The San Diego Padres are going to be an intriguing team to watch during spring training.
General manager A.J. Preller, who was recently extended, has signed a ton of major league talent with the ability to make the roster and contribute in 2026. There are a handful of players who are looking to have a strong spring to make the roster; however, with that said, the Padres do have a ton of spots filled. Outside of the bench and a few spots in the backend of the rotation and bullpen, the roster is pretty much filled.
Walker Buehler, German Marquez, Ty France, Miguel Andujar, Ty Adcock, and Sung-Mun Song will be looking to make the Opening Day roster after signing with San Diego this offseason. All of those players have something to prove. None of them, however, has more to prove than catcher Luis Campusano.
Campusano's time with the Padres organization has been a rollercoaster. We are talking about a player with a ton of upside who has seriously struggled at the major league level. His numbers in Triple-A are incredible, but it is not translating to the big leagues. It is important to note that the PCL is a strong league, showcasing some of the best minor league talent in the sport.
There have been many reasons as to why Campusano has not had much success with the Padres. His defense is not very good, and when he is at the plate, he fails to make good contact with the ball. He is also not earning consistent plate appearances. 2023 was a productive year for him, as he smashed seven home runs and drove in 40 RBIs, batting .319 with a .817 OPS.
The 27-year-old was projected to be a good catcher in San Diego. He was a Top 3 prospect in the organization, but he has never been able to cement himself on the main roster. Campusano smashed 25 home runs, 95 RBIs, and had a 1.036 OPS in El Paso last season. The Padres need that to translate to the major league level badly. If Campusano can turn into a legit hitting catcher with the Padres, then that gives them a massive boost at the bottom of the lineup.
The Padres' player with most to prove in spring training
This spring is extremely important for Campusano. The catcher is currently on the 40-man roster, but it is not a guarantee that he starts the season with the Padres. Freddy Fermin is expected to be the starter, while the team has another suitable backup in Blake Hunt. Top prospect Ethan Salas is expected to make his debut in the coming years.
Campusano is running out of time to establish himself. He does not want to be considered a minor leaguer for his entire career. If he does not turn it around in 2016, the odds of him ever doing it are slim to none.
San Diego needs the backup catcher to hit the ball well this spring. He does not need to smash 5+ home runs or hit 10+ extra-base hits, but he must produce good contact on the ball. His defense is a work in progress, but he will earn at-bats because of his hitting. The power is there, but he must see the ball better against major-league pitching.
Campusano will see enough at-bats this spring to give new manager Craig Stammen enough to know if he is improving. He should earn more when players are gone for the World Baseball Classic.
Stammen is a former reliever for the Padres, so Campusano had been catching his pitches since around 2016, until Stammen's retirement. They know each other very well, which gives Campusano a real opportunity to be the backup catcher. Once the backup spot is filled, then Campusano will have a chance to hit his way to becoming the starting catcher.
Fermin's fangraphs number's aren't eye-opening. San Diego's best chances of winning a World Series are with a lineup full of hitters capable of making an impact in any given at-bat. Campusano can do a much better job at the plate than Fermin. If that ends up being the case, Stammen could even entertain starting Campusano and bringing in Fermin late in the game for defensive purposes.
ZIPS on Fangraphs projects that Campusano will hit 13 home runs and drive in 55 RBIS in 2026.
2026 may be the last chance for Campusano to become the player he was projected to be. Let's see if he can get hot this spring and run away with it to San Diego this summer.
The Padres begin spring training on Friday against the Seattle Mariners.
