Retaining Kyle Higashioka’s services is a priority for the San Diego Padres this winter. 

Presently, the San Diego Padres are in need of a catcher.

On the roster, Luis Campusano is really the only viable option for the team in 2025, but he did not make the active roster during the 2024 playoffs. The Padres, instead, chose to sign  Elias Diaz late in the year and keep him active in the two playoff series they played. Campusano’s future is cloudy at best in a Padres uniform.

Ethan Salas is the future at the position for the Padres.

But the 18-year-old will need more seasoning. He is way above average in terms of his development, but the left-handed hitter will surely need another year or two of minor league baseball to be capable of contributing at the major league level. It is only natural for a catcher to need more time in the minors.

The Padres require a veteran backstop to fill the gap until Salas is ready—someone to mentor him when he reaches the majors.

Luckily, they had the perfect person on the roster last season: Kyle Higashioka.

The veteran catcher was acquired from the Yankees in the Juan Soto deal, and he immediately fit on the roster. Campusano was viewed as the starter before the season, but Higashioka wrestled the starting job away from the young catcher with consistent play behind the dish and an ability to hit timely homers. He slugged a career-high 17 homers last season for the Padres.

Higashioka is a free agent this winter, and the Padres are prioritizing retaining him. According to a source within the team, early negotiations are positive, and the Padres seem content that they will ink the catcher soon. “He is a priority for us this winter,” the source tells EVT. The two sides are at the early stages, but both sides expect the talks to progress.

The 34-year-old catcher made $2.18 million last season and is due for a raise. He will certainly get that. The Padres would be wise to invest two more years into Higashioka with a third-year team option. A two-year deal at around $6-8 million seems fair with an option. His price would be minimal, but his effect on the roster is large. Higashioka posted a 2.9 WAR last season, which is really respectable.

The pitchers enjoy throwing to the veteran catcher, and his power production is positive. Higashioka is a native of California, and he probably prefers to stay in the state. The veteran is at the tail end of his career, and finishing it with the Padres would be the icing on the cake of a decade-long service in the majors.

In time, the roster will fill out for the 2025 season. The Padres have plenty of work to do. But the signing of Kyle Higashioka seems inevitable.

It is November, and the Padres are working on their future roster. Signing a catcher and stabilizing the position is a requirement.

James Clark

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.