Padres Star Files Lawsuit Against 'Predatory' Company That Loaned Him Money

Fernando Tatis Jr. is using California's consumer protection laws to sue Big League Advance, the company that loaned him money as a minor leaguer in exchange for a share of his future earnings.

In a complaint filed Monday in the Superior Court of California in San Diego, Tatis seeks to hold BLA accountable for “exploitative, predatory business practices, which shamelessly push illegal loans on young, vulnerable athletes — most from economically disadvantaged Latin American countries,” according to a press release from Tatis’ legal team.

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The lawsuit was reported by The Athletic and the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Tatis signed a 14-year, $340-million contract extension with the Padres in 2021, a percentage of which went to BLA under the terms of a contract signed in 2017.

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Tatis was an unheralded minor league prospect in the Padres' system at the time. The next year, he was a consensus Top-10 prospect in baseball.

In a 2018 interview with The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Tatis said he was not worried about his future financial obligations to BLA.

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But he has apparently had a change of heart in the meantime.

“I’m fighting this battle not just for myself but for everyone still chasing their dream and hoping to provide a better life for their family,” Tatis said in a press release. “I want to help protect those young players who don’t yet know how to protect themselves from these predatory lenders and illegal financial schemes — kids’ focus should be on their passion for baseball, not dodging shady business deals.”

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Tatis is the highest-profile client of BLA, which claims to have signed more than 700 players.

Former big leaguer Francisco Mejía sued BLA in 2018, citing “unconscionable” tactics BLA used to persuade him to give up 10 percent of his future MLB earnings in exchange for three separate payments totaling $360,000. He eventually dropped his case.

This season, Tatis has played 75 games with the Padres, hitting .268 with 14 home runs and 34 RBIs. His career includes two National League All-Star team appearances, two Silver Slugger Awards, a Gold Glove Award and a Platinum Glove Award.

In 2021, Tatis led the NL with 42 home runs. He missed the 2022 season due to a PED suspension and injuries, then returned in 2023 to become the Padres' everyday right fielder.

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