CalL1 Lake Elsinore Storm

Trio of Padres Prospects Selected to 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game

July 1, 2019 - California League (CalL1)
Lake Elsinore Storm News Release


LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. - For the third consecutive year, fans will hear mention of the Lake Elsinore Storm in the prestigious SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, played at Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians. Southpaw MacKenzie Gore and flame-throwing right-hander Luis Patino will represent The Eyes at this year's contest, which will be played on Sunday, July 7th at 7:00 p.m. (ET). Cuban left-hander Adrian Morejon, who donned The Eyes last season in Lake Elsinore, makes three Padres on a 10-player pitching staff.

Gore, just 20-years-old, has garnered his fair share of highlights and headlines through the first half of the season. Baseball's third-ranked prospect, and top left-handed pitching prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, has dominated the California League to the tune of a 1.12 earned run average, giving up one run or less in 13 of his 14 starts. He's tallied 101 strikeouts in just 72.1 innings of work, has a 0.69 walks/hits per innings pitched, and opponents are batting just .138 against him.

"It means I'm at a good place in the middle of the year heading into the second half," said Gore. "We have Morejon and Patiño going, so it'll be a lot of fun. It's something I won't forget."

Joining the North Carolina native is teenager Luis Patiño, one of just two players who will represent Colombia in the contest. Patiño, the 40th ranked prospect in baseball, has held California League opponents to a .197 batting average while collecting 76 strikeouts in just 59.1 innings with an upper-90s fastball and power slider. Before his selection for the upcoming showcase of baseball's best future talent, Patiño mentioned representing Colombia in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game as one of his goals for the 2019 season.

"I'm excited to get this opportunity to go to the Futures Game," Patiño said. "That's one goal I had this year and now I get to enjoy the game on Sunday. I'm going to enjoy representing my team, the Padres, my family and my country."

Morejon, also just 20-years-old, will be the third Padres prospect traveling to Cleveland. The 49th ranked prospect is just a season removed from his days as a California League All-Star, where he made 13 starts in a Storm uniform. One of two Cubans selected for the contest, Morejon is a current member of the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles.

"Talent is one thing, but work ethic is another and those three guys busted their butts," said Storm Pitching Coach, Pete Zamora. "They have a plan and they're executing that plan. They're not taking this lightly. They're very proud to be a part of it and they're looking to go there and dominate."

The Padres are one of four systems to send three players to this year's contest, tied for tops. Outfielder Buddy Reed represented Lake Elsinore at last year's Futures Game. Current big-league Canadian duo Cal Quantrill and Josh Naylor represented Storm Baseball in 2017.

The SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, now in its 21st year, will feature a seven-inning American League vs. National League format. Fans can catch the action live on MLB Network, MLB.com or listen to live play-by-play coverage of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on MLB Network Radio (XM channel 89; Sirius channel 209).

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California League Stories from July 1, 2019


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