Inside The Padres

Padres Sign Former Dodgers, Yankees Outfielder in Surprise Move

The Padres are taking a chance on the former Dodgers top prospect.
Noah Camras|
Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo (24) advances to second on a wild pitch in front of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Tommy Edman (25) during the second inning in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo (24) advances to second on a wild pitch in front of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Tommy Edman (25) during the second inning in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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San Diego PadresLos Angeles DodgersNew York Yankees

The San Diego Padres have signed outfielder Alex Verdugo to a minor league deal, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.

He will report to minor-league camp, giving him a long road ahead to potentially join the major league team.

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Who is Alex Verdugo?

Verdugo, 29, is a former top prospect of the Los Angeles Dodgers who was sent to the Boston Red Sox in the Mookie Betts trade. He wasn't able to live up to the hype, and has bounced around with the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves over the last two years.

Verdugo is coming off a 2025 season with the Braves in which he appeared in 56 games, slashing .239/.296/.289 with zero home runs, 12 runs batted in and an OPS of .585. In his last full season with the Yankees in 2024, he hit .233 with 13 home runs, 61 RBIs and an OPS of .647 across 149 games.

Verdugo was a second-round pick by the Dodgers in 2014 and quickly rose the organizational ranks before being the team's No. 1 prospect in 2019. He was then the headliner in the trade for Betts, one that will go down as one of the worst deals in MLB history.

Across four seasons with the Red Sox, Verdugo hit .281 with an OPS of .761. He failed to earn any accolades while Betts made four All-Star teams, won four Silver Sluggers, two Gold Gloves and three World Series championships.

How will Alex Verdugo fit with the Padres?

In the immediate, Verdugo will look to impress the Padres enough in minor-league camp to eventually earn a call up. The Padres are looking for more outfield depth, and Verdugo has been an above-average defender over the course of his career.

As of now, the Padres' starting outfield is Ramón Laureano, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. Other outfield options include Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos and Miguel Andujar, while Bryce Johnson is competing for a roster spot.

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If Verdugo is able to prove he's capable of still contributing at the MLB level, he could be a solid option midway through the season as a backup outfielder. Moreover, he'd be a good option as an injury replacement, which is something the Padres need to consider after Merrill played in just 115 games last season due to injury.

The Padres have been interested in Verdugo several times over the last few years. Now, they're finally giving him an opportunity on a zero-risk deal.

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Noah Camras
NOAH CAMRAS

Noah Camras graduated from the University of Southern California in 2022 with a B.A. in Journalism and a minor in sports media studies. He was born and raised in Los Angeles and has extensively covered Southern California sports in his career. Noah is the publisher of Padres on SI after contributing as a writer and editor over the last three years.

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