Padres quest for catching may end with Pirates
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With a history of transactions, the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres may reach another trade agreement this winter.
There is no doubt the San Diego Padres are looking for a catcher.
Luis Campusano is not the answer. Campusano spent the end of last season in El Paso as the Padres claimed Elias Diaz off the waiver wire from the Rockies. Even though Diaz did little to nothing during the regular season, the Padres did not activate Campusano for the playoffs. This is a very clear message.
Campusano may still have a respectable MLB career, but it appears it will not be with the Padres. A report indicates that the Padres are shopping Campusano as the Padres attempt to package players to upgrade their 40-man roster, which currently has only 33 players.
This week at the MLB Winter Meetings, Preller indicated a strong likelihood that the Padres will sign or trade for a catcher. He mentioned that the team offered Kyle Higashioka a contract and that the Padres were negotiating with a few other catchers who signed recently. It appears the Padres are hamstrung when it comes to their finances. Higashioka signed with the Rangers for two years and $13.5 million. The Padres could have surely eclipsed that mark.
There really isn’t anything on the free agent market when it comes to catchers. Yasmani Grandal, James McCann, and Yan Gomes are arguably the best options. The Padres have World Series ambitions, and these names are not going to do it for them. Or at least they shouldn’t.
It seems more and more likely the Padres will need to make a trade.
Looking around the league, it is evident that catching is a weak market right now. Most teams are still looking for depth in the position. It is extremely difficult to find a defensively adequate catcher who can swing a bat at the major league level. The Padres are finding that out for themselves.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are blessed with three catchers who are major league-ready. Joey Bart, Henry Davis, and Endy Rodriguez each come with question marks, but they all are ready for action at baseball’s highest level. Bart has the most experience, with over 700 major league at-bats. Davis and Rodriguez are young, but both men were highly regarded prospects.
Let’s take a look at each man and see what it would take for the Padres to upgrade their catching department.
In April, the Pirates acquired Bart from the Giants for relief pitcher Austin Strickland. Bart spent some time on the I.L. last year but put up a decent season in the majors, where he posted a .799 OPS in 80 games for the Bucs. The right-handed hitter slugged 13 homers in that time, showing positive power potential. It was a good year for Bart, who may yet become an everyday catcher at the major league level. There are some question marks, though.
At 27, Bart still has youth on his side, but he strikes out entirely too much. Last year, he struck out 73 times in 253 at-bats and owns a 32% strikeout percentage in the majors. That is a concern. Another problem is that Bart is not regarded as a defensive wizard by any means. Joey Bart needs work in that department, but he is likely the Pirates’ starting catcher come opening day.
The Padres may be able to acquire Bart at a decent price. The Pirates didn’t give the Giants much, and he isn’t a homegrown talent like the other two catchers. Bart will always strike out a ton. He’s done so his entire career. The power in the bat may be on the rise, and there are hopes that he can improve defensively as he gets older. At the very least, he may be a decent option in a platoon situation. Bart recorded a .996 OPS against left-handed pitchers in 2024.
This #1 pick for the Pirates in 2021 was the first selection in the entire draft. Davis has a terrific swing from the right side with developing power. He is the Pirates’ most valuable asset behind the dish, and they are not eager to move the backstop. It will take some Preller magic for the Padres to acquire Davis. This would not be easy.
Davis got his first taste of the majors last season and struggled. However, the 25-year-old showed promise. He also displayed his athleticism by playing in the outfield for the Pirates. His bat is so good the thought is that he may eventually move away from behind the plate. The Pirates still hope he blossoms as a catcher, as that is where his real value lies. As a corner outfielder, Davis would be an average offensive player and a below-average defender. His future is still bright, and his value has yet to be determined.
There are some concerns with his defense as a catcher. There is no way around that. Though he is athletic and mobile, the nuances of the position require a special talent. It remains to be seen if Davis will thrive playing in the majors and develop his glove. He isn’t a horrible defender by any means. He is just a little rough around the edges. The bat should play as his swing is direct and to the ball. The Pirates would be hard-pressed to trade their former number-one pick. But anything can happen when you are talking about the Padres and A.J. Preller.
Of the three players, Rodriguez is the best defender. Pitchers rave about his skill behind the plate. The 24-year-old missed the entire 2024 season with a UCL injury. He is expected to be at full strength this spring and is a sleeper candidate to break out in 2025. There is a ton of upside with this young backstop.
The switch-hitter put up a .612 OPS in 2022 as a rookie in 57 games. There is a lot to like about his bat, as Rodriguez slugged 25 homers and 39 doubles in 2022 between three organizations. He put up a .996 OPS that year with a .323 batting average. The offensive game is there, and so is his defense. He is major league-ready.
The elbow injury is a slight concern, but he should be fine moving forward. Before the injury, he threw potential stealers out with ease. There is a lot to like about Rodriguez’s upside, especially when you factor in his glove. The fact he is a switch-hitter is also very nice. Rodriguez is capable of playing first base, though he will surely progress as a backstop. The Padres may be able to acquire Rodriguez, but the asking price will not be cheap. He will require some relevant players.
The price tag
San Diego has several young arms who would be of interest to the Pirates. Matt Waldron, Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, and Sean Reynolds all possess major league service time already. Packaging a few of these arms with a lower-tiered prospect or two has merit, but I guess that depends on which catcher you want. It is difficult to assess which catcher the Pirates are willing to trade and who they value the most.
Henry Davis is a former #1 pick. Rodriguez is coming off a major injury and can play multiple positions. Bart is likely the starter coming in, but the Pirates may be skeptical that he can keep up his current pace with the bat. For the Padres, the addition of any of these men would be an upgrade. There is no reason to believe the Padres would need to trade Ethan Salas or Leodalis De Vries for any of them, either.
The Padres and Pirates possess a great working relationship. The two teams have made several trades over the years. A deal may be possible if the Padres covet a catcher from the Pirates. The Padres are blessed with young arms and prospects who could entice the Pirates. We will see if anything comes from this. The Padres are on the prowl for catchers, and the Pirates can undoubtedly quench their thirst.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
I don’t agree that Campusano is not the answer. With the right tutor and encouragement I believe Campusano could possibly be an All-star.
Endy woud be the last catcher the Pirates should be trading. He’s better than Davis in every way besides power.
The pirates do not need young arms. They are loaded with young pitching talent. None of these players would interest them in any way
You can never have enough pitching. They do need relief help. Reynolds would provide that. The Padres have plenty of hitting prospects that could entice them as well.