Wilton Lopez Gets The Call-Up To Lake Elsinore Storm From The Fort Wayne Wizards

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com – Fort Wayne, IN – Right-hander Wilton Lopez celebrated the Fourth of July with a promotion to the Lake Elsinore Storm, the San Diego Padres High-A, California League affiliate.

Lopez was originally signed by the New York Yankees organization in 2002 before inking a deal with the Padres system earlier this year.

He leaves the Wizards with a 1-0 record and a 3.30 earned run average in 22 relief appearances out of the Fort Wayne bullpen. In 30 innings of work, Lopez allowed 34 hits, walked only two and struck out 17 hitters.

Lopez is the second Wizard to be promoted within a week, joining left-handed starter Nathan Culp, who was called up to the next level of the Padres minor league system after his start on Friday against the Dayton Dragons.

Lopez’ promotion comes on the heels of the announcement earlier this week that Nick Schmidt, the Padres number one pick and 23rd overall in this year’s Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, is expected to arrive in Fort Wayne on Thursday.

Schmidt was a second-team All-American at the University of Arkansas this season as a junior, posting a record of 11-3 with a 2.69 ERA, limiting the opposition to a Southeastern Conference-best .196 average and his 111 strikeouts were sixth-best in the conference.

The Wizards active roster will have 24 players, one below the Midwest League’s maximum-allowed of 25.