San Diego Padres Add Right-Hander With Ties to the Organization on Minor League Deal

Reiss Knehr missed more than a full season following Tommy John surgery. He'll try to reboot his career with the Padres, who drafted him in 2018.

San Diego Padres pitcher Reiss Knehr against the Los Angeles Dodgers during a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Ariz., on Feb. 27, 2023. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres are giving right-hander Reiss Knehr a chance to reboot his career, signing him to a minor league deal.

That’s according to Mad Friars, which tracks the club’s minor league system. The outlet reported the contract agreement but didn’t say whether it came with an invitation to spring training as a non-roster player. He has been assigned to Triple-A El Paso.

RHP Reiss Knehr, who spent all of last season rehabbing from August 2023 TJ surgery, has re-signed with the #Padres on a minor league deal. He will add depth to the El Paso staff as he looks to get back to the majors.

— MadFriars - The source for Padres Prospects news (@madfriars) February 22, 2025

The Padres selected Knehr, a New York native, in the 20th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Fordham. He made his debut for San Diego on July 9, 2021, but hasn’t pitched since June 27, 2023, when he was shut down with arm issues.

He underwent Tommy John surgery and was placed on the injured list for El Paso in 2024. Knehr, 28, became a free agent at the end of the season.

Before the injury, he had 21 career appearances (seven starts) for the Padres, pitching to a 1-3 record with a 5.96 ERA over 48.1 innings.

He has an extensive minor league history with the Padres, spread over five seasons. He is 20-14 with a 4.96 ERA and five saves over 106 appearances (45 starts). He struck out 327 batters over 301 innings, resulting in an average of 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings. That’s far greater than his 6.3 K/9 numbers posted in the major leagues.

For now, he’s likely a depth piece but won’t be able to run the El Paso-San Diego shuttle as he did in the past. Should the Padres select his contract, he will be out of options.

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