There is no question that the San Diego Padres have an influx of talent on the current roster.
Unfortunately, this time of the year is when team’s prioritize roster cuts ahead of Opening Day, limiting the Padres to a 26-man active roster.
As two players have been reassigned, and one optioned to minor league camp Friday, the final count for the current roster is now at 58. There will still be more cuts to go, but as of now, the next three names have been informed they will not start this season in the majors.
Southpaws Austin Davis and Jake Higginbotham have been reassigned and right-hander Henry Baez has been optioned to minor league camp.
Davis, 32, has struggled this spring as he also did at the start of the 2024 campaign for San Diego. The veteran is the only pitcher of this trio with major league experience as he first debuted for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018.
His career ERA in the majors is 5.77 across 151.1 innings pitched in his professional tenure. In Triple-A last season, Davis tossed 47.2 innings with a 3.40 ERA adding 61 strikeouts to 26 walks.
Higginbotham, on the other hand, has been working through San Diego’s farm system since 2018. At 29 years old and a solid Double-A showing last year, he is on the bubble to return to the roster in 2025.
His ERA was up a little ways at 4.33, but his 78 strikeouts to only 12 walks across 62.1 innings showed that he has major-league potential and can one day shine for San Diego.
Baez is only 22 years old and ended last season in Double-A. Across A+ and Double-A, he had an ERA of 2.99 over 126.1 innings. His 109 strikeouts to only 40 walks over his 26 starts show a lot of promise as he one day hopes to earn a rotational spot in the majors.