The Padres have been in the mix for an upgrade in left field all year. However, a quiet minor-league signing has filled the void and then some, as of late.

It’s no secret that the Padres have been trying to cover up a hole in left field all year. Even including Gavin Sheets—who essentially learned the position on the fly —Padres left fielders have combined for an abysmal .605 OPS. As the trade deadline approaches, rumors have zeroed in on an upgrade at the position.

However, as the Padres seem oh so close to making a move, they’ve been getting an upgrade internally. And no, it’s not AJ Preller sending 18-year-old phenom Leo De Vries up three levels to play a brand new position. Instead, it’s the switch-hitting Bryce Johnson, who’s making a name for himself after three disappointing seasons.

In 28 games with the club, Johnson is batting .366 with an OPS of .834. His performance over that span is comparable to the season-long production of José Ramírez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr, a pair of All-Star starters this season. Now, Johnson has yet to hit a home run and has made just 45 plate appearances. Regardless, his success provides more than just a spark of offense— it fills a season-altering void, at least momentarily.

His background, and why his expectations sat so low

As a prospect, Johnson’s outlook was never highly regarded. Throughout his career, his value comes only the basepaths and in the field. Johnson’s 28.6 feet/second sprint speed ranks lands in the top 20% of players, and has been his calling card. Literally, in 2024 with the Padres, Johnson’s sole responsibilities were to bunt, pinch-run, and play the outfield late in games. Padres manager Mike Shildt only called on him when his athletic makeup could be put to use.

At the plate, he never really found a contact stroke in his first three years. Even in the minor leagues, he never posted a strikeout rate below 20%. He came up to play for San Francisco, he batted just .148 in 41 games across two seasons with the club. After being DFA’d in 2023, he signed with the Padres on a minor league deal in 2024. Even at that point, he wasn’t really included in the Padres’ vision for the season. Even with a hole open in left field until late in the offseason, Johnson never contended for the roster spot.

Later that season, a leg injury to right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. gave Johnson a glimpse of opportunity. Splitting time with David Peralta, Brandon Lockridge, and Tyler Wade, Johnson was relatively ineffective. However, there was brightness outside of the statsheet. Johnson caught the final out of Dylan Cease‘s no-hitter, laid down an error-inducing, lead-taking bunt against future Hall-of-Famer Clayton Kershaw and the rival Dodgers, and was an instrumental part of a well-knit clubhouse.

Bryce Johnson: The Ultimate Cheat Code pic.twitter.com/fH2E5ce89H

— El Paso Chihuahuas (@epchihuahuas) September 4, 2024

Regardless, his production was subpar, and the Padres elected to let him walk in free agency. He signed with the Pirates for 2025, where he reported to their Triple-A roster. Johnson batted an abysmal .080, and his outlook became unclear whether he’d see the major league level once more. However, the LF-needy Padres decided to move him back to the organization, trading for him in exchange for cash considerations.

How he’s been thriving in San Diego in 2025

To make it ultra-simple, he’s finding holes, gaps, and the right pitches to swing at. Six of his hits have come on pitches located middle-middle, and the majority of the other hits haven’t been far off. Even though strikeouts have been a problem, his whiff and chase rates have been above league average.

The major deficiency is that he’s striking out 28.9% of the time. However, when he puts the ball in play, it’s been a hit over half of the time. His BABIP (batting average on balls in play) sits at an astounding .536. That’s how effective he’s been when he avoids the strikeout. Now, the first thing that would come to mind on an advanced level is that he’s due for a regression. Surely he can’t keep up a pace of getting base hits on half of his balls in the field.

The reality of that statement is that he is indeed due to regress. However, Johnson’s doing all this while playing above average in all other areas of the game. He bunts, he runs, he fields, and now, he’s providing value at the plate. In about two weeks’ worth of playing time, Johnson has accumulated 0.5 fWAR. That’s equal to Luis Arraez‘s total across the entire season. Keep in mind, WAR is a counting stat, not an average or division equation stat.

Therefore, a predictable regression in offensive output wouldn’t hamper Johnson’s overall outlook. Even if he falls to being an average hitter, his skillset outside of hitting will still make him valuable to the Padres until reinforcements presumably arrive in the coming days. Following that logic, Johnson could be on his way out of playing every day in a matter of games. However, his offensive surge during trade season shouldn’t be forgotten as the Padres compete down the stretch. His efforts will likely help push the Padres to be more aggressive on the trade market, as well as temporarily fill a major weakness in San Diego’s lineup.

Willy Warren

A 17-year-old San Diego native, Willy Warren is a baseball fan at heart who created High Leverage Baseball, a public baseball media account covering around-the-league statistical analysis and breakdowns on X. Willy is set to attend the Cronkite School of Journalism in the fall of 2026 at Arizona State University, where he’ll pursue a major in sports journalism.