The Padres have signed outfielder Óscar Mercado and catcher Kevin Plawecki to minor league contracts with invitations to big league Spring Training, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. According to the MLB.com transaction tracker, San Diego also has minor league agreements with outfielder Bryce Johnson and left-hander Daniel Camarena.
Mercado returns to the Padres after logging some Triple-A time there a season ago. The 29-year-old had an excellent 30-game run with their top farm team in El Paso, hitting .339/.399/.669 with 10 homers and steals apiece. San Diego declined to give him a major league look and he finished the year on a minor league pact with the Dodgers.
Before his stint with the Padres, the Colombian-born outfielder had gotten into 20 MLB games for the Cardinals last year. He has reached the majors in five straight seasons, operating in a depth capacity for most of the time since a solid debut campaign in Cleveland. He’s a .237/.289/.388 hitter in a little under 1000 MLB plate appearances, but he’s a plus runner who can handle all three outfield positions.
Plawecki, 33 in February, spent all of last season in Triple-A. As with Mercado, he briefly joined the San Diego organization midseason. The right-handed hitter combined for a .272/.349/.389 showing in 269 plate appearances with the affiliates for the Nationals, Padres and Rangers. San Diego dealt him to Texas for cash around the deadline.
Last year was the first time since 2014 that Plawecki didn’t see any big league work. He’s a .235/.313/.341 hitter over 449 career games. He’ll add non-roster depth behind the MLB catching duo of Luis Campusano and Kyle Higashioka, although Brett Sullivan has a 40-man roster spot and is above him on the depth chart.
Johnson is a former sixth-round draftee who had spent his entire career with the Giants. The Sam Houston State product reached the majors briefly in each of the last two years, hitting .148/.209/.213 in 67 trips to the plate. As one would expect, Johnson has had more success in Triple-A. He’s a .286/.373/.429 batter over parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level. The 28-year-old has experience at each outfield spot.
Camarena’s lone big league experience consists of six appearances for the Friars in 2021. He’s most well-known for connecting on a stunning grand slam off Max Scherzer. The 31-year-old southpaw has spent a good chunk of time in the San Diego farm system. He pitched for Double-A San Antonio a year ago, posting a 6.20 ERA through 69 2/3 innings.
Mercado deserves a shot and he will probably get it in San Diego. He’s a big leaguer not a star but he’s a useful piece for the bench.
He hit .299/.367/523 in 350 triple a at bats last year and he’s still just 29. The way Padres outfield looks right now, he should get an opportunity.
Yes and he’s not just an offensive player he plays good defense and can run. Even if it’s as a 5th outfielder that’s a need for the Padres and a role.
El Paso numbers are very hitter friendly. So keep that in mind.
Barf!
He is so useful that not even OF starved CLE wanted him.
Teams make mistakes. The Cardinals had him then let him go for really no reason at all.
Surprised that with all of the teams Plawecki played for last season that he didn’t even get a cup of coffee in the majors last season. Don’t see him making the Padres either.
There is definitely a clearer path to the big league roster for Mercado as the Padres have a need for Outfielders
Welcome back Mercado, Plawecki and Daniel *Slamarena
You know, while loosing Soto, Snell, Hader, Martinez, Grish, Profar, Gary Sanchez, Tim Hill, Luis Garcia and basically getting the Costco multi-pack of MLB players in return I am actually ok with it.
One of the many problems of last year is you had a handful of superstars and then the rest. You didn’t have a constructed team. AJ seems to not know how to build a team. He can buy players, make massive trades for players but he doesn’t have the ability to put together a team from the bullpen to the bench to the starting line up and make it cohesive.
It might be a good thing to shed payroll, get a solid hands on manager, new leaner coaching staff and let it run for the 1st half of the season. Reevaluate at the break and then make player additions with less team chemistry subtractions.
But what do I know, I’m nothing more than a barcalounger manager!
Big time acquisitions here by the padres
Grand Slamarena
Good grief! Ugh
Wreaks of a move a last place team would make.
Its minor league deals. If they help great. If they don’t know big loss. So why are you so down on them making minor league depth moves?
It’s AAA depth…..nothing more.
Sheesh.
Charlie Brown sarcasm now?
2019 Cleveland Indian legends
Preller doesn’t understand human relationships (he has been reported as being on the autism spectrum).
Building a “team” is a foreign concept for him.
So are you disparaging him cause he has autism or are you saying because he’s autistic he can’t do his job? Crikes alright. Horrible take here. Do better.
It wasn’t prellers in game decisions that led to a horrendous extra innings record last year
Also wasn’t preller refusing to cooperate with analytics and front office input
That was 100% grade A bob melvin
Never heard he was on the spectrum.
ZZzzzz
Plawecki… how about Ryan Lavarnway where is he?
Lavarnway played for Team Israel this past World Baseball classic but does post and pregame for the Rockies now. Hasn’t played in the MLB since 2021, and since he’s doing TV now, doubt he’ll make a comeback.
Camarena the GOAT.