Brad Brach promoted to San Diego
Brach, 25, was originally selected by the Padres in the 42nd Round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Monmouth University.
He began his professional career in 2008 with the Arizona Rookie League Padres, where he went 1-1 with a 2.01 ERA, and collected four saves in five save opportunities.
Brach played the entire 2009 season with the Midwest League Champion Fort Wayne TinCaps (Low-A), where in 60 appearances he compiled a record of 3-3 with a 1.27 ERA. He also tallied a league-best 33 saves in 34 save opportunities, and was honored as a Midwest League mid-season and post-season All-Star, as well as being named as the MLB.com Class-A Relief Pitcher of the Year.
In 2010, Brach pitched for the Lake Elsinore Storm in the (High-A) California League, where, he recorded a league record 41 saves in 44 save opportunities, to go along with a record of 5-2, and a 2.47ERA. He was named to both the California League mid-season and post-season All-Star teams, and was also named the League's Pitcher of the Year.
Brach completed his 2010 season by playing for the Peoria Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League, posting a record of 1-1 and an ERA of 2.84 (4ER/12.2IP) in 11 games, and pitching for the West Division in the AFL Rising Stars Game.
For his efforts in 2010, Brach was honored as the Padres' Organizational Pitcher of the Year.
Prior to being selected by San Diego, Brach spent the 2011 season between Class-AA San Antonio of the Texas League and Class-AAA Tucson of the Pacific Coast League, where he had a combined record of 3-5 with a 2.89 ERA, with 34 saves in 37 save opportunities.
He was a Texas League mid-season All-Star, and was recently honored as the Pacific Coast League's Pitcher of the Week.
With his appearance on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers (1.1IP, 0R, 2H, 1BB, 3K in a no-decision), Brach became the 104th former Fort Wayne player to have successfully made it all the way to the Major Leagues.