Padres sign former Rays playoff hero to a minor league contract

Well, it’s not the blockbuster move San Diego Padres fans were hoping for this offseason, but AJ Preller and the front office staff have remained active on the sidelines. Everyone has been waiting for the Friars to sign a young international star or fix some mistakes from this winter, but fans will have to make do with Preller’s latest acquisition on December 28th.

The Padres have signed 30-year-old utility man Mike Brosseau to a minor league contract. This signing won’t require any saves, but Padres fans can take comfort in the fact that the team’s Triple-A depth/competition will be lively in spring training.

Brosseau is known for his game-winning home run in the ALDS against Aroldis Chapman in a 10-pitch contest that eliminated the New York Yankees from the postseason, but he hasn’t seen much time in the spotlight since then.

Padres News: San Diego signs Mike Brosseau to a minor league contract

In 2024, he did not play in the big leagues, instead spending time in Triple-A with both the Mets and Royals organizations. However, he had some success in 93 games with Triple-A Syracuse, posting a .276 average with 15 home runs and 37 walks before ending his season on the injured list.

In the majors, he is a .242 hitter with an OPS+ of 104 over five seasons and accumulated significant time at third base, second base and first base. The Padres could benefit from an infielder with experience at multiple positions considering Ha-Seong Kim is gone and Luis Arraez may be out.

Who knows, if Brosseau can resurrect his career in San Diego’s system, he could develop into a rotational role player whenever Mike Shildt needs a guy to fill a spot in the infield.

The Padres still have a long way to go before they can compete with their NL West opponents in the Dodgers (and now even the Giants and Diamondbacks after their offseason). To hopefully try and combat the incessant signings, the Friars need a bigger move soon before all the talent is stolen. Brosseau isn’t, but at least the front office is being proactive, which could be a harbinger of something to come.