3 nightmare roster scenarios for Padres heading into spring training

If the Padres were to have signed Jason Heyward 10 years ago, Padres fans would have most likely been thrilled about the news. Now heading into his 16th year in the league, Heyward is just a fraction of his younger self. Almost a more important aspect than the player the Padres are receiving, the Heyward addition reveals a team that is in the midst of a roster crisis, looking to fight their way out of a more than disappointing offseason.

With spring training now just one day away, there are a number of lingering questions that still need to be resolved on the Padres roster. How those questions are answered however, could put Padres fans on a rough ride in the coming season. Here is a look at three of those roster questions, and the nightmare scenarios that Padres fans will be hoping to avoid in 2025.

Jason Heyward as an everyday player

Ragging on Jason Heyward is not the point of this article, but as Padres fans we would be ignorant not to acknowledge he is no longer the player he once was. Heywards addition was certainly needed, a veteran presence with playoff and World Series experience who can fill two gaps in the Padres roster, left field and designated hitter. How much he will actually play, is still to be determined.

Heyward becoming an everyday player does not seem too likely due to the Padres recent push for outfield depth, but in the instance that one or two key players are injured or unable to play, Heyward may find himself as the only left fielder. Recent addition Connor Joe and prospect Tirso Ornelas can both play in left, but Joe may be used at first, and Ornelas has yet to make his MLB debut.

His recent years prove he should not be an everyday player, but that does not mean Heyward will not make an impact. Now looking to platoon options in left, switching between Joe and Heyward could provide the Padres with a temporary, but still useful replacement for the departed Jurickson Profar.

Martin Maldonado makes the major league roster

Unlike the Heyward signing, the Martin Maldonado addition is much more difficult to back up. Heading into his 15th year in the MLB, the 38-year-old was signed on a minor league deal early in January that includes a non-roster invite to spring training.

The Padres were looking for catcher depth after last year's number one option Kyle Higashioka signed a two-year deal with the Texas Rangers, but reaching as far down as Maldonado has all the signs of a desperation move. In just 48 games with the White Sox in 2024, Maldonado put up an awful .119/.174/.230 line with a .403 OPS.

Instead of bringing Maldonado up to the major league roster to compete with Elias Diaz, Luis Campusano, and even Brett Sullivan, a stint in the minor's may be much more suitable. Maldonado could use his extensive MLB experience to work with both pitchers and catchers in the Padres organization, most notably Padres number one prospect, catcher Ethan Salas.

The starting rotation stays the same

If healthy and still together by Opening Day, the Padres top three in the rotation could be one of the best trios in the league. Dylan Cease and Michael King are both coming off a 2024 season where they finished top-10 in Cy Young voting, while Yu Darvish still fools hitters with the insane number of pitches he throws.

The backend of the rotation is where questions arise, and where some of the most work on the roster still needs to be done. Randy Vasquez and Matt Waldron would slot in as the Padres number four and five options if no other moves are made, but shaky performances by both of them in 2024 should have most Padres fans hoping for a change.

Financial restraints and the overall lack of available starters has limited the Padres ability to make a splash in the free agency market. A trade involving one of their non-pitchers like Jake Cronenworth or Luis Arraez could also bring a pitcher over, but a thin roster also limits options. That leaves internal options as the only way the Padres could make a change.

Henry Baez, the Padres number seven prospect in 2024, is slated to make his MLB debut in 2025 after being invited to spring training. Baez and other starting pitcher prospects like Ryan Bergert could find themselves thrust into a position battle come training camp.