San Diego Padres

Prospect watch: MacKenzie Gore continues comeback from blister issue

Published Jun. 16, 2018 8:52 p.m. ET

John Horvath

It hasn't exactly been the smoothest first full professional season for Padres 2017 first-round pick MacKenzie Gore. The left-hander has been placed on the 10-day DL on two separate occasions with a blister on his left middle finger, and he has only appeared in a handful of games for the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

There is good news to be had, though. It appears that Gore's blister issues may be behind him. Judging by his performance in the two games he has pitched in since his last reinstatement, so far so good.

The 19-year-old's latest performance came on Saturday against the Great Lakes Loons. Getting the starting nod, Gore fired three shutout innings, allowing only one hit and striking out five. On a pitch count, the left-hander threw 39 pitches, 28 being strikes.

Gore, the No. 17 prospect in all of baseball per MLB Pipeline, was activated off the DL on June 10. On that date, he threw two hitless innings, striking out three.

"The hand feels 100 percent," he stated in an interview with MiLB.com after the start. "I was certainly out long enough. It was just nice to be out there and help the team achieve a nice, complete win."