws: R/R | 6' 2" 165 lbs | Age: 23
MLB Pipeline Rank
Padres: No. 3
W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP
2026 0 0 2.45 1 1 0 3.2 2 1.36
Career Minors 14 18 4.46 90 68 2 296.2 331 1.41
G W-L ERA IP SO WHIP
2026 1 0-0 2.45 3.2 2 1.36
Career Minors 90 14-18 4.46 296.2 331 1.41
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Standard Minor League Pitching Statistics

SeasonTmLGLWLERAGGSSVIPHRERHRBBSOWHIP
2021 DSL Padres DSL ROK 1 2 4.91 12 11 0 40.1 33 27 22 1 21 40 1.34
2022 2 Teams Minors 0 1 7.89 19 0 2 21.2 20 19 19 1 16 35 1.66
2022 ACL Padres ACL ROK 0 1 7.97 18 0 2 20.1 19 18 18 1 14 34 1.62
2022 Fort Wayne TinCaps MID A+ 0 0 6.75 1 0 0 1.1 1 1 1 0 2 1 2.25
2023 Lake Elsinore Storm CAL A 2 3 5.96 15 15 0 54.1 50 37 36 5 33 50 1.53
2024 Lake Elsinore Storm CAL A 3 5 3.86 22 20 0 81.2 68 35 35 4 55 86 1.51
2025 3 Teams Minors 8 7 3.22 21 21 0 95.0 71 38 34 7 45 118 1.22
2025 Lake Elsinore Storm CAL A 1 0 3.97 3 3 0 11.1 11 5 5 0 4 18 1.32
2025 Fort Wayne TinCaps MID A+ 7 3 1.32 12 12 0 61.1 38 11 9 3 24 70 1.01
2025 San Antonio Missions TEX AA 0 4 8.06 6 6 0 22.1 22 22 20 4 17 30 1.75
2026 San Antonio Missions TEX AA 0 0 2.45 1 1 0 3.2 3 1 1 0 2 2 1.36
San Antonio Missions TEX AA 0 4 7.27 7 7 0 26.0 25 23 21 4 19 32 1.69
Fort Wayne TinCaps MID A+ 7 3 1.44 13 12 0 62.2 39 12 10 3 26 71 1.04
Lake Elsinore Storm CAL A 6 8 4.64 40 38 0 147.1 129 77 76 9 92 154 1.50

Scouting Report

2026

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

Mendez signed with the Padres for only $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic in February 2021 when he was 18 years old and couldn’t break past Single-A through his first four pro seasons. In 2025, he became San Diego’s breakout star. With Rule 5 eligibility looming for the first time in his career, Mendez surged up three levels from Lake Elsinore to Double-A San Antonio and finished with a 3.22 ERA and 118 strikeouts over a career high 95 innings. He was an easy addition to the Padres’ 40-man roster in the offseason.

Standing 6-foot-2, Mendez can look lithe on the mound, but his increased heat fueled his climb up the chain last season. His four-seamer sits 95-98 mph, occasionally tickling triple-digits, and comes with explosive, carrying life that helps keep it above bats in the upper portion of the zone. His mid-80s slider was a similarly dynamite weapon that played off that fastball, often forcing righties to lunge late. His upper-80s changeup has enough velocity separation off the fastball to get whiffs but wasn’t often used; it was even his third option against lefties, who had a .756 OPS against Mendez in ’25.

Mendez cut his walk rate from 14.9 percent in 2024 to 11.2 last season, and that improved control strengthened his 40-man case and potential to remain a starter moving forward. There were some hiccups at Double-A, and he’ll need to turn to the third pitch more often if he’s going to repeat his success in the upper Minors and force his way to the Majors. The Padres have already said Mendez is now part of the big club’s pitching depth, and even if he needs to be eased in as a reliever, the fastball-slider combo could make him special in a shorter role.


2025

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45 | Overall: 50

A February 2021 signee out of the Dominican Republic when he was 18 years old, Mendez moved to full-season ball for good in 2023 but found it difficult to move beyond Single-A Lake Elsinore until this spring. Facing Rule 5 eligibility this offseason, the 6-foot-2 right-hander has exploded on the scene with killer stuff and improved control, aiding the belief that he could be a starter and solidifying his place as one of the most electric arms in the San Diego system.

Mendez has ramped up his four-seam fastball to touch 100 mph at times this season, and even when he sits more in the 95-98 mph range, there is still explosive life up in the zone that he’s used to blow past low-level bats. His mid-80s slider plays off that well, breaking late and just in time to fool hitters who were sitting on the heater. Lefties have just as much of a problem with the breaking ball as righties with half-hearted swings once they realize they’ve been fooled. That’s needed because while Mendez has an upper-80s changeup, it’s too firm to do more than simply change speeds.

Mendez went from walking 14.9 percent of his batters faced to getting that number into single digits this summer, a very promising trendline for such a hard thrower. The lack of a true third pitch brings along its own relief risk, but with the quality of his two best offerings, he’d be a safe bet to thrive in a shorter role too. Having turned 23 in July, Mendez could be a Major League option in any capacity by next season if the stuff and control continue to hold.



Awards




Transactions

Team Date Transaction
03/05/2026 San Diego Padres optioned RHP Miguel Mendez to San Antonio Missions.
03/05/2026 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to San Diego Padres Prospects.
11/18/2025 San Diego Padres selected the contract of RHP Miguel Mendez from San Antonio Missions.
08/01/2025 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to San Antonio Missions from Fort Wayne TinCaps.
05/06/2025 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from Lake Elsinore Storm.
04/15/2025 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm from ACL Padres.
03/31/2025 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to ACL Padres from Lake Elsinore Storm.
10/04/2023 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to Peoria Javelinas.
05/16/2023 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to Lake Elsinore Storm.
09/02/2022 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to Fort Wayne TinCaps from ACL Padres.
06/06/2022 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to ACL Padres.
02/05/2021 RHP Miguel Mendez assigned to DSL Padres.
02/05/2021 San Diego Padres signed free agent P Miguel Mendez.