Padres Attempting Major Position Change With $15 Million Addition

The Friars are hopeful they've found their next super utility player.

Feb 23, 2026; Peoria, Arizona, USA; San Diego Padres third baseman Sung-Mun Song (24) and San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) share a laugh in the dugout during the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are attempting to turn $15 million offseason addition Sung-Mun Song into a super utility man this spring.

More news: Padres Still Targeting Major Upgrade Ahead of 2026 Season, Says Insider

Song joined the Friars this offseason after spending the first nine seasons of his career overseas in the Korea Baseball Organization. Now, he's looking to make an everyday impact on the Padres roster in his first season playing stateside baseball.

After starting camp playing second and third base, Song's latest challenge in Peoria, Ariz. is playing at shortstop and left field. Song has never played the latter, and hasn't been an infield quarterback since his middle school days.

He's up for both challenges.

“Whenever [manager Craig Stammen] needs me to,” Song said, via MLB.com's AJ Cassavell through interpreter Jun Yi. “It’s going to be different playing in the outfield or at shortstop. But if the team needs me to play it, then I have to prepare for it.”

Manager Craig Stammen is already looking to put Song in a game at one of the two positions, which could open a plethora of pathways for him in the Padres lineup.

“We’ve just got to get him on the practice field doing those things,” Stammen said. “And then we can put him in a game.”

There is an opening for Song in the Padres lineup against right-handed hitters, and it's his for the taking if he can thrive at shortstop or in left field.

More news: Padres Tried to Acquire $260 Million All-Star in Blockbuster Offseason Trade: Report

“I’ll get more at-bats during the game,” Song said. “Then I’ll see more pitchers, and that hopefully makes me more comfortable.”

The task certainly won't be easy for Song, but the Padres are hopeful he can have a similar trajectory to former shortstop Ha-Seong Kim. While it took Kim some time to get acclimated to MLB, he flourished once he found his way.

This offseaon, president of baseball operations A.J. Preller added Song in hopes that the KBO infielder does the same.

Song is ready to make the transition and could also be a solid backup for Manny Machado at third or Jake Cronenworth at second throughout the season.

“I got my first hit [Thursday], and then my pressure is kind of gone,” Song said. “I’m getting along with my teammates good. So it’s been a good two days.”

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook.