Angels scoop up former Padres utility option after strong El Paso run

The Los Angeles Angels have signed former Padres utility man Pablo Reyes to a minor-league contract shortly after his release from San Diego’s organization. Reyes is 32, has bounced through several organizations and owns a .647 OPS over 259 major-league games. 

He slashed .310/.408/.491 with six home runs, 15 stolen bases and nearly as many walks as strikeouts across 56 games with Triple-A El Paso. His 121 wRC+ made him one of the more productive hitters in the Padres’ upper minors. Reyes also brought the defensive versatility to move around the infield and outfield. 

But we can still ask a pretty obvious question: What exactly did Reyes need to do to earn a look?

One possible issue was that he was out of minor league options. But either way, Reyes spent the season in El Paso, was released and signed with the Angels six days later. He will report to Triple-A Salt Lake and try to earn the opportunity the Friars never awarded him. 

Pablo Reyes did enough to deserve a Padres opportunity

Pacific Coast League numbers are typically exaggerated. They can make plenty of hitters look dangerous. Reyes’ performance still deserved attention, especially since the Padres offense has struggled at the MLB-level. He didn’t put up empty numbers despite playing in a hitter-friendly environment. He was a veteran putting together competitive at-bats and forcing the organization to at least consider him. Somehow, the Padres never reached that point. 

What’s interesting is that the Padres have cycled through bench pieces, searched for lineup answers and spent much of the year trying to squeeze production out of a flawed roster. Reyes was already in the building and playing well. You’d think they’d at least try to find out if any of his production would’ve translated. 

Maybe the answer would’ve been no. But it couldn’t hurt to find out. Reyes’ major-league history suggests there was a good chance this ended with a quiet DFA anyway. 

Now the Angels get the option. Reyes has appeared in the majors for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and New York Mets. He has spent enough time moving between Triple-A and the majors to understand exactly what this opportunity represents.

The Padres will probably survive losing Reyes. But when a player hits his way into the conversation and still never receives a chance, we should notice. 

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