Lopez was placed on the minor-league disabled list with a broken left thumb, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Lopez began the season as the youngest player in the Midwest League and has a .224/.280/.358 slash line with 80 strikeouts in 246 at-bats for Low-A Fort Wayne. It remains unclear how long the 18-year-old will be on the disabled list or whether he requires surgery, but the TinCaps should be without the young shortstop for the foreseeable future.
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Padres' Justin Lopez: Youngest player in Midwest League
Rotowire
Lopez will open the year with Low-A Fort Wayne as the youngest player in the Midwest League, Bill Center of MLB.com reports.
Lopez, who turns 18 in May, earned this aggressive assignment with his glove -- many evaluators think he's among the best defensive shortstops in the minors. Obviously if Lopez projected to be an impact hitter, he would be a valued commodity in dynasty leagues, but he only hit .246/.291/.324 with an 80:17 K:BB in 303 plate appearances last year in the Northwest League. If he can make any progress as a hitter, Lopez will be worth rostering in deeper dynasty leagues.
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