AUBURN, Ala. – Former Auburn pitcher Trey Wingenter has been promoted from the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas to the San Diego Padres, becoming the 51st Auburn player to make it to the major leagues.
Wingenter, who was a non-roster invitee to big league spring training in February, opened the 2018 season in El Paso and has appeared in 40 games for the Chihuahuas this season. He is 3-3 with a 3.45 ERA and has turned in four saves. Wingenter has struck out 53 batters in 44.1 innings of work and is holding opponents to a .186 batting average against.
The 6-foot-7 right-hander was named a Padres Organization All-Star and Texas League All-Star a year ago after posting a 2-1 record with a 2.45 ERA in 49 appearances for the Double-A San Antonio Missions. He led the Padres farm system with 20 saves during the 2017 season.
Wingenter has made 140 career minor league appearances since being drafted by the Padres in the 17th round of the 2015 MLB Draft and is 9-7 with a 2.98 ERA. He has recorded 33 saves and has struck out 198 batters in 169.0 innings pitched.
The Hunstville, Alabama, native played at Auburn from 2013-15 and appeared in 40 career games with the Tigers while registering 74 strikeouts in 95.1 career innings pitched. Wingenter ranked fourth on the team with 21 appearances as a junior and fifth with 46 strikeouts. He helped lead the Tigers to the team's first NCAA Tournament in five years in his final season on The Plains.
The Padres finish a three-game series at the Cubs Sunday at 1:20 p.m. CT before traveling to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers Tuesday through Thursday.