Padres Sign Former Top Prospect After Poor 2025 Season, Non-Tender Two Pitchers

San Diego Padres catcher Luis Campusano (12) tags Pittsburgh Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen (22) out at home plate during the tenth inning at PNC Park. San Diego won 9-8 in ten innings on Aug. 7, 2024. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Padres did not tender contracts to Omar Cruz and Sean Reynolds on Friday, making the two pitchers free agents, but did re-sign catcher Luis Campusano, the former top catching prospect in the organization whose trajectory stalled in 2025.

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The team announced it re-signed Campusano to a one-year contract Friday, avoiding salary arbitration with the 27-year-old catcher for the second consecutive year.

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/0yvoGCWkmM

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) November 21, 2025

Campusano signed for a guarantee of $900,000, after getting $1 million in 2025.

The Padres have 34 players on their 40-man roster, and all have been signed or tendered contracts for 2026.

That group does not include Reynolds, who made 28 appearances for the Padres over the last two seasons, or Cruz, who got into the first two games of his MLB career in April, then spent the rest of the 2025 season at Triple-A El Paso.

Reynolds, 27, went 0-1 with a 5.33 ERA in 19 games (one start) in 2025. The right-hander struck out 25 batters in 27 innings but also posted a 1.37 WHIP.

Cruz, a 26-year-old lefty, was the No. 25 prospect in the Padres' organization according to MLB Pipeline. But he will head to free agency after a season in which the Padres' bullpen emerged as one of the deepest in the National League.

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Cruz allowed two runs, both earned, across 3.2 innings in his two appearances out of the Padres' bullpen this year. The Hermosillo, Mexico native went 5-5 with a 4.75 ERA in 31 games (11 starts) with El Paso, striking out 88 batters in 83.1 innings and limiting opponents to a .241 average in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Neither Cruz nor Reynolds was arbitration-eligible, so their salaries likely would not have prohibited the Padres from re-signing them. Friday's non-tender decisions suggest the Padres valued the extra 40-man roster spots more than they valued the two pitchers.

Both could re-sign minor league contracts with the Padres this offseason, but will likely seek better deals in free agency.

Campusano was projected to make $1 million by MLB Trade Rumors. The terms of his new one-year contract have not been revealed.

Formerly a consensus Top-100 prospect in MLB, Campusano appeared on his way to becoming the Padres' long-term catcher when he played 49 games in 2023 and slashed .319/.356/.491.

Campusano played 91 games in 2024 and saw his batting numbers dip to .227/.281/.361, while losing playing time to Kyle Higashioka, a superior defender and game-caller.

In 2025, Campusano ceded playing time to Elias Diaz, Martin Maldonado and later Freddy Fermin, who was acquired in a midseason trade with the Kansas City Royals. He played only 10 games for the Padres, going 0-for-21.

In 105 games at Triple-A El Paso last season, Campusano slashed .336/.441/.595.

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