The Padres added some depth on Friday. According to reports, San Diego signed outfielder and first baseman Connor Joe to a deal.

All offseason, Padres fans have been clamoring for more depth in the lineup, especially in the outfield. Tirso Ornelas was slated as possibly the starting left fielder by default on the depth chart. Ornelas is yet to play an MLB inning in his career.

According to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin, the Padres may be adding another bat and possible starting left fielder.

Poway High's Connor Joe is close to a deal with the Padres, per sources.

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) February 7, 2025

Joe is a five-year veteran in Major League Baseball. Overall, he has been a very average hitter. Through 438 career games with the Rockies and, more recently, the Pirates, he owns a .242 batting average and 97 OPS+. Joe adds MLB experience with an average bat that would steady a rocky left-field situation, if nothing else.

Joe is certainly not the splash signing fans are hoping for, but it’s a sign of life from Padres ownership that they are trying to improve the roster ahead of the 2025 season.

There is an extra layer of interest for fans with this signing. Joe is a Poway High School grad and University of San Diego alum. It’s easy to root for the hometown players when they don the brown and gold. Joe keeps the gold but swaps the black for brown.

For a skillset, Joe has a good eye at the plate. His 21.9 percent chase rate is in the 90th percentile, while his walk rate checks into the 76th. His career high for home runs in a season is 11, which he did in 2023. Where he can provide the most valuable is reaching base at a .340 clip like he has in the past. That would mirror Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s OBP from 2024.

With the glove, he is somewhere between serviceable and slightly below average. It’s very likely the Padres see Joe as the left fielder. In 125 career games in left field, he owns a mark of 8 Defensive Runs Saved. Last season, he earned 2 Defensive Runs Saved between left and right field in 49 total games. His Outs Above Average is in the 41st percentile, slightly below average.

Joe also has experience at first base. He certainly can slide into that role if needed.

Still, Joe offers something at the left field spot that San Diego had yet to obtain this offseason- a veteran with league-average potential with the bat. That’s an upgrade compared to the outlook San Diego had before this reported signing.

Nick Lee

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.