The Padres faced several tough roster decisions in the final days of spring training, perhaps none more difficult than their call on out-of-options infielder Eguy Rosario. The decision was eventually made to designate Rosario for assignment in favor of several veterans who were selected to the 40-man roster: Jose Iglesias and Yuli Gurriel among them. Rosario has often shown glimpses of upside and has hit well in Triple-A, for the most part. He’s also posted huge strikeout totals and poor OBP marks in the majors, however, and he had a rough showing in spring training.
President of baseball operations A.J. Preller spoke highly of Rosario in the wake of his DFA and suggested that he expects to find a trade partner for the 25-year-old (via Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune).
“Eguy’s a big league player,” Preller said. “…He’s going to get an opportunity to go elsewhere and play in the big leagues I would think immediately, and we’ll try to add some value through a trade here in the next week.”
Rosario has only appeared in 100 big league games to this point in his career, due in no small part to a crowded San Diego infield featuring high-profile and high-priced veterans like Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Luis Arraez, Jake Cronenworth and (through the 2024 season) Ha-Seong Kim. Rosario has gotten occasional calls to the big leagues when players are injured, but he’s never topped last year’s 57 plate appearances in the majors. So far, he’s posted a .245/.283/.500 line with five homers, seven doubles and a triple. He’s also drawn just four walks against 34 strikeouts.
Down in Triple-A, Rosario’s numbers look more well-rounded. He’s played parts of three seasons with the Padres’ top affiliate in El Paso and batted .275/.362/.502 in 1164 turns at the plate. A right-handed hitter, Rosario has posted much better numbers against southpaws, but he still has strong right-on-right numbers in Triple-A. That’s not the case in the big leagues, but a .146/.226/.146 slash doesn’t carry too much weight when it’s a sample of 54 plate appearances and comes in scattered, infrequent playing time. Plus, Rosario has demolished big league lefties at a .348/.348/.870 rate in 46 plate appearances. His batted-ball metrics (exit velocity, hard-hit rate, etc.) aren’t great in the majors or in Triple-A, but he’s demonstrated some clear extra-base pop.
Defensively, Rosario has spent the bulk of his time at third base — more than 3400 professional innings. However, he’s also logged more than 2600 innings at second base, another 1200 innings at short and a handful of games at both first base and in right field. Baseball America’s scouting reports on Rosario praise his plus arm but note that despite good speed and athleticism, his actions and range make him better suited for work at third or second.
Despite his minimal playing time when on the big league roster, Rosario has spent enough time in the majors to have more than one year of service time. Any team that acquires him via trade or waivers would pick up five seasons of control, though he’d have to go directly on the big league roster due to his lack of options.
Low cost, potential upside. Seems a worthwhile gamble for the Mariners….
He hasn’t shown that he can play in the big leagues. Fiddling around at the 26th man level isn’t helpful. Is he that much better than Mastrobuoni in your eyes? Not mine. MM had a good spring; Eguy did not.
Do I think this as a cure all? Absolutely not. Do I think a 25 year old with offensive upside and who is capable of playing (even if at a mediocre level) all across the infield is a better bet than a 29 year old with a career average sub-Mendoza and 1 home run? For a team that’s as offensively starved as Seattle? Absolutely. Either you luck into someone with some pop or you cut your (minimal) losses in a few months.
@ Zippy
Confucius says, “He who puts stock in spring stats cashes out a poor man.”
Not really. Consider ST as a percentage of your career ABs. If you have 2,500 career ABs, ST means very little. If you have 94 career ABs, then ST matters.
Bryc3
Confucius says, When you put spring in your stock you hand bouncy soup.
Gurriel hasn’t shown he can play in the big leagues for years. Yesterday was an example of just how bad he has been the past 3 seasons.
Iglesias was so bad that he has had 4 minor league deals in the past 3 years and spent all of 2023 in the minors or out of baseball. He never hit a ball in the air out of the infield in spring training. 85 games with the Mets doesn’t change what he has done the past 3 seasons overall.
Iglesias is getting a bad rap from some. He hit over 300 last year with some home run pop. Defensively, he is a quality big leaguer.
Iglesias still hasn’t hit a ball out of the infield this year including in 26 spring training AB. His two hits have been a ball misplayed by the SS and a dribbler to the pitcher.
He played 85 games in he majors last season after being so bad that he didn’t play a single game in the majors in 2023. He had 4 HR in 2024. Basically no “home run pop”
@zippy. I feel like you’re uncle Mike with the Chicago prospects reference. Keep mervis he might be great in 5 years
Zippy,
54 OPS+/56 wRC+ at MLB level. 103 OPS+ at AAA level
113 OPS+/115 wRC+ at MLB level. 116 OPS+ at AAA level.
You may need to get your eyes checked. Warby Parker can help you.
@Zippy the Pinhead. What are you talking about, Pinhead? Eguy’s ..751 OPS in Spring Training was just fine, particularly for a backup, particularly with a 10% BB rate and 26% K rate.
Anyone relying on 40-60 PA in ST in any case isn’t thinking clearly. It means very, very little. Eguy also has the upside of a 25 year old who has always been better than replacement level even in SSS appearances in the majors. His performance to date in MLB even pro rates to a 5 win season in 600 PA. Mastrobuoni doesn’t come close.
When the most credible projection systems have you with an OPS between .710 and .760 for the 2025 season to go with a glove that’s slightly above average, you belong in the majors. Yuli Gurriel does not, and the Maestro with a .279 SLG in 263 has no business supplanting Rosario.
Even the measured ZIPs system projects Eguy to be a solid regular for the next three seasons. What can Preller possibly be thinking?
Cubs should trade Keegan whatever for him
He’s better than any infielder currently on the White Sox.
I actually thought about the White Sox first.
Miggy Vargas was two for four yesterday. I like Vargas. Lenyn Sosa had a dinger. I don’t know why we released Drury, he had a good spring. I think it’s only because they want to get some of the prospects some reps. Still would have kept Drury. White Sox are going to win some games this season.
Wow. Those guys had a good game?
They won some last year, too.
I guess my point is that they have to manage the team to win this season too, should have kept Drury.
More of a fit for the White Sox, Marlins, and other teams that lack a full MLB lineup.
The White Sox would probably take him on but you ain’t getting much back in return. I doubt we’d part with either of our catching prospects. Jarod Kelley is an interesting prospect, could possible get him and another pitcher.
Mackenzie Gore smoked the Phillies yesterday.
hey Saluki. Are you from/in Carbondale? Any chance you own salukis? I have two girls
Seems like one of the top 3 DFA’d
Saluki
I was thinking the same thing. We could put him at 3rd move Polanco back to 2nd and Moore could go back to utility. If it doesn’t work cut him and move them all back. Too soon to tell how Polo is doing at 3rd. Has made some plays. At the plate he is doing good.
Cashman on line one (I hope)
I hope so. He’d be a solid platoon partner for Oswaldo
I’d be shocked if this guy wasn’t a target for the Yankees. I’m more surprised that SD is taking Gurriel over him…
Cashman needs to do something with the money Hal found under the cushions (Cole’s insurance money).
He can play third and second base, and he’s got pop. Only 25 years old, any team should be kicking the tires. I wouldn’t mind the White Sox taking a gander, they don’t have a lot of proven talent. Plus the team is in the tryouts phase…
Acoss- would you rather see Sosa or Rosario taking those 2B ABs?
Sosa – Negative 1.7 WAR 71 OPS+
Rosarion – 0.8 WAR 113 OPS+
Is there really any question?
Easy yes to Rosario, as Pads Fan showed with the stats. Sosa has gotten plenty of run, he’s atrocious time to give someone like Eguy Rosario a shot.
The mascot and Eggy have issues.
Seems like a cheap low risk bat the mariners could take a flyer on
I’d like the Mets, missing a starter at 2B, to deal for him. Move Acuna into the backup role, make Baty the DH for 120 games, deal Marte while eating $18.75m.
Acuna is not the future, and platooning as the Mets are currently doing, particular with Baty, is costly given its in the middle of their DP combo. Baty isn’t going to finally succeed hitting if he has to think about other things.
He is so great we don’t want him. An interesting selling point AJ.
Read the article if you aren’t familiar with the team – no place for him and out of options.
The problem is that there should be a place for him.
Yuli Gurriel, with one decent season since 2019 at DH? You’ve got to be kidding me.
“There should be a place for him”
What does that mean?
They shouldn’t have Manny or Cro or X? You want to give up the production of those guys for the past few years to keep a spot open for Eguy while he heals up from a shattered ankle?
Jack – loving that Yuli decision right about now!
He can still provide late inning professional at bats witness tonight
Which even though I want a fan of his getting a spot, the reality is that as the 26th man, he may actually meet that need well.
Longtimecoming
Read the article if you aren’t familiar with the team
=================
Unless I am misinterpreting things, the article says that they are keeping the 41 year old Yuli and the 35 year old Iggy instead of the 25 year old Rosario. That’s not a heck of an endorsement.
How does Gurriel keep a spot when it means losing Eguy?
I don’t disagree with the point but different players offering different value.
Eguy needs a spot to play everyday and would not serve like Yuli as a bench player.
Sure but they’re losing Eguy to keep an old has been that plays only 1B and hasn’t hit in years. Nobody will give up more value for him than he’s worth because San Diego has zero leverage. If he’s gone and out of the system then his future development isn’t worth much to the padres
Oh – this happens to every team. Nothing new here. Yes, I’d prefer not to lose him as opposed to losing a prospect near mlb ready but SD does not have an infield spot available for foreseeable future so, he isn’t a bench player. He needs to play everyday.
Maybe the team is even doing him a favor in his development- not that that is the primary thing but it is part of it.
How does Iglesias keep a spot also? I watched a couple of games he played in this spring and he was terrible. Not just at the plate either. Old guys practically never make your team better, especially at the expense of younger guys.
They’re trying to find lightning in a bottle and have a cheap vet provide value off the bench like they did last year with Donovan Solano and David Peralta. It worked for them last year to an extent.
Iglesias was really good last year so I think that’s a different situation, but Yuli has been bad for the past 3 years so I’m not sure why they think he will be able to hit when it’s been so long since he could. Still can’t believe they gave up Eguy to roster Gurriel.
Given the Brewers infield situation, I think he’d be a good gamble for them.
Preller is giving up Rosario for Gurriel? That is just stupid. We have seen this tragedy before. 40 year old players don’t suddenly get better. They get worse.
Oscar Gonzalez and Connor Joe waiting in the wings
Not to mention Tirso
Though Rosario plays a different role/positions than Tirso, Joe and SpongeBob. Rosario was edged out by Gurriel and Iglesias signings.
DVM, Rosario is a infield utility guy that plays mostly 3B, SS, and 2B. Gonzalez and Joe are OF for the most part, right? Oscar Gonzalez is a few years older than Rosario.
None of this makes sense to me. There has got to be something else going on behind the scenes or their GM would not give up on a guy that shown he is as good as Rosario has with the bat and on defense at multiple positions.
OF
OF/1B
Tirso is also an OF.
Nelson Cruz has entered the chat.
Nelson Cruz went from a 171 OPS+ at 39 to 129 at 40. At 41 he was an 89 OPS+. When he joined the Padres for his age 42 season he put up an 86 OPS+.
41 year old players that are not on steroids and other PED do not get better. What you have seen is what you get and Gurriel has been absolutely awful for 3 straight years.
I miss Boomstick. A hitter that got better hitting in Seattle.
Did Preller think he was buying an Egirl and misread?
@freddie
possibly….
I imagine Prellernis well aware how to pronounce Rosario’s name.
A’s should be interested. Trade a low grade prospect to San Diego for Rosario, and then ship Urshela to the Yankees for a better prospect. That would get the the Yankees a more proven MLB 3B, while the A’s get a younger player with upside and slightly upgrade the farm system at the same time.
Why would the Yankees want to bring back Urshela?
Keep the A’s out of the equation. Yanks want Eguy, then send your best offer. He’s controllable, playable… and perhaps just as important to the heavily-taxed Yanks right now, very cheap.
Tigers pounce!
Gwynning: Right behind cheap is his righty stick. Peraza has a sweet glove and can handle SS but he hits like Tyler Wade.
Eguy’s worth a gamble, jj! We’ll see what happens.
White Sox make a push for him. I would want a starting pitcher.
White Sox *should be* in on Eguy… but I just can’t put my finger on what they’re doing and/or trying to do. I could be wrong, and perhaps it’s a matter of perspective, but they seem to be stuck in the mud with no general direction on how to get out. Could be me?
Any MLB team that has some at bats available that is looking for a young contributor has nothing to lose and all to gain by taking a flyer on Uguy Rosario.
Can he also play OF?
That would certainly increase his value.
Teams like the Tigers who have multiple players injured could use a player like Rosario.
Tigers, Brewers, Mariners, White Sox, Angels, Athletics, Reds, Nationals, Pirates etc…
There are a lot of teams that could take a flyer on this player if they can find room for him on their MLB roster.
Just surprised that AJ Preller and the Padres have not packaged him in a larger deal involving one of their other major trade pieces.
You’ll be surprised to hear then that the Pads aren’t trying to trade anybody else.
The main drawback for the Tigers would be that he’s out of options. Once Vierling returns or Jung is ready to be called back up, he’d be DFA’d unless he’s absolutely mashing. But if the Pads will take Matt Manning for him, why not? 🙂
I was thinking Thomas Nido might be of interest to the Padres. Definitely a step up from Maldonado.
I’m not sure how good he is at it but the Padres have used him in the OF for a handful of games in the minors. I think he got some limited reps there this spring too.
I wouldn’t expect much from him defensively in the OF but he’s a utility guy who could play there if needed
@SportsFan0000 He’s not ‘worth taking a flyer on,’ he’s a projectable 2 win player with upside and power, who can handle multiple positions.
It’ll be interesting to see what Preller can get for Eguy, given he’s boxed himself in.
Yes, he can probably get a trade done and get ten cents on the dollar. Hope Yuli hits!
They’re gonna have a hard time moving him for anything worth a dime. Everyone’s got a AAAA 2B/3B, if not several, and he’s out of options.
So nobody wants him? That seems very hyperbolic…
Seems like his first name should be spelled eGuy, then his brother could be iGuy.
To all those saying it wasn’t a big deal that they put Campusano on the 40-man roster for 4 meaningless PA’s in the 2020 NLDS because they are going to have to put him on the 40-man roster sooner or later anyway, this is a perfect example of why it was a big deal. By doing that, they burned one of Campusano’s option years in 2021. Which means 2025 will be Campusano’s final option year. When he is inevitably traded at the deadline or next offseason, not being able to send him down to AAA without exposing him to waivers first starting in 2026 will absolutely hurt his trade value. The Padres are seeing the same thing happen now with Eguy Rosario.
Eguy could have been the difference between a 73 win roster and a 74 win roster.
Guess we’ll never know…
He still might be…
For another team.
What do you know that the sports books in Vegas don’t? They had the line at 86.5 wins for SD
This is the kind of player a team like the Chisox should jump on
The only thought that makes sense to me is Preller can get marginally more value for Rosario dealing him to someone as a starter rather than having him languish on the bench. Rosario looks like a rock-steady 1.5-2 WAR guy, maybe a 3 WAR upside if everything breaks right. To to give up 5 years of that even in a part-time role for the corpse of Gurriel is baffling. The FO has a great eye for talent, but it’s insanely frustrating how little leeway they give the non-superstars acclimating to MLB.
There seems to be a shortage of decent 3B and 2B at the major league level. Preller should get something decent back because teams will have to beat another teams offer.
They’re not just offloading him—they’re banking on his value spiking with regular play elsewhere, proving their system can churn out talent others undervalue. It’s a flex no one’s catching yet.