Padres’ 26-man roster projection ahead of Spring Training
Jun 26, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Eguy Rosario (5) celebrates after hitting a double during the fourth inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
It’s now February. That means the Padres will begin Spring Training this month. Let’s try to project what the initial 26-man roster will look like on Opening Day.
Pitchers and catchers report for the Padres on February 12. Their first full team workout will be February 17. That is in just two weeks. The Padres’ Opening Day game against the Atlanta Braves on March 27.
Things will start happening fast as players report and Spring Training games begin (February 21).
Here is our first 26-man roster projection for the Padres as Spring Training nears.
Remember, a team can only carry 13 pitchers. Also, all 26 players must be on the team’s 40-man roster. Currently, the Padres have four openings on the 40-man roster. A few players projected to make the roster may also need to be added to the 40-man.
Let’s go position-by-position.
*indicates they are not currently on the 40-man roster
Starting Pitcher (5)
Right now, the Padres have a clear-cut top three in the rotation. They also have a murky situation after that trio. Waldron turned in 146 innings in 2024, but he and his knuckleball faded down the stretch (8.10 ERA in the second half). Vasquez logged 98 innings with a 4.87 ERA and 84 ERA+. Frankly, those two are slotted in by default. Unfortunately, Joe Musgrove is out for the season with Tommy John surgery. The Padres desperately need an upgrade or two in the rotation outside the organization to account for his absence.
Bullpen (8)
The bullpen might be the Padres’ biggest strength in 2025. Suarez, Estrada, and Adam all have closer-like skillsets. Suarez put together an impressive season as San Diego’s closer that saw him earn an All-Star bid.
Arms like Sean Reynolds and Yuki Matsui will hopefully take another step in their development. Matsui acquitted himself well for it being his first time in the U.S. in 2024, with a 3.73 ERA in 63 appearances. Hoeing was a sneaky-good pickup from Miami at the deadline, as he posted a 1.52 ERA in 18 games with the Padres down the stretch.
Catcher (2)
The signing of Diaz might spell doom for veteran Martin Maldonado. The Padres signed him to a minor league and Spring Training invite. However, his hitting has been downright atrocious in recent years.
Diaz might serve as a hedge for Campusano. The young backstop is no longer considered a young prospect, with 168 MLB games under his belt now. Yet, the jury is still out on whether he is worthy of being a franchise’s main catcher.
Infield (6)
After the bullpen, the infield seems like the most set piece of the Padres. Machado is all-world at third base and is the newly minted franchise home run king. Bogaerts likely will slide full-time back to shortstop unless a major move is made. Arraez and Cronenworth make up the right side of the infield. Where the Padres are very thin is on the bench. Eguy Rosario, and his 100 career MLB plate appearances, is the bench option with the most thump. Wade offers veteran versatility. However, the Padres desperately need to add some depth on the bench.
Outfield (5)
To say that the outfield is top-heavy would be a massive understatement. The drop-off between Fernando Tatis, Jackson Merrill and the rest of the outfield options is larger than La Jolla Cove. After superstar Tatis and Rookie of the Year runner-up Merrill, it’s a hodgepodge of unproven players and journeymen. Brosseau was offered a Spring Training invite on a minor league deal. He has 241 games of MLB experience over parts of five seasons. Lockridge came to San Diego when the Padres dealt away Enyel De Los Santos. He went 2-for-12 with a homer in limited action in San Diego. Ornelas has been in the organization since 2016 and is yet to appear in a big league game. Given the lack of additions in the outfield this offseason, Ornelas might get his chance by default to fight for a starting left-field job.
Just missed the cut
Jhony Brito, RHP
Ron Marinaccio, RHP
Tom Cosgrove, LHP
Martin Maldonado, C
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.