Previewing the Padres Bench After the Samad Taylor Signing

General manager A.J. Preller bolstered the Padres’ bench with the signing of Mariners speedster Samad Taylor to a minor league contract. The 26-year-old dominated at Triple-A Tacoma last season, posting 17 home runs and 44 stolen bases while driving in 86 runs.

Baserunning is his calling card. Taylor has stolen 273 bases across his minor league career, including four seasons with at least 40 steals.

It will take a strong spring training for Taylor to make the Opening Day roster, but he’s likely to find his way to the majors at some point given the lack of speed on the Padres’ bench. With his addition, what is San Diego’s bench shaping up to look like in 2026?

Samad Taylor

Taylor will have a chance to see the most MLB action of his career since his 60-plate-appearance stint with the Royals in 2023. He’s coming off his strongest minor league season and faces little competition for the pinch-running role.

He also has experience at all three outfield spots and second base, making him an easy late-game defensive option. While the Padres won’t need defensive substitutions very often, Taylor is capable of holding his own in the field if a game extends after he enters as a pinch runner.

Taylor has hit 83 home runs in the minors and shown on-base ability, finishing multiple seasons with a .370-plus OBP. Look for him to push for additional playing time with timely offense in limited opportunities.

Luis Campusano

The 2026 season is shaping up as the most important of Luis Campusano’s career. The former top-50 catching prospect has struggled to find offensive consistency at the MLB level and has also battled defensive issues.

He has never secured a starting role, carrying an 88 career wRC+ across 592 plate appearances while posting minus-8.6 outs above average defensively, according to FanGraphs.

Still, Campusano will have a legitimate opportunity this season. Starting catcher Freddy Fermin is owed just $1 million and finished 2025 with a 77 wRC+. The key difference is defensively, where Fermin outperforms with a plus-8.6 evaluation on FanGraphs.

If Campusano can get hot with the bat while holding his own behind the plate, the starting job could be within reach.

Bryce Johnson

Coming off a strong 2025 campaign, Johnson offers the highest upside among the Padres’ bench options. He earned an MLB call-up last season by hitting .303 at Triple-A El Paso after signing with San Diego on a minor league deal in 2023.

He capitalized on the opportunity, slashing .342/.383/.434 while playing multiple outfield positions. As a switch hitter, Johnson provides flexibility as a bench bat who can fill in across the outfield, face any type of pitcher or contribute as a pinch hitter or runner.

Preller has a history of finding value in minor league signings, and by adding Johnson from the Giants and Taylor from the Mariners, the Padres may have two gems.

Mason McCoy / Will Wagner

The final roster spot remains wide open and could ultimately be used to carry an extra bullpen arm to support a questionable pitching staff. Over the course of a long season, however, the Padres will rotate through more than three bench players, and McCoy and Wagner are next in line for opportunities.

The final need is a right-handed backup infielder - a profile both players fit. With left-handed hitters Jake Cronenworth, Gavin Sheets and Sung-Mun Song occupying first base, second base and DH, a right-handed platoon option is important.

Wagner brings more MLB experience, arriving from Toronto at last year’s trade deadline. He owns a 95 wRC+ across 235 plate appearances. McCoy has produced a 49 wRC+ in 84 plate appearances. Both can play any infield position, but Wagner enters camp with an edge due to his age (26 compared to McCoy’s 30) and prior big-league production.

No players have more at stake this spring than McCoy and Wagner as they compete for the final roster spot.