Kyle Higashioka contract details with Rangers show why Padres likely passed

Major League Baseball transactions can be complicated sometimes. General managers and front office executives weigh a number of factors when deciding whether or not to sign or trade players, and oftentimes, the details matter. When looking at the contract details surrounding Kyle Higashioka's new deal with the Texas Rangers, it's evident why A.J. Preller and the San Diego Padres chose not to re-sign their starting catcher.

Higashioka inked a two-year, $13.5 million contract with the Rangers that included a mutual option for the 2027 season. If exercised, that could take the deal to three years at $20 million. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the contract includes a number of incentives as well.

Kyle Higashioka contract details with Rangers show why Padres likely passed in free agency

There's many different ways to look at this deal, and several Padres' fans are probably angry that Preller and Co. didn't match the Rangers' deal. But given the Friars' financial constraints, would it have been wise to invest nearly $7 million per season on a platoon catcher who plays below-average defense?

Backstops are always a difficult group to evaluate. More times than not, a catcher's defensive acumen and relationship with the pitching staff far outweighs his production at the plate. That said, Higashioka was worth -8 blocks above average, ranking him among the 10th percentile in all of MLB last season according to Baseball Savant. The veteran also does a poor job controlling the run game with a pop time of 2.02 seconds.

And while Higgy had a career-year in terms of power in 2024, he'll turn 35 years old shortly after Opening Day next season. Higashioka rarely draws walks and has a career on-base percentage of just .255. The Rangers are certainly hopeful that Higashioka can duplicate his 2024 performance, but a regression may be on the way.

The Padres chose to retain Luis Campusano despite the fact San Diego could have chosen to non-tender the former second-round pick after his abysmal showing last season. With Higashioka now headed to the Lone Star State, look for Preller to find a platoon partner for Campusano while the club patiently waits for top prospect Ethan Salas to develop.

A veteran free agent catcher like Curt Casali, Yan Gomes, or Tucker Barnhart would be much cheaper than Higashioka and could be paired with Campusano next season to act as a bridge to Salas. Though Higashioka will be missed, that type of money could be much better spent trying to re-sign Jurickson Profar or attempting to acquire a starting pitcher.

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