MWL PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Victor Lizarraga

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Fort Wayne TinCaps starting pitcher Victor Lizarraga has been named the Midwest League Pitcher of the Week, Minor League Baseball announced Monday. The 19-year-old right-hander threw six scoreless innings Sunday afternoon at Parkview Field as the TinCaps defeated the Dayton Dragons (Cincinnati Reds affiliate), 6-1. Fort Wayne won four of six games in the series.

This is the third consecutive week a TinCap has won a Midwest League award. Earlier this month, Graham Pauley and Jakob Marsee claimed the Player of the Week honor. In May, Jairo Iriarte earned a Pitcher of the Week award, while Marcos Castañon garnered a Player of the Week accolade in July. It’s the first time the TinCaps have had five different weekly award winners in a year since 2009 (when the club had seven individuals recognized on the way to winning the Midwest League Championship). For the season, from the rookie level up through Triple-A, Padres prospects have won 24 weekly awards, the second most out of MLB’s 30 clubs. (Dodgers prospects have earned 29.)

Lizarraga was the only pitcher in the league this past week to throw six or more shutout innings while striking out multiple batters. Statistically, it was his best performance of the season as he struck out five and allowed just three singles and one walk as he threw 79 pitches (52 strikes).

MLB.com ranks Lizarraga as the 15^th best Padres prospect (fifth among pitchers). The 6-foot-3 righty was born in San Diego and calls Tijuana—just across the Mexican border—home. He was signed by the Padres as an international free agent in 2021. After spending that year at the rookie-level in the Arizona Complex League and pitching for the Single-A Lake Elsinore Storm last season, he’s been with the TinCaps since the start of this campaign.

“First off, I thank God for my health,” Lizarraga said. “I also appreciate all my family back home for supporting me, as well as all of my coaches and teammates here.”

Lizarraga has been the third youngest pitcher in the Midwest League this season. Despite that, he leads the TinCaps in games started (18) and innings pitched (77.2).

With only 18 games remaining in the regular season, Lizarraga and the TinCaps are 1 ½ games behind the West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit Tigers affiliate) for a postseason spot. Fort Wayne travels to Midland, Mich., this week for a six-game series against the Great Lakes Loons (Los Angeles Dodgers affiliate). The TinCaps will host their final six home games from Tuesday, Aug. 29 through Sunday, Sept. 3 versus the South Bend Cubs. Promotions include Grateful Dead Night, ’Caps Against Cancer, BirdZerk!, and three fireworks nights. TinCaps tickets start at merely $7 and can be purchased through TinCaps.com, by calling 260-482-6400, and at the Parkview Field Ticket Office.