The Padres recalled Ornelas from Triple-A El Paso on Saturday.
Ornelas wasn't able to crack the Padres' Opening Day roster despite a strong performance in spring training, but he'll make his way to the big club after Jason Heyward (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list. Ornelas started the Triple-A season slashing .281/.418/.359 with 13 walks, three stolen bases, 17 runs scored, one home run and seven RBI across 79 plate appearances. With Heyward sidelined, the lefty-hitting Ornelas could see some starts in the outfield in a platoon with Oscar Gonzalez.
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Padres' Tirso Ornelas: Ticketed for minors
Rotowire
Ornelas was optioned to minor-league camp Saturday.
Ornelas had a chance to make the Padres' roster in a corner outfield spot, but the additions of Connor Joe and Jason Heyward made his path more difficult. Ornelas performed well by collecting 15 hits across 51 at-bats -- six of which went for extra bases -- so he should be in San Diego at some point in 2025.
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Padres' Tirso Ornelas: Sizzling this spring
Rotowire
Through nine Cactus League games, Ornelas is slashing .421/.522/.789 with a home run, two RBI, four runs, four walks and just one strikeout.
Ornelas is one of San Diego's top prospects and is coming off a 2024 campaign during which he posted an .871 OPS with 23 homers and 93 RBI at the Triple-A level. That performance and his hitting this spring have given the soon-to-be 25-year-old a chance at breaking camp with the Padres, and the fact that he's already on the 40-man roster also helps his case. However, Ornelas' path to a roster spot is clouded by the Padres' Feb. 7 signing of two veteran outfielders -- Connor Joe and Jason Heyward -- to replace Jurickson Profar.
The Padres selected Ornelas' contract and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday.
Ornelas has spent the entire 2024 season at El Paso, slashing .316/.390/.515 with 12 home runs and five stolen bases across 310 plate appearances. Though he'll remain with El Paso coming out of the All-Star break, the 24-year-old outfielder is now a part of the Padres' 40-man roster. The transaction should improve his chances of receiving his first big-league call-up at some point later this season.
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Padres' Tirso Ornelas: Promoted to Triple-A
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The Padres promoted Ornelas to Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Ornelas briefly appeared in Triple-A last season, going 3-for-14 with two RBI and two runs scored across three games. After slashing .273/.374/.449 with nine homers and 46 RBI over 289 plate appearances with Double-A San Antonio, he will get another opportunity in El Paso. Unless he catches fire in Triple-A, the 23-year-old outfielder will likely finish the season in the minors.
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Padres' Tirso Ornelas: Riding high in Cal League
Rotowire
Ornelas is hitting .321/.431/.509 with one home run, one steal and a 16:11 K:BB in 65 plate appearances with High-A Lake Elsinore.
Ornelas is the youngest hitter at High-A, but he is handling the level just fine through 14 games. His 2018 production was limited due to bad luck on balls in play and a second-half wrist injury, but he still managed to post a 109 wRC+. Ornelas may not be much of a threat on the bases by the time he reaches the majors, but he could be a valuable contributor in the other four roto categories, offering upside in OBP, AVG and points leagues.
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Padres' Tirso Ornelas: Starting season at High-A
Rotowire
Ornelas will begin the 2019 season at High-A Lake Elsinore, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Ornelas saw his 2018 season end in late July due to a wrist injury, but his .252/.341/.392 batting line over 355 plate appearances at Low-A Fort Wayne was apparently enough to earn him a move up on the minor-league ladder. The 19-year-old outfielder will again be one of the younger hitters at his level, so even league-average production with Lake Elsinore in 2019 would likely be enough for Ornelas to maintain his status as one of the Padres' better position prospects.
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Padres' Tirso Ornelas: Out with wrist injury
Rotowire
Ornelas is on the 7-day disabled list with Low-A Fort Wayne with a wrist injury, Elizabeth Wyman of The Journal Gazette reports.
The 18-year-old outfielder has been on the shelf since July 20, but it's unclear exactly how serious the injury is. His numbers this season in the Midwest League (.252/.341/.392, eight home runs, five steals in 355 plate appearances) may not look impressive on the surface, but Ornelas turned 18 in March and has still been eight percent better (108 wRC+) than the league's average hitter. He has plus raw power, a good handle of the strike zone (68:40 K:BB) and a true all-fields approach. As he matures, that power should show up more in games, and he has quite a bit more batting average upside than he has shown in 2018.
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