El Paso Chihuahuas kick off 2023 season: 5 players to watch
Just as the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas came into existence in 2014, Phillip Wellman was promoted to be the San Diego Padres' Double-A manager.
Ever since he's heard about how special El Paso is. Friday evening, as the Chihuahuas kick off their 10th year of existence, the newly promoted Wellman gets to see for himself.
More: Your guide to El Paso Chihuahuas 10th baseball season: 2023 giveaway schedule, tickets
"For the past nine years I've been below this place," said Wellman, who makes his Chihuahuas managerial debut Friday against Sugar Land. "For nine years I've had to listen to everybody rave about how good this stadium is — which it is unbelievable. I'd say this is probably the nicest stadium in all the minor leagues.
"I feel very fortunate and very grateful to be here for this 10th year. I'm looking forward to all that comes with this place."
What he doesn't anticipate is a major change in his job.
"Baseball is baseball," he said. "We just spent six weeks in Major League camp. The longer you're there you realize it's the same game there as well. I haven't spent the past 23 years in Double-A, I've come to realize these guys just want to know how much you care about them, how much time you're willing to put in with them.
"Like I tell them in the clubhouse, my job here and the staff's job, is if they've had big-league time get them some more and if they don't get them to the big leagues. I think that's the same job description I had in Double-A."
For a few Chihuahuas this will also be their first trip to Triple-A, others are old hands. All are excited.
"A new season always brings some excitement, I'm ready to get going," said reliever Tom Cosgrove, who spent last season between El Paso and Double-A San Antonio with Wellman. "I met a few of the new guys in spring, we have a good group, it's going to be a good year.
"Every year opening day, no matter how many times you do it, you get some butterflies. I'm excited, there should be a lot of people here — there's always a good crowd here — I'm excited."
Cather Michael Cantu has spent parts of the last three years with El Paso.
"It's exciting to get back to El Paso," he said. "The last two opening days have been on the road, so to open up at home is going to be super nice, to have those fans back here in this great ballpark. It's going to be exciting, it's going to be fun.
"The fans, they make it so great. They show out every night no matter what. Building a rapport with them, having that relationship with them, they know the players, they know everybody. It's kind of hard not to love to come out here and play in front of these fans."
Here are five players to watch (plus a bonus sixth player) in the coming season for the Chihuahuas.
Jay Groome, left-handed starting pitcher
The Padres' top Triple-A prospect was a productive Chihuahua last year, the third team he spent time with in 2022. In 51.1 innings with El Paso he had a 3.16 earned-run average and went 3-2.
Angel Felipe, right-handed reliever
The 25-year-old Dominican finished last season in El Paso and showed flashes of something special, striking out 35 batters in 22.1 innings. Reducing his 4.43 earned-run average is the next step.
Tom Cosgrove, left-handed reliever
He finished last year with the Chihuahuas and had 43 strikeouts in 30 innings.
Brandon Dixon, utility
He doesn't appear on Padres top prospects list (he's 31), but he produces. In 25 games in El Paso last year, he hit .371 with 13 home runs.
Matthew Batten, infield
After batting .289 in 85 games in El Paso last year he was promoted to the big-league club and even got to pitch in a game. He'll start this season back in El Paso.
Fernando Tatis Jr.
Did you skim down to read this part first? Tatis, the 2021 All-Star and National League home run leader, is in Arizona right now, but the tentative plan is for him to join the Chihuahuas in Sacramento on April 4 and stay with them for 15 games, which would include the six-game home series against Albuquerque on April 11-16.
"There's a possibility," Wellman said. "I haven't gotten any official word, but I think there's a pretty good chance at some point in time we'll see Tatis Jr. here getting ready to return to the big leagues. I know most of this just from talking to Tatis, Jr. He told me the tentative plan was to meet us in Sacramento."
Wellman managed Tatis in Double-A San Antonio and many Chihuahuas played with him coming up.
"To have one of the most exciting players in baseball be on the same field as you is incredible," Cantu said. "He's such a great human being first of all. He's always been great to me. He's a freak on the field. It's fun to be able to be part of that. I'm excited and I know these fans are excited."
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at 915-546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 5 players to watch for El Paso Chihuahuas as the 2023 season begins
