FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – The Fort Wayne TinCaps, in conjunction with the San Diego Padres, have announced the preliminary Opening Day roster for the 2026 season.
The roster is highlighted by MLB.com’s No. 4 Padres prospect and 2024 first-round pick, left-handed pitcher Kash Mayfield.
Mayfield is one of six players on the roster ranked by MLB.com among the Padres Top 30 prospects. Others include catcher/first baseman Lamar King Jr. (No. 16), right-handed pitcher Kannon Kemp (No. 19), outfielders Alex McCoy (No. 21) and Kavares Tears (No. 27), and right-handed pitcher Jaxon Dalena (No. 30). Right-handed pitchers Clay Edmondson and Kleiber Olmedo, shortstop Dylan Grego, and outfielder Kasen Wells all participated in the Padres spring breakout game in mid-March.
The team released the following:
Mayfield grew up in Elk City, Oklahoma, two hours west of Oklahoma City, and was named the state’s Gatorade High School Player of the Year in 2023 and 2024. In his senior season, he allowed just one earned run in 44 innings (0.16 ERA), striking out 115 batters. He was later selected 25th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft by the Padres. In his first season in professional baseball, the southpaw struck out 88 in 60 2/3 innings across 19 starts with Single-A Lake Elsinore, posting a 2.97 ERA. His 34.1% strikeout-rate ranked second out of 163 Single-A pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched.
Thirteen of the 29 players headed to Fort Wayne have appeared at Parkview Field in the past, including 2025 TinCaps Community Player of the Year, Jack Costello. The team will be traveling to the Summit City this weekend from Padres Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz.
Announced in January, Jonathan Mathews returns to Fort Wayne for his second stint as manager. Mathews, who began with the ‘Caps as a hitting coach from 2018-2021, brought Fort Wayne to the Midwest League Postseason as the manager in 2023 after winning the second-half East Division title.
“We are excited to get the season going and welcome in the entire team,” TinCaps President Mike Nutter said. “We hope to continue to be a great proving-ground for some of the best prospects in the Padres system and the entire sport, and can’t wait for them to be a part of the entire community.”
Over 4% of players on MLB Opening Day rosters at one point called Parkview Field home. Thirty-three former TinCaps are listed across 15 of 30 major league teams headed into 2026. Since Fort Wayne’s Minor League Baseball franchise was established in 1993, 235 players have ascended from playing in the Summit City to the big leagues.
Tickets to all 66 TinCaps home games can be purchased online at TinCaps.com, by calling 260-482-6400, and at the Parkview Field Ticket Office. The team’s promotional schedule includes 28 postgame fireworks nights, celebrity appearances, theme nights, bobbleheads, and more.
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