Who will play left field for the Padres?
Mar 5, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Jason Heyward against the Colorado Rockies during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Padres have a wide-open race for left field this season. Who has a leg up a few weeks into Spring Training?
With the departure of Jurickson Profar in free agency, the Padres have a giant hole to fill in left field. The hole is the size of a 3.6-WAR player, as Profar put on last season.
To expect a 3.6-WAR season from any one of the current options for left field is setting yourself up for disappointment. Still, given the strengths on the Padres elsewhere, they don’t necessarily need the new left fielder to have an All-Star season. They simply need them to earn their keep.
After just over a dozen Spring Training games in 2025, who are those candidates to open the 2025 season playing left field at Petco Park?
One standout from Spring, a homegrown player for San Diego, is Tirso Ornelas. He is tied for the team lead this spring with 10 hits. He also has four doubles and a 1.099 OPS, both team highs as well. The Padres signed him as an amateur free agent out of Mexico in 2016. Over the last eight years, he has toiled in the minors without appearing in a big league game. This year may finally be the chance he has been waiting for. He has done all he can do in Triple-A, with a 113 wRC+ and .864 OPS for El Paso last year. One thing counting against Ornelas is that he has two minor-league options left. If the Padres are left with a roster crunch, he might be the odd man out on that fact alone.
The Poway native was brought in specifically to compete for that left field spot as well as provide some needed depth. So far, he is 4-for-17 with two doubles. His ability to work walks has been on display, working four so far in spring to boost his on-base percentage to .435. He has enough athleticism and versatility to make it on this roster. He has even taken some time at first base. It seems likely he will make the team based on that.
Certainly, Heyward has the most career accolades of anyone in competition for the job in left. A former All-Star, five-time Gold Glover, and World Series champ, he brings a lot of veteran stability to the clubhouse. The team will likely give him every opportunity to win a roster spot on that fact alone. Unfortunately, his numbers have not backed that up so far in Peoria. The lefty is 1-for-12. If he can’t show more life at the plate, his time in San Diego might be short.
In a throw-in trade at the 2024 deadline, the Padres shipped reliever Enyel De Los Santos to the Yankees for Brandon Lockridge. He bounced around the outfield in a limited role down the stretch for the Padres last year. He is making his own case to be on the roster in some capacity. In 20 at-bats this spring, he is batting .300 with a double and triple. Like Ornelas, Lockridge has minor-league options. Meaning, he can be sent down to the minors freely while the Padres give the nods to other veterans.
The Padres continue to give former Korean league standouts looks in spring. Perlaza had a .850 OPS with 24 homers for the Hanwha Eagles of the KBO in 2024. As a non-roster invitee, Perlaza will need to make a huge impression to force himself onto the roster. Thus far, that has not been the case. The switch-hitter is 2-for-12 with zero extra-base hits so far. He was optioned to the minors this week.
Summary
Overall, a Connor Joe/Jason Heyward platoon is still the most likely scenario. However, Ornelas is playing his way into the conversation. Being a lefty bat, he could be half of that platoon with Joe in place of Hayward if the veteran can’t get it going before spring games run out. All three could make the roster, with one being a DH in the lineup as well. Lockridge provides depth in center.
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.