The San Diego Padres are a group in ready. They’re ready for his or her catcher of the long run, Ethan Salas, to get the expertise and present the expansion that may enable San Diego so as to add him to the massive league roster. The Padres are left to plug in placeholders and hope for one of the best till that occurs. Thus far within the spring, San Diego has not seen one of the best from its catching candidates.
The 4 catchers remaining in massive league camp after Salas was reassigned to minor league camp have struggled to get something going. As of their loss to the Texas Rangers on Thursday, Elias Diaz, Luis Campusano, Martin Maldonado and Brett Sullivan have mixed for 46 at bats and solely six hits whole. They’ve additionally compiled 11 strikeouts.
After all, it’s Spring Coaching and the numbers don’t rely for rather more than speaking factors, however they do increase some concern. Moreover, gamers are engaged on varied components of their sport on offense and protection and that might affect efficiency. Add to that, they’re working with a number of pitchers each day, a few of which they’ve little to no expertise with, taking their consideration away from the offense.
Diaz was the presumed starter at catcher when the Padres opened the spring after signing a one-year, $3.5 million free agent deal within the offseason. Campusano was purported to solidify the place for years to come back when he was introduced into the group in 2017, however his offensive numbers haven’t been what they had been anticipated to be and his struggles behind the plate haven’t improved.
Maldonado was introduced on this offseason on a minor league deal after being launched by the Chicago White Sox in July and has not executed a lot to endear himself to Padres followers. Sullivan has been a long-time minor leaguer and spent a while on the key league roster with the Padres in 2023 and 2024, however he was not regarded as a possible roster addition coming into the spring.
Mike Shildt was requested what he attributed Luis Campusano’s struggles to final 12 months after getting off to a sizzling begin and the chance Campusano has in entrance of him this season: pic.twitter.com/GkvX1UaJRT
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) February 19, 2025
The priority at this level is that the catching place just isn’t going to enhance. If the Padres enter the season with two of the 4 catchers nonetheless in camp, it might be anticipated that Diaz and Campusano would be the two. Diaz was as soon as an MLB All-Star Sport MVP, so there’s potential that his offense will enhance. Campusano ditched the brand new batting stance he applied in 2024 and has proven flashes of energy in his younger profession, however has not been constant. If neither participant can get something going on the plate there might be a gap within the lineup that might hinder run manufacturing and restrict the San Diego offense.
Baring a commerce, there isn’t a catching assist out there. GM A.J. Preller has proven a capability to search out catchers who put collectively profitable and shocking seasons. Jorge Alfaro, Gary Sanchez and most just lately Kyle Higashioka have all come to the Padres with little to no fanfare and have made probably the most of their alternatives. It seems an analogous result’s the hope in San Diego because the common season attracts close to, however there isn’t a proof at this level in Cactus League play that would be the case.
