The Padres have signed shortstop Mason McCoy to a minor league contract, The Athletic’s Dennis Lin reports (via X). The deal contains an invitation for McCoy to attend San Diego’s big league Spring Training camp.
The Blue Jays outrighted McCoy off their 40-man roster in late September, and he became a minor league free agent after the season. Originally a sixth-round pick for the Orioles in the 2017 draft, McCoy is changing teams for the third time in his career, after previous playing with the Mariners and Jays. Seattle dealt McCoy to Toronto in July in exchange for Trent Thornton, and McCoy ended up making his MLB debut, making six appearances as a late-game sub with one plate appearance.
McCoy has hit .257/.330/.393 over 2796 career PA in the minor leagues. Twenty-one of his 51 career homers in the minors came with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate in 2022, though he was unable to keep that surprising power surge going, and the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League might have played a role in McCoy’s sudden extra pop. McCoy is more of a threat on the basepaths, stealing 90 bases in 106 tries in the minors.
Most of McCoy’s playing time has been at shortstop, though he has seen a lot of work as a second baseman and some action at third base and in left field. With Manny Machado set to miss some time at the start of the year while recovering from elbow surgery, the Padres in need of extra infield depth, so McCoy might have a decent chance to win himself a backup job in Spring Training.
He’s dead, Jim.
I always hear of the “hitter friendly PCL.” Excuse my ignorance, but what makes it so hitter friendly? I truly don’t have a clue.
Colorado Springs, Vegas, Tucson, Salt Lake, Reno, Albuquerque, El Paso, etc.
All medium to high altitudes and super dry air. “Hitter’s paradises”
Thanks Gwynning!
The only non-dry air really is Tacoma… but the theory holds up. No probs amigo!
Catch up Colorado Springs and Tucson hasn’t been in the PCL for years.
I thought we were talking historically. Catch up, Bill.
You could have just said, “Oops.”
Hmmmm, excellent Smithers… another shortstop. Release the hounds!
Smithers! Get me some strikebreakers! The kind they had in the 30’s!
Did you know that Mr. Burns’ Father owned an “Atom Smashing” business? Haha
We need more SS that can be moved to 1B
We already have one… (cough, cough) …Bogey… (cough, cough)!
You said it G. I raised this a few weeks ago near end of season when Cro got hurt. Eguy could have covered 2b and hit better than Choi (and see what we got). But then Manny caused Kim to need to be at 3b – but Eguy was there a little bit too. I’d rather have given Eguy the Choi ABs.
Gwynn – I’m sure you know Xander was runner-up for Gold Glove last year, right?
And I’m sure you know he was playing hurt most of this year, right?
Hate the contract, not the player.
@Fever …
I don’t get all the Bogaerts hate. It’s just insane. I still think it was a stupid signing and a bad contract, but X is a top tier player.
It’s relatively simple, gentlemen. He’s lost a step and moving him to 2nd (or in this case 1st…) makes defensive sense. I love Bogey and I also think a less-taxing defensive change might open up his offense.
Fever and Hotdawg – I’d like to add that I have -0-X hate. I was a fan of the signing and they was a small group.
I just see 1b as a weak spot and when Cro when down even weaker and with Kim available, X playing 1b (for example) kept Kim on the field and improved 1b and kept X’s bat in the order.
Primarily this was my thinking before Manny and Cro were hurt but with Merrill on the horizon and 1b being vacant it still plays as a fair option and has nothing to do with hating on X.
Bingo, LTC. Happy Thanksgiving week everybody!
Not mentioned by anybody here is that Kim is the best SS on the roster, and he did win the new GG Ute category. It’s not Bogey hate but rather poignant use of the roster.
*practical, not poignant
Lol
Gwynn – Nobody knows how Xander would do at 2B because he hasn’t played even an inning there in his entire 14-year professional career.
However, he did split 2013-2014 between 3B and SS. While his defensive numbers at 3B were bad, they look fantastic compared to his hitting as a 3B:
.184 BA
.222 OBP
.295 SLG
Now compare those numbers to when he played SS during the same time period:
.267 BA
.334 OBP
.395 SLG
He’s getting shortstop money, he had a GG-caliber season last year, I really don’t think you want his offensive numbers to tank while he’s learning a new position, like they did the last time he switched positions … and that was even with him having played some 3B in the minors.
All fair points, and thanks for statistical data. I am merely expressing a hunch- it lacks the necessary components to qualify as a suggestion. Kim at SS makes the most sense to me, but running it back in ’24 with X there retains the better odds.
Bogey’s great, no Bogey hate in SD boys. Yet on Pads he’s the 3rd or 4th best SS. But Kim and Tatis are obviously fine winning GGs and PGs at other important positions. I suspect they will sign a 1b bat too, this time a more consistent bat to back up Cronz
I could also see a reclamation project at 1st, Brew. Cron, Rowdy or your G-man legend Belt make sense to me.
Ute category.
=================
What’s a ute?
I’m sure you know Xander was runner-up for Gold Glove last year
=========================
The GG is a joke. Bogaerts is still an okay player, but a weak SS. He won’t last there, but then the issue is where he will play.
If you play him at 2nd, he’s never played an inning there, an you still have the Cro issue at 1st. You can play him at 1st, but he has -0- innings there as well, and you still have an expensive, mediocre bat at 1st.
Good one Joe. The late Fred Gwynn aka Herman Munster in My Cousin Vinny – a lot of great lines in that one.
Ok, but I won’t tolerate let’s go Brandon chants led by Manny
@Gwynning…
It’s not “practical use of the roster” due to the fact that X is a SS only. That may change in the future, but for now … it’s Bogey. And we could do a whole lot worse.
Lol
Peoples of SW Colorado, MW Mew Mex
It’s a car. Sedan (not light truck) front, but with only a front seat cab and a carry tray with sides out the back. Aussie as.
@Brew …
I might go with second best (grudgingly), but no way are there three better SSs on the team.
@Joe…
OK, I’ve seen this before: the GG is a joke if it’s a player you’re trying to dismiss, but if it’s somebody you’re making a case for, it’s “He’s got three Gold Gloves.” I make the same argument when Grisham’s name comes up. 😉
Northwest NM
Cronenworth very good SS, Tatis better range and arm, Manny better glove. Kim is best of all. But ok, fine with Bogey as 2nd best.
Hopefully we can get Votto on a short contract, somehow flipping Cro!
Another SS. We have bigger needs than that. Like, 1B, OF, pitching, pitching, and pitching.
Patience, this is just a depth add
Actually, I think it is pitching, pitching, and relief pitching. I think our present plethora of Padres players are perfectly pithy, not pitiful. Plenty of pundits portray Padres players as powerful and prideful.
Penultimately, Padres players are paid predominantly per player and per diem portions, per the prescribed pronouncements of player contracts placed on parchments of pulp.
Presently, people pay to participate in the perusal of Padres players plying their positional plights with plenty of pugnacious power.
Proportionately, Padres players plead for people to pleasantly preview the previous pitchers and program peacefully. Probably professional prognosticators passionately plague Padres players per pious patience.
Padres patrons, please positively plow perkily for perfect placement in pitching and positive playing. Permitted Padres people pledgers, please proclaim, “PEACHY!!”
Go Aztecs!
Merrill, Jackson Merrill? You think he ever gets tired of seeing Preller sign all the Shortstops?
They signed a guy to a minor league deal. This signing means nothing. This guy isn’t going to slow down Merrill making to the majors at all.
They already have Batten, Marcano, and Rosario on the 40-man as infield depth. McCoy is filling out s roster in El Paso much like Tim Lopes did last year.