FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — Two Fort Wayne TinCaps pitchers turned a summer of dominance into postseason recognition. Miguel Mendez and Garrett Hawkins were named 2025 High-A Midwest League All-Stars on Wednesday, marking the first time since the franchise’s jump to High-A ball in 2021 that TinCaps arms have earned the honor.
Together, the right-handed duo combined for 15 wins, 130 strikeouts, and a season that won’t soon be forgotten at Parkview Field.
Mendez, ranked as the No. 5 San Diego Padres prospect by MLB.com, joined the TinCaps rotation in May and wasted no time putting his name in the record books. In just 12 starts, the 23-year-old from the Dominican Republic racked up 70 strikeouts across 63 1/3 innings while posting a jaw-dropping 1.32 ERA — the best mark in the Midwest League among pitchers with at least 50 innings. Opponents hit a mere .180 against him, the sixth-best average in the league and the lowest by any TinCaps pitcher with that workload in franchise history.
His best stretch came in July, when he earned Midwest League Pitcher of the Month after going 3-1, striking out 28, and not allowing a single earned run. That dominance earned him a ticket to Double-A San Antonio on Aug. 1.
While Mendez was dazzling as a starter, Hawkins carved out his own place in history as a reliever. After nearly two years sidelined by injury, the Canadian right-hander came back in April with a vengeance — and not a single earned run allowed for more than three months. From April 27 until his promotion to Double-A San Antonio on Aug. 1, Hawkins fired off 34 consecutive scoreless innings across 26 appearances, shattering the TinCaps’ franchise record and setting the longest such streak in Minor League Baseball since at least 2005.
By the time his streak ended at 38 innings, Hawkins had already rewritten the Fort Wayne record books. He finished his stint with the TinCaps tied for second in the league in wins (8), sixth in saves (8), and third in strikeouts among relievers (60). His 1.43 ERA was good for the third-best among relievers with at least 40 innings pitched.
Both pitchers are now wearing Double-A uniforms, but their impact in Fort Wayne is still being felt. For a team known more for its hitting stars in recent years, Mendez and Hawkins’ performances served as a reminder that dominant pitching can still capture the spotlight.
