Padres’ Miguel Andújar signing just cranked up the battle for backup catcher

The Padres have officially secured a solid bench player to their roster by inking outfielder Miguel Andújar to a one-year, $4 million contract. With the signing, the team now has a little more depth in the outfield behind Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, and Ramón Laureano.

A great addition for a franchise that doesn’t exactly know what to expect in 2026 after losing key players to free agency. A transition year, to say the least, the Padres will be relying on younger guys to step up in the lineup and in the starting rotation.

What people don’t know about the signing of Andújar is that it takes up a key spot on the roster that could’ve been filled for a different need. 

Padres’ Miguel Andújar signing quietly squeezed the backup catcher race

The Padres originally had the idea of rostering three catchers, but with Andújar now in the picture, it’s likely those plans fall through.

Freddy Fermin, who was acquired at the 2025 trade deadline in exchange for Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert, will be the team’s primary catcher. In his time so far as a Padre, Fermin is slashing .244/.278/.339 over 42 games. While this may seem sluggish, it is a massive upgrade at the position, which hasn’t seen production in quite some time.

With all signs pointing to the Padres only using two catchers, it will be a battle between Luis Campusano and Blake Hunt (who has not seen major league action) for who will hold down that second spot.

In terms of offense, Campusano is the clear favorite, only because he seen time at the major league level. Over the course of his career, Campusano has slashed .240/.294/.372 with an 85 OPS+. His greatest trait is being able to take his walks. In 2025, he held a 22% walk rate.

The battle for this spot on the roster will be very interesting, considering the backgrounds both players come from.