The Padres and veteran catcher have agreed to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training, according to Dennis Lin of The Athletic. Represented by MVP Sports Group, Maldonado, 38, has built a reputation as a defensively skilled backstop who excels at working with pitchers and providing clubhouse leadership, despite his consistently below-average offensive output.
Martín Maldonado’s 2024 season was particularly rough. After signing a $4.25MM deal with the White Sox, he posted an abysmal .119/.174/.230 slash line over 48 games before being released in July. Though he remained unsigned for the remainder of the season, reports in December indicated his desire to continue his career in 2025. Maldonado recently participated in winter ball but struggled to improve his numbers, hitting just .114/.184/.314 for the Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Winter League and .135/.195/.216 for the Indios de Mayaguez in Puerto Rico.
Despite his recent struggles, the Padres see little risk in taking a chance on Maldonado. His career slash line of .203/.278/.344, while far from stellar, is significantly better than his recent showings. Moreover, his defensive contributions remain valuable. With 59 Defensive Runs Saved since 2012—ranking among the top ten in that span—and strong framing metrics from Statcast and Baseball Prospectus, Maldonado’s skills behind the plate are well-established.
The Padres’ catching situation remains unsettled, creating an opportunity for Maldonado. Financial constraints have forced the team to take a conservative approach this offseason, with reports linking them to trade rumors involving key players like Dylan Cease and Luis Arráez. Internally, Luis Campusano and Brett Sullivan are the only catchers on the 40-man roster. Campusano, a former top prospect, showed promise in 2023 but struggled in 2024, hitting just .227/.281/.361 while earning poor defensive grades. Meanwhile, Sullivan, 31, has limited major league experience and a career .206/.243/.299 slash line over 40 games.
With last year’s primary catchers Kyle Higashioka and Elias Díaz departing in free agency, Maldonado brings veteran depth to the Padres’ roster without requiring a significant financial commitment or a 40-man roster spot. While his offensive decline raises concerns, his defensive expertise and leadership could provide stability to San Diego’s unsettled catching corps, giving him a realistic shot at cracking the major league roster.
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