The Padres have signed corner outfielder Nomar Mazara to a minor league contract with an invitation to major league Spring Training, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive (Twitter link). Mazara was eligible to sign a minors pact during the lockout because he didn’t finish the 2021 season on a club’s 40-man roster or major league injured list, having been released by the Tigers in June.
San Diego president of baseball operations A.J. Preller was a high-ranking member of the Rangers’ scouting staff in 2011, when Texas signed Mazara as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic. The left-handed hitter’s big power potential made him a coveted signee, with the Rangers doling out a bonus just under $5MM to secure his services.
For a while, that looked to be a great investment. Mazara posted big production over his first few minor league seasons. He continued to impress scouts along the way, emerging as one of the sport’s top 25 overall prospects by 2016 (in the estimation of Baseball America). He made his MLB debut as a 20-year-old that April and looked to have a good chance of emerging as a long-term lineup fixture in Arlington.
Mazara hit .266/.320/.419 with 20 home runs over 568 plate appearances as a rookie. Those aren’t world-beating numbers, but it was nevertheless a promising debut showing for a player the age of a typical college junior. Mazara remained the Rangers’ regular right fielder over the next three seasons, but his awaited breakout simply never arrived. He hit between 19 and 20 homers every year, posting slightly below-average offensive numbers in each season. For a bat-first player whose glovework in the corner outfield hasn’t rated highly, that wasn’t much more than replacement level production.
Texas moved on from Mazara after 2019, trading him to the White Sox for outfield prospect Steele Walker. Mazara had a rough 149 plate appearance showing in Chicago during the shortened 2020 season, and the Sox cut him loose that offseason. The Tigers took a low-cost flier last winter, but he hit only .212/.276/.321 over 181 plate appearances in Detroit before being released. He didn’t latch on with another club the rest of the season.
Preller has brought numerous former prospects with whom he’s familiar from Texas over to the Padres. On a minor league deal with a non-roster invite, there’s no downside for the Friars in getting a look at Mazara in Spring Training. San Diego has plenty of uncertainty in the corner outfield mix, with Tommy Pham hitting free agency and seemingly annual speculation about the possibility of Wil Myers coming up in trade talks.
Mazara, still only 26 years old, could have a good opportunity to crack the roster with a strong showing in exhibition play. Yet his days as a top prospect continue to get further in the rear-view mirror as he’s struggled to handle big league pitching. Over parts of six MLB seasons, he’s a .255/.315/.418 hitter, production that checks in around 12 points below the league average by measure of wRC+.
Garbage player
Lazy post.
Career WAR of 1.
And yes, I am quoting WAR.
Was a stiff in Chicago.
Was a stiff with mold growing on it in Detroit.
Better than Hosmer in SD.
Hosmer isn’t very good but he’s way better than Mazara. Stats are your friend.
Everyone knows Mazara is a disappoinment but can we address the real elephant in the room? Why is it that people keep posting articles every offseason about the Padres trading Myers and/or Hosmer? It’s obvious that the Padres want to trade them. It has been for years. Isn’t it also equally as obvious that no other teams want them? Maybe if they were in the last year of their contract and the Padres attached $20 million worth of prospects but I don’t see them doing that. Myers contract is up soon but the Padres won’t give away prospects like that. No one is touching the Hosmer contract period. What real incentive do other teams have to bail AJ Preller out of his bad decisions? None that I can see.
@Please … You are 100% correct. I have no idea why people think it’s even possible to trade Hosmer. At least, not without doing long term damage to the team.
Preller working the Rangers team build
I suppose we all have our weaknesses and blind spots, but it’s sure as heck pretty obvious what Preller’s are.
Preller doesn’t scout. He uses his old notes from the Rangers days. Its easy.
*Calls up Detroit to swing a trade for miggy*
How much for that MVP first baseman you have?
Mazara should really try his hand at the NPB or KBO before no one wants him anymore. (that said, do those leagues even want him?)
Yes.
Is Preller incapable of scouting or signing any player (or coach) that doesn’t have Rangers connections? This guy is not just another Rangers castoff, but since it’s very likely Preller scouted and signed Mazara as a 16 year-old. It’s like his ego is still trying to prove to the Rangers that he was a good scout.
I’d relax… at worst he’s cut in ST. At best, he wins a roster spot with a hot Spring. It’s a win/win situation for the Pads, Rangers history be damned. I always kick the tires when I buy a used car…
Not a bad gamble at all. What is he, 25 years old? Most players hit their peak between 25-28 so perhaps the Padres can catch lightning in a bottle here. Minor League deals are harmless to an organization. Mazarra still has the tools to be effective, he just needs to work on his mental side of the game.
He’s 26. Have you seen him enough to assess the “mental side of his game?” What does that even mean?
He’s a fringe player at best, and he can’t hit LHP. We need an established big league outfielder (or two), but this just smacks of Preller being Preller.
Preller, like all 30 Pres/GMs signs several guys to MiLB deals. nothing to complain about.
You ever hear of a guy named Jose Bautista? For reference he was 27 when jettisoned by the Pirates (and Rays and KC and Baltimore). Career WAR at that point -2.9!
Dude went on to have a nice 5 or 6 year stretch with the Blue Jays as I recall.
Not saying he will turn into Bautista……but, there are more than a few similarities.
Guys can find there way with time and experience.
Cut the dude some slack…..give him a chance. Worst case he doesn’t make it.
You pin your hopes on outliers? Anything’s possible, but the odds are against it.
Pin my hopes??
Hmmmmm……Sure…..I hope he does well enough to earn a spot and make a difference for the padres.
Not real sure why you wouldn’t want to see a player figure things out and do well.
I hope he does do well. But really, I’m not counting on it.
Just looking at his career and making an assessment based on that is not wishing ill will on him. Not even.
No one is hoping against player success. You are absurdly counting on an extreme outlier. We are living in the reality of probabilities. By your logic every team should fill its 40 man with bad players on the .00001% chance that they work out. Hey, maybe I should try out for the Padres. If you don’t think I’ll make it then you’re hoping against my success? That’s your logic. It’s ridiculous. Mazara isn’t good. Statistics say the possibility of him becoming very good is minuscule at best. That’s the reality that we are discussing. It’s not hard to understand.
Whoa……..Don’t get mad big guy, it’s gonna be ok.
Making a lot of assumptions and accusations there.
Try reading comments you reply to more thoroughly to gain better understanding and perspective before sounding off.
If you ever watched the Padres much over the years, we made a habit of “dumpster diving”. Not that I agreed with the strategy…….Lo and behold…..there were other teams castoff’s that turned out to be pretty decent players for the Padres.
Phil Nevin comes to mind, Scott Hairston, Heath Bell…..more recently Kirby Yates, Brad Hand.
That’s just off the top of my head, there are others.
I think you can research this, it’s not that hard to understand.
For such a long time fan, I’m surprised you seem unaware that we traded FOR Hairston, Nevin, and Bell. In other words, they weren’t “castoffs” or the result of waiver wire “dumpster dives.”
Yates was only our closer for just over one full year. Hand was only our closer for a year and a half. Just so you know.
LOL……And that matters why???
Your acknowledgement of Yates as our closer (AND AN ALLSTAR) after being a castoff makes my point. So…….thanks!!!
Do you know the pitch that saved his career? Do you know where and when he learned it? And where he was deveoping it? Hint: it wasn’t with us. And when he first came to SD, he was pitching middle relief and set-up.
But you seem to think naming one or two outliers proves your point? Not by a long shot. It just makes you desperate.
Hmmmmmm…….I think what you’ve proven here is……you are really desperate to TRY and win an argument you’ve already lost Ha Ha…….
Thanks for adding to the outlier total by the way. That was awesome!
Need me to bring up more examples for your education?
By your logic, no front office should ever sign a minor / major league free agent that has not succeeded at the MLB level by the time they are 26 or 27…..
Now that is a truly ridiculous argument.
Try another sport for your passion, baseball requires patience son. You clearly seem to be out of that (or haven’t acquired it yet?).
Get some warm milk and cookies and head off to bed.
Mazara is not on the 40 man roster. It’s a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Every team does deals like this every year. Most of the time the player doesn’t make the squad and gets cut before the end of spring training. You’re acting like the Padres are relying on him to hit cleanup and start every day in RF. He’s a 26 year old OF with decent pop and a former top prospect. He could catch fire in ST or he could continue to be what he is and get cut. There is no risk for the Padres.
Exactly!!
You are going to great lengths to defend a demonstrably bad player who’s little more than a minor league depth piece. Comparing him to Nevin and others is insane. And you dare use the word “logic?” Not so much.
@RodBeck … he was never a top ML prospect, only top 5 for the Rangers.
@RodBeck … I was wrong about Mazara’s prospect status. He was ranked as high as #18 prior to 2016. And, like most, never lived up to it.
Ha Ha………You are a source of free entertainment. I’ll give you that.
Try to relax a little.
Your trying too hard.
Bingo Bango Bongo!
A great day in San Diego will be the day Preller is shown the door. Does he have a golden shower dossier of Peter Seidler? How does Preller still have a job?
It’s crazy how Rangers prospects never develop much, or at all, past their rookie season numbers during the Jon Daniels Era:
Nomar Mazara’s, Evlis Andrus’, Ian Kinsler, Mitch Moreland, Rougned Odor, Leonys Martin, David Murphy, Robinson Chirinos, Delino DeShields, Jurickson Profar, Joey Gallo, Julio Borbon, Craig Gentry, all had slightly below or equal stats over their career 162 game avg vs the rookie season (BA/OBP/SLG/OPS)
Same with the pitchers: Martin Perez, Derek Holland, Matt Harrison, Jose Leclerc, Chi Chi Gonzalez, Nick Martinez, Nick Tepesch, etc…
The only players to truly thrive were ones that were traded for or signed in free agency; no players that came through their system developed past their first season.
Most prospects don’t amount to anything. You could make a list like this for almost any team.
Most of those guys he mentioned were being hyped even after they meade the ML team. They weren’t just the prospects whose names you’ll never hear.
I dunno, that’s a pretty long list of recent names. Yea, most prospects don’t amount to anything, if you count every drafted player as a prospect. But you expect the known ones to work out. That’s a pretty big list of prospects turned major leaguers there, although I’d argue many of them amounted to be pretty good.
You missed the point of my post. It’s not that they were prospects that never made it. I understand most prospects don’t even make the MLB.
These were guys that had decent/solid rookie seasons and then regressed from those numbers. This shows a systemic flaw in the Rangers’ development program.
They were good enough to make it to the bigs, and good enough to be productive right away, but never made the next step. Part of the blame should go to the Rangers.
why complain though? Kinsler, Moreland, Andrus, Gallo, Holland, Harrison, Leclerc all were or are pretty good players when healthy. heck, Kinsler was nearly a HoFer. that’s not a bad group.
I would agree on Kinsler. But that’s about it.
Then you either don’t watch much baseball or don’t know how to assemble and assess a roster, SDHotDog.
Poor baby. Did I accidentally dis your favorite player? Lemme guess … Joey Gallo?
I like Leclerc
Nope, as a Mariners fan I have no affinity toward any of their players, I’m just smart enough to recognize that DarkSide is right. I’m sorry you lack the baseball intelligence to do so, “poor baby.”
I’m partial to Emmanuel Clase.
Clase’s very good. Preller gave him to the Rangers for Brett Nicholas. Matt Brash is another one he let go. Ugh.
What am I missing about Kinsler’s HoF ticket? 1999 hits doesn’t butter the bread for me…
Why complain? Why shouldn’t you complain when a player never improves and their high water mark is in their rookie season? You shouldn’t expect a major league team to help further develop their players?
Look at the Rays. They wouldn’t be near the franchise they are if they didn’t continue to develop their own players or cast offs from other franchises. Development is crucial. It allows your players to reach the full potential, allows you to fulfill team needs within the organization and not having to spend more money in free agency. It allows you the franchise to continually improve.
How many in that list ended up in a Padres jersey at some point? I see a few… Including a guy that flipped the bird to the fans.
Yep, a few.
@Gwynning … you’re a coward. You don’t get to talk smack while blocking replies. Pretty typical, though.
I actually liked it when the Tigers got him. He was still only 25 at the time and already had 4 seasons with Texas where he hit around 20 jacks. Except for being injured fairly often, I feel like the guy has to have something left in his tank, still being so young. And I could be wrong cuz I haven’t kept up with his injury history, but I don’t think any of his injuries have been major surgeries. Just them nagging type that keep a guy out for a month at a time, eventually ruining his season.
He was regarded by scouts to have only one plus tool – power.
I just lost respect for SDP scouting. Nomar Mazara had his chance in DET. Can’t hit; can’t field.
Me too. Scouting AND development. And to think, Preller was hyped as a “super-scout.”
@SDHotDawg
Relax. This is just a minor league depth signing. This is the kind of thing every major league team does constantly. The Padres currently have only 3 players on their roster with significant ML experience in the OF: Myers, Grisham and Profar. They will OBVIOUSLY sign someone to be their starting LF. They just MIGHT want a possible 2nd backup OF with experience, right?
This isn’t a starter signing. This is a just-in-case of extreme emergency signing.
Just because they played Profar in the OF, that doesn’t mean he was any good at it.
I’d like to think this is just a depth signing, but it’s Preller. And there is no guarantee he will sign a starting LF. None. Just like there’s no guarantee he’s going to address the lack of starting pitching depth.
Wow Preller owns your head. They need some depth in minors, it’s that simple. It ain’t the sky falling’ on your Pads.
Recent post history would suggest SDHawtDawg isn’t even a Padre fan, Brewer.
Either way it doesn’t seem like a healthy relationship
You and Gwynning enjoy losing? Bad rosters? A history of bad trades? And you’ll say anything to defend an unethical GM?
You aren’t fans. Not real ones.
Hey Dawg, read my posts over the years and you’d know I’m as critical of management as any fan. Just not obsessively so.
@Brewer … Then, to be fair, I have yet to see one. Look around – I’m not the only one that’s had enough of Preller.
Okay, so you don’t read my posts, I’m saddened, but that’s fine.
Just recently in MLBTR, I showed A LOT of disappointment in the Fraizer trade (to the Pads from the Pirates, when it happened), highly critical of the Arrieta pick up, criticized the Nola deal, was more than non-plussed by the Pagan trade, etc., etc… I like Myers but didn’t like the trade.
I wasn’t happy with the Hosmer signing at all and have voiced it here. 9,390,002 times like you have? no. It’s worn out. We’re stuck with him, live with it like balding hair..
As for Preller, obviously few can match your disdain for the man. But while I’m not fond of many of this trades, it’s also easy play hindsight with a lot his deals. I tend not to be as critical of Preller as others when trades that seemed okay at the time but backfire – such as Clevenger deal. This obsession to hate on Preller gets crazy – eg, there were guys blaming him for Morejon’s injury!
Anyway, I’m not writing you off as a non-Padre fan, but you do seem highly disgruntled. Some good things have happened to this team over the past couple of years, especially in the $ commitment by ownership. Try to enjoy some of it, even though the team might not make it to the WS again in our lifetimes.
So, we agree on about 87% of the issues. My biggest beef with Preller? He’s a cheat. He’s no different than Cano or Bonds or A-roid or any PED using cheat; he’s just the white collar version. Two suspensions and a third fine bear this out. Make no mistake, if Cano was a Padre, I would not root for him.
Just so you know, I was thrilled when he traded for Clevinger, Darvish, Snell, and Musgrove. I gave him credit for those.
Actually, I probably do read your posts. I just don’t usually pay much attention to the names unless it’s directed at/to me.
It’s a minor league deal. Get your panties out of a wad.
Look around. The only folks with their panties in a wad seem to be the ones defending this signing. Everyone else is pointing out that he’s a well below average player. Why does that offend you?
I’m not offended. I just think it’s ridiculous when people get upset about a minor league deal. It truly shows a basic lack of knowledge in how baseball works.
Then why do you think people are “upset” just for pointing out a players sub-par history? I’m pretty sure most of us know how baseball works. I guess the Braves never signed anybody that made you roll your eyes? Must be nice.
I’m not a GM as you seem to be in (you’re damp dream), but there seems to be a place on most teams for veteran depth pieces in the minors. Sure the guy has underperformed in the majors, that’s why he’s so dirt cheap now, and I haven’t seen a post here that says he’s the answer on the big league roster. But when the next COVID outbreak hits its smart to have temporary minor league options. This signing is hardly one to infuriate yourself over.
Dude was so bad for the tigers last year that I never even realized he was cut.
I don’t understand the overwhelming negative comments for this signing. It’s literally a minor league deal, potentially low risk, high reward signing. It literally cost them next to nothing and they can always release him if he doesn’t work out. If it does and they catch lightning in a bottle, they literally just have to pay him the league minimum. There’s a lockout right now if you haven’t noticed, not like any GM’s can make any big signings right now. He’s literally a depth piece, calm down with the riots, cheese and crackers!
Of course you’re right about the minor league deal thing. But the “lightning in a bottle?” Highly unlikely.
But possible
[SARCASM]
All the players union needs now is for steroids to be permissible. I think Preller is counting on it
[/SARCASM]
“Lightning in a bottle” is always highly unlikely. That’s kind of the point of the saying.
Its the sheer number of signing and trades and staff that Preller has brought to the Padres from the sad sack Rangers. None have proven to be worth a lick.
@Gwynning …
Stay in school until you can properly use metaphors and analogies. “The sky is falling?” LOL.
To be fair, it’s only like 2 non-fans saying that, just seems like more because they keep repeating the “sky is falling” roteness.
It’s a minor league deal!! If it doesn’t work out… CUT him!! No harm no foul
Its a minor league contract not a 10 year deal. Mazara is still young enough to rebound. Maybe Bob Melvin is the guy that helps him do it. Worst case they cut him or stash him in AAA in case of an injury
Rebound to what? The 1 War player he is for his career? Always rooted for him with the Rangers but it was painful to watch.
I mean, rebound implies he was once good. He really wasn’t ever much.
His first four seasons in Texas says he wasn’t bad either. He’s not to San Diego to start, at best he would be a 4th Outfielder or part of a platoon.
He’s a corner OFr who has never even been a league average hitter. That is TERRIBLE. The last two years his OPS+ has been less than 70. No way he’s part of a platoon. He’s really that bad. No one is running a sub 70 OPS+ corner OFr out there, not even as a platoon. He’s minor league depth, and nothing more. He’ll be playing in Korea before long.
Look at the bright side……
Perhaps Mr. Mazara has met with Robinson Cano’s doctor – who’s figured out a way to mask his recommendations so that MLB’s testing program can’t detect what he’s ingesting.
Cano still got caught. He should find a new doctor.
Rebound? That implies he was good. When was that?
He was not only never good, he was never even average.
David Ortiz didn’t find his swing until Boston and he was with the Twins and Mariners prior
The Mariners traded him when he was still in A ball. The Red Sox signed him as a free agent after the Twins non-tendered him. He developed his power with the Red Sox.
I seriously hope you aren’t trying to comp this guy to Big Papi.
Are you kidding? Ortiz’ OPS+ his last year in Minnesota was over 50 points (!) higher than Mazara’s last year. There is NO comparison. None.
Guys here overreacting as if their team is full of MLB players in AAA. Dude could be a turnaround player or he could just be who he is, but you don’t get Justin Turner to the dodgers for example without a couple moves like this that might not work. No team is actually counting on them to be productive.
I agree that this is not a bad move, it’s depth, that’s all. But Justin Turner has nothing to do with anything. You’re last sentence sums it up.
It’s the off season.
We’re in a lockout.
All we’ve got to talk about are fringe minor league player signings.
So, just relax.
Heh, what is that? A haiku?
Nope. Attempt at emphasis. Failed.
I actually liked your haiku Dawg!
For a reference point see Jorge Soler’s time with the Cubs…
Probably as good as the guy they signed a year ago to a Major League deal O’Grady (now in Japan) Last year Crismatt was a minor league sign who made it. Teams are lucky to get one or two Minlg signs that contribute just basic attrition needs all teams must plan for
It showed way more on the pitching side but lack of depth was a serious issue for them at various points last year so I don’t see how this is a bad thing.
O’Grady, Patrick Kivelhan, and John Andreoli, all played some for SD last year. If someone has to come up for a couple weeks because an OF has an injury, I’d rather have Mazara than those options.
Maybe. The only tool Mazara has that’s better than Kivlehan, O’Grady, or Andreoli is power. But the fact remains we still need a ML outfielder.
Mazara is toast, probably should try NPB/KBO instead.
Just lazy and dumb to bring back failed former prospects just because you scouted them.
Preller is very awful.
A waste of a minor league spot. Power – what power? Think he hit two homers in 200 AB with White Sox. He can’t hit major league hitting. For a team that failed last season and is already saddled with a few bad contracts this spot would have been better off given to a prospect. It’s not like Mazara even brings a glove.
No lie I added Mazara to the Padres when I was doing there franchise in mlb21
Preller is the biggest snake oil salesman ever. He’s been hailed as a super scout for a decade and a half, and he’s still clinging to guys he believed in ten years ago. Fire this guy already, all talk, no results. Ever.
I watched him take enough AB’s in Detroit to say that he is one of the most outmatched hitters in the game at the MLB level and does not belong in the majors. He has a sloppy plate approach, a poor grasp of the strike zone, little patience and no discipline. He can’t field at any level beyond routine plays. He should have gone overseas, he could have been decent in KBO against much weaker pitchers, he’s just going to get bounced around from club to club over here for the rest of his likely short MLB career.
That matches all the reports I’ve read about him, going back to the minor league scouting reports. His one and only tool was supposedly power when he ran into a ball, but he has no plate discipline. Enen an old anaysis on the Rangers blog questioned the huge bonus he was given. Which kind of fits the M.O.
People are talking about Padre baseball.Preller might surprise you this yr.Darvish,Clevenger,Snell,Musgrave,Lamet is potentially exceptional.Someone will take Hosmers deal but he leaves with AJ Abrams & Gore.Infield defense and depth is outstanding.Plus they all bang.Outfield is still a question mark but they have centerfield dialed in. Corner outfield is probably the easiest position to fill.Padres are very talented and fun to watch.Preller stays because SD is a World Series contender and they are only getting better.
Mazara had 1 good yr because he had protection in the lineup and he saw a bunch of fastballs.Yr 2 they started pitching him like you do for 25 dinger guys.I’ve seen a lot of BP in my day and Mazara missed lollipop pops at BP looking absolutely clueless.I agree with most of you and I also think he’s done here in mlb. He’ll get a overseas contract and he’ll be done there too.Big kid with an absolute ugly swing!
From reading most of the comments from Rangers, Tigers and ChiSox fans, Mazara’s pretty terrible on defense, too.
I guess we’ll see.
At what age did the Brewers give up on Nelson Cruz and trade him to the Rangers?
Cruz was part of the package that sent Carlos Lee to Milwaukee near the trading deadline in 2006. He struggled with swing mechanics early on in his career and never expected to be more than a Quadruple-A player.
Fans still remember Cruz as a “throw-in” in a trade that sent Carlos Lee to Texas in exchange for Francisco Cordero, Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix.
Cruz was traded to the Rangers at age 26.
Cruz was a 4A player until 2008.
Cruz figured it out at age 29.