By admin 
LAKE ELSINORE – Ty Harvey began a rehab assignment this week in the rookie Arizona Complex League. When he returns from the left hamstring injury that sent him to the injured list, he’ll rejoin a catching depth chart that – from top to bottom – has quite a bit more meat on the bone than it did to start the 2026 season.
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At the top, Luis Campusano has reasserted himself as viable option in the majors after a couple years seemingly in purgatory. Rodolfo Duran has largely picked up where he left off as the first line of defense at Triple-A El Paso, Ethan Salas is back to performing like a top-100 prospect at Double-A San Antonio, Lamar King Jr. is holding his own at high Single-A Fort Wayne and two intriguing catchers are beginning to establish themselves at low Single-A Lake Elsinore.
Harvey, 19, signed for $1.5 million as the Padres’ fifth-round pick last year – their second-highest bonus – to keep him away from a commitment to Florida State. He was hitting .353/.450/.471 through five games with the Storm before a left hamstring strain sent him to the injured list a week into the season.
The Storm, however, have been able to absorb that loss because the catcher drafted six rounds after Harvey – Truitt Madonna – is off to a strong start to his professional career, too.
The Padres gave Madonna fourth-round money ($654,000) to keep him away from UCLA. He, like Harvey, began his career last year with the Storm and returned to the California League to start 2026 to form a catching tandem that could can lean on each other in more ways than one.
“I don’t know how it is for him, but it feels like there’s a competition between us every day,” Madonna said recently. “He definitely pushes me to be better, and I hope I push him to be better, too.”
Harvey will be playing catch up in at least one facet when he comes off the injured list: Madonna on Tuesday was the first of the two to hit his first professional homer.
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Madonna is hitting .250/.339/.404 with 16 RBIs in 28 games to start the year with the Storm. He’s also 8-for-11 in steal attempts as he looks to make good on his goal of moving up a level in this first full professional season.
Of course, Madonna knows that begins with remaining an athlete behind the plate – even as a bigger backstop; the same goes for the 6-foot-1, 215-pound Harvey – and making the right swing decisions in the box.
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So far, so good.
“It’s making sure you’re on time,” Madonna said. “For me, I have to feel super early to be on time, which I’ve kind of realized (lately). And then swinging at good pitches. You can’t do well if you’re swinging at bad pitches, swinging at stuff you can’t drive. So as long as I’m taking care of those things every day, then usually the results will speak for themselves.”
Madonna is ranked No. 23 in the Padres system by MLB.com. Salas is ranked No. 2, Harvey is No. 7 and King is No. 15.
Wednesday’s scoreboard
TRIPLE-A EL PASO (17-18)
Chihuahuas 11, Tacoma 10: 2B Pablo Reyes (1.007 OPS) drove in three runs on his fourth and fifth homers. RF Samad Taylor (.967 OPS) went 2-for-4 with his seventh homer. 3B Jose Miranda (.809 OPS) drove in two runs on his fourth homer. LHP Marco Gonzales (8.27 ERA) allowed six runs – three earned – in three innings in the start. RHP Triston McKenzie (15.23 ERA) allowed three runs on two hits and four walks in 1⅓ innings in relief.
DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (8-21)
Midland 8, Missions 3: LHP Fernando Sanchez (4.50 ERA) struck out eight over five shutout innings. LHP Harry Gustin (1-2, 5.02 ERA) allowed four runs – three earned – over two-thirds of an inning. 3B Carson Tucker (.871 OPS) went 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. 1B Romeo Sanabria (.595 OPS) went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a walk.
HIGH SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (13-16)
TinCaps 5, Beloit 0 (7): 3B Zach Evans (.584 OPS) drove in three runs on a double and his first homer. 2B Rosman Verdugo (.762 OPS) hit his fifth homer. RHP Isaiah Lowe (1-2, 6.05 ERA) struck out three over three hitless innings in relief for the win. RHP Matthew Watson (3.38 ERA) opened the game with four shutout innings.
Beloit 4, TinCaps 2 (7): RHP Maikel Miralles (0-4, 6.86 ERA) struck out five and allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings in the loss. RF Jake Cunningham (1.055 OPS) drove in two runs on two hits.
LOW SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (17-12)
Inland Empire 3, Storm 2: RHP Jesus A. Castro (0-1, 4.58 ERA) struck out seven and allowed two runs on four hits in 5 ⅔ innings in the loss. RHP Nick Falter (1.96 ERA) struck out four over two hitless innings. 1B Kerrington Cross (.885 OPS) doubled and tripled and scored two runs. 3B Bradley Frye (.911 OPS) went 2-for-4 with an RBI. SS Jorge Quintana (.669 OPS) went 2-for-3 with a double.
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This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 5:16 AM.