Padres quietly add experienced outfielder who could crash the spring training party

The San Diego Padres made a move that barely registers on the transaction wire, but looks a lot more interesting once games start in Peoria.

They’re bringing in outfielder Carlos Rodriguez on a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp, per Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic. On the surface, it’s a depth play. Look a little closer, though, and you can see why multiple organizations have been intrigued by him over the last few years.

Carlos Rodriguez signing gives Padres a sneaky outfield wild card for spring training

Rodriguez is 24, and he’s already bounced through a couple of smart player-development systems. Signed by the Brewers as an international free agent back in 2017, he built his early reputation on pure bat-to-ball skills, stacking up hits and batting well over .300 in his first couple of pro seasons.

His production dipped at the High-A level in 202. Instead of stalling out, he adjusted. Returning to the level in 2022, Rodriguez put together a much sharper .268/.355/.415 slash line.

He landed in the Braves organization ahead of the 2025 season and immediately opened some eyes. Both FanGraphs and MLB.com slotted him in the back end of Atlanta’s top 30 prospects, and he justified that buzz by tearing up Double-A for a brief stint before a quick promotion to Triple-A. The numbers at the highest minor league rung weren’t explosive — an OPS in the .640 range — but he still managed to launch a career-best eight homers and swipe 17 bags.

For the Padres, that profile checks a lot of boxes: youth, experience against upper-level pitching, a history of contact, and enough speed and sneaky power to dream on. On a minor league deal, there’s no real downside. If he clicks with the hitting group in spring, suddenly you’re talking about an outfielder who can put pressure on pitchers, pressure on defenses, and maybe even pressure on the back end of the 26-man roster.

Most fans won’t think twice about this signing today. By the middle of March, there’s at least a chance they’ll be asking, “Wait, where did this guy come from?”