Tyson Neighbors, the former Kansas State right-hander, is climbing the San Diego Padres’ minor league ladder, earning a promotion to the Double-A San Antonio Missions, the organization announced this week.
The 22-year-old was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft, 118th overall, and has made an immediate impact in Single-A with the Fort Wayne TinCaps.
The San Diego Padres are promoting Tyson Neighbors to the San Antonio Missions (AA), per @_chaseford. pic.twitter.com/KFdjJPxlys
— Milb Central (@milb_central) June 9, 2025
The 6-foot-2, 220-pound righty has been nearly untouchable, posting a stellar 1.19 ERA while striking out 39 batters in just 22.2 innings pitched.
His performance has caught the attention of Padres’ brass, and if he continues this dominant stretch, a major league debut could be on the horizon before the season ends.
Neighbors’ success traces back to his college days at Kansas State, where he was a reliable bullpen arm and a nightmare for opposing hitters. He earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in his final season, leading the Wildcats with 22 relief appearances.
His 3.96 ERA came alongside 61 strikeouts and 19 walks, and he held opponents to a .213 batting average. Notably, Neighbors saved nine games that year, pushing his career total to 20 — good enough for third all-time in Kansas State history. He played a crucial role in helping the Wildcats reach the Fayetteville finals in the NCAA tournament, cementing his reputation as a clutch reliever.
As the Padres sit at 37-27 and hold second place in the competitive NL West, Neighbors’ promotion adds fresh energy to their pitching pipeline.
Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if this rising star can make the jump to the big leagues and bolster San Diego’s bullpen down the stretch.