Left-hander Adrián Morejón simply wrapped up the very best season of his main league profession, a minimum of to this point. He had appeared in every of the seasons from 2019 to 2023 however by no means reached 35 innings pitched in any of these. In 2024, he made 60 reduction appearances, logging 63 2/3 frames. He allowed 2.83 earned runs per 9 innings in that point. His 26.1% strikeout charge, 7.7% stroll charge and 51.4% floor ball charge had been all higher than league averages. He added one other two appearances within the postseason.
Now the Padres and Morejón must determine what’s subsequent. The southpaw got here up as a beginning pitching prospect and was extremely considered a minor leaguer. The Cuban lefty secured an $11MM signing bonus from the Padres in 2016, earlier than the league launched the hard-capped worldwide newbie spending system that at present exists. Baseball America thought of him one of many prime 100 prospects within the league from 2017 to 2021, with Morejón getting as excessive as #52 going into 2019.
However his trajectory slowed down since that peak of his prospect hype, largely as a consequence of accidents. In 2019, he made his main league debut however missed time as a consequence of a shoulder impingement. The 2020 season was shortened by the pandemic and there have been no minor league video games, limiting him to simply 9 appearances and fewer than 20 innings that yr. In 2021, he required Tommy John surgical procedure after simply two begins. He was off the injured checklist by June of 2022 however missed time within the second half of that yr as a consequence of shoulder irritation. In 2023, he hung out on the IL as a consequence of a left elbow sprain and proper knee irritation, limiting him to simply 9 main league innings and fewer than 30 on the farm.
With all of these accidents, the Padres understandably stored him in a reduction function this yr. As talked about up prime, he stayed wholesome and thrived within the bullpen. Primarily based on the best way the previous few years went, the membership is likely to be tempted to simply hold Morejón within the bullpen. With Tanner Scott set to achieve free company, Morejón arguably tasks because the membership’s finest southpaw reliever for 2025, forward of Wandy Peralta and Yuki Matsui.
However there’s upside to contemplating the choice, with Garrett Crochet being a best-case state of affairs instance of what’s attainable. Like Morejón, Crochet was a prime prospect who had spent the early components of his profession both damage or pitching in reduction. The White Sox stretched him out for a rotation function in 2024 with improbable outcomes, as he posted a 3.58 ERA over 146 innings. Even these numbers promote him quick, as that membership’s poor protection seemingly contributed to a .318 batting common on balls in play for Crochet this yr. He struck out 35.1% of batters confronted, restricted walks to a 5.5% clip and bought grounders on 45.1% of balls in play. If it weren’t for that top BABIP, he most likely would have stored some extra runs off the board, which is why his 2.69 FIP and a couple of.53 SIERA had been much better than his ERA.
That’s to not say that the Padres ought to contemplate such a efficiency from Morejón to be possible, however it demonstrates the proverbial pot of gold they might chase. Crochet is now a borderline ace and he’ll possible be the highest commerce candidate of this offseason, with the White Sox taking a look at bringing again a king’s ransom when it comes to younger prospects.
Morejón threw 5 totally different pitches in 2024, suggesting there’s doubtlessly nonetheless a starter’s repertoire in there, with out him counting on anybody pitch an excessive amount of. His sinker, slider and four-seamer had been all thrown between 23 and 36% of the time, whereas he additionally sprinkled in a splitter 7.6% of the time and a sweeper at a 2.6% clip. That helped him keep away from the intense splits that may typically doom a pitcher to a specialised reduction function. Lefties hit .255/.303/.367 off Morejón this yr whereas righties had been solely barely higher at .257/.321/.405.
On account of Morejón spending a lot time on the IL, he has managed to accrue greater than 4 years of main league service time. That implies that, regardless of his restricted observe report, he’s slated without spending a dime company after 2026. However the missed time has additionally prevented him from rising his incomes energy. He made $850K this yr, barely above the $740K league minimal. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz tasks him for a modest bump to $1.8MM in 2025. He’d have the ability to safe yet one more arbitration increase for 2026 earlier than hitting the open market.
That value level is necessary for the Padres. Due partially to the collapse of their broadcast cope with Diamond Sports activities Group, the membership needed to lower the payroll final winter. They flipped Juan Soto to the Yankees to assist them duck below the aggressive steadiness tax whereas additionally including some wanted beginning pitching depth.
Beginning pitching is once more a priority for the Friars going into 2025, with the current information that Joe Musgrove is about to overlook all of subsequent yr recovering from Tommy John surgical procedure. Michael King, Dylan Stop and Yu Darvish give the membership a powerful entrance three however they’ve query marks on the again finish. Matt Waldron had a 3.71 ERA within the first half however an unsightly 8.10 ERA within the second half. Randy Vásquez had a 4.87 ERA this yr however with a tepid 14.4% strikeout charge and he additionally had an 8.21 ERA in his Triple-A begins. Musgrove will hopefully be again by 2026 however King and Stop are each slated without spending a dime company after 2025, which means there’s even much less certainty sooner or later.
Enhancing the rotation will undoubtedly be a magnet for president of baseball operations A.J. Preller this winter however the finances may once more be a difficulty. The Friars have already got an estimated $231MM CBT quantity for subsequent yr, in keeping with RosterResource, simply shy of subsequent yr’s $241MM base threshold. Assuming the membership desires to keep away from the tax once more in 2025, that doesn’t give Preller lots to work with and even back-end starters typically get eight-figure offers in free company. Final winter, Kyle Gibson bought $13MM on a one-year deal, Lance Lynn bought $11MM, Wade Miley and Alex Wooden every bought $8.5MM whereas Martín Pérez bought $8MM.
Along with filling out the rotation, Preller shall be seeking to substitute misplaced offensive manufacturing. Every of Jurickson Profar, Ha-Seong Kim, Donovan Solano, David Peralta and Kyle Higashioka are slated to achieve free company, placing some notable dents within the lineup.
Given the membership’s tight finances and lengthy to-do checklist, it will be an awesome resolution if Morejón may develop into a starter subsequent yr. That may be far cheaper than filling a rotation spot by way of the open market. There’s additionally the commerce market however the Padres have despatched out loads of prospects in recent times and would most likely like to keep away from doing extra of that, if attainable.
However regardless of all of the attraction of Morejón leaping into the rotation, there’s additionally the danger of one other harm cropping up. In that state of affairs, it’s totally attainable that the Padres fall in need of upgrading the rotation and likewise subtract a key lefty from the bullpen combine.
What do you suppose the Padres ought to do? Give him a shot on the rotation or stick to what’s working? Have your say within the ballot beneath!
