Padres Utility Man Elects to Leave Organization, Head to Free Agency

Jul 12, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) celebrates with designated hitter Trenton Brooks (41) after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | David Frerker-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres utility man Trenton Brooks elected free agency after the end of the regular season.

Brooks, a San Diego native, qualifies as a minor league free agent after being designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-A in August, which is why he can enter free agency before the end of the World Series.

The Padres signed Brooks to a minor league contract after his 2024 campaign with the San Francisco Giants, and came up towards the middle of June, making his Padres debut against the Dodgers on June 16. He got his first hit with the club the following day, hitting a two-run shot against LA in an 8-6 loss. It was the first long ball of his major league career.

More news: Padres' Fernando Tatis Gets Honest About His Disappointing Postseason Performance

Brooks has just one previous major league season under his belt, as he had a brief stint in MLB with the Giants in 2024. He played 12 games for the Padres' divisional opponents, batting .120 and notching one RBI during his time in San Francisco.

He played 25 games for the Padres this season, logging 11 hits and a .146 batting average. He had a .454 OPS during his stay in the majors. Brooks was one of several players to hit waivers after the trade deadline, when the Padres brought in an exorbitant amount of players in exchange for prospects. They outrighted him to Triple-A El Paso Aug. 4.

The outfielder ripped the cover off the ball in Triple-A this season, posting a .879 OPS through 90 games with the Chihuahuas. He had 15 home runs in the PCL this season, and batted .275 through 324 at-bats.

More news: Padres' Manny Machado Called Out By Major Analyst for Disrespecting Reporter

Brooks didn't feature much for the Padres in the field, but when he did it was in left field, a spot of contention for the Padres during the first half of the season. The Padres now have Ramon Laureano to fill that hole, however, and will likely not move to bring Brooks back despite his free agent status.

The Padres' main focus come free agency should be their pitching staff, as Dylan Cease's contract is set to expire and both Michael King and Robert Suarez are likely to opt out of their contracts.

For more Padres news, head over to Padres on SI.