Padres claim old friend Luis Patiño off waivers
Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
On Friday, the Padres claimed former San Diego prospect Luis Patiño off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
Right-handed pitcher Luis Patiño was put on waivers by the Chicago White Sox, and the Padres saw it as an opportunity to bring back one of their former prized prospects.
In 2019, Patiño was the No. 2 prospect in the Padres organization and 48th in all of baseball. He was highly thought of coming through the system out of Colombia and even pitched in the 2019 All-Star Futures Game.
He only briefly appeared with the Padres in 2020, his first big league action. In 17 innings over 11 appearances, he posted a 5.19 ERA.
Over that offseason, he was the centerpiece in a trade that netted the Padres Blake Snell from the Rays.
Blake Snell eventually won an NL Cy Young with the Padres in 2023.
Patiño struggled to live up to his initial hype as a young prospect. In parts of three seasons up and down the Rays’ system, he posted a pedestrian 5.24 ERA in 27 total appearances at the big league level for Tampa Bay.
He was dealt during the 2023 season from the Rays to the White Sox. He pitched 17 innings for Chicago this past season with a respectable 3.57 ERA.
Over parts of four seasons, he amassed 136 innings with a 5.02 ERA and 82 ERA+.
Now, he is back with the Padres as San Diego attempts to unlock the massive potential he had as a prospect.
He has a four-pitch mix, including a sinker, slider, four-seam fastball, and changeup.
Still, at just 24 years old, there is plenty of time to give Patiño a chance. The prevailing thought is that Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla can aid in his quest to realize his upside.
The Padres desperately need starting pitching depth. While he was used more in relief in 2023, it’s likely the Padres will try and build him out as a starter.
This certainly doesn’t fix the Padre’s need for viable, veteran starting pitching. However, with some time to develop, Patiño could possibly turn into a valuable asset to the pitching staff. The Padres still need to acquire multiple big league-ready pitchers to fill out the holes.
Plus, it’s a nice win for A.J. Preller to not only see Blake Snell win a Cy Young this season but also grab back what was the centerpiece of that trade for Snell in Patiño.
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.