Kevin Padlo

KEVIN PADLO, THIRD BASEMAN
Born: July 15, 1996
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 210
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 5th Round, 143rd Overall, 2014 (Rockies)
How Acquired: Waiver Claim (from Mariners)
High School: Murrieta (CA) Valley HS
Agent: N/A

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE
The Rockies drafted Padlo out of high school and paid him an above-slot bonus as a guy with plus raw power.  It took him several years in the minors for it to start showing up in games.  Since he reached the upper minors he’s hit for very good power at times.  Padlo isn’t likely to hit for average at any point and he’ll strike out a lot.  He has a good eye at the plate, which has usually led to good walk rates, but he has a pull-oriented approach and will swing and miss a lot.  He’s considered about average at third, with a good arm.

2014
R+:  300/421/594, 160 AB, 15 2B, 4 3B, 8 HR, 31 BB, 38 K, 6-7 SB

The Rockies sent Padlo to advanced rookie ball, which would have been a challenging assignment for a prep draftee.  He hit a ton and had almost as many walks as strikeouts.  He played third exclusively, which would remain the case for several years.  Baseball America ranked him 14th in the Rockies’ system after the season.

2015
A-:  294/404/502, 255 AB, 22 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 45 BB, 62 K, 33-38 SB
A:  145/273/277, 83 AB, 5 2B, 2 HR, 14 BB, 26 K, 2-3 SB

Colorado sent Padlo to low A to start the season and it didn’t go well.  After a little over a month, they sent him to short season ball, where he hit much like he did in his debut season.  Despite not having great speed, he stole a lot of bases.  BA ranked him 18th in the system.  After the season, Colorado traded Padlo to the Rays.

2016
A:  230/358/415, 414 AB, 22 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 79 BB, 134 K, 14-23 SB

Back in low A, only now with the Rays, Padlo had just an OK season.  He drew walks at a very high rate, but also struck out a lot and didn’t hit for average, while producing only decent power.  BA put him 19th in the Rays’ system.

2017
R:  118/286/235, 17 AB, 1 3B, 3 BB, 1 K, 1-1 SB
A+:  223/324/391, 220 AB, 13 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 35 BB, 60 K, 4-9 SB

In high A, Padlo mostly struggled.  He also missed two months due to injury.  BA dropped him off the Rays’ top prospects list.

2018
A+:  223/318/353, 385 AB, 26 2B, 8 HR, 47 BB, 119 K, 5-5 SB

Tampa Bay sent Padlo back to high A and his hitting declined a little.  He started spending a little time at first.  The Rays left him exposed to the Rule 5 draft and he was not selected.

2019
AA:  250/383/505, 220 AB, 20 2B, 12 HR, 47 BB, 70 K, 11-15 SB
AAA:  290/400/595, 131 AB, 11 2B, 1 3B, 9 HR, 21 BB, 46 K, 1-1 SB

In AA, Padlo took a big step forward.  He continued to strike out a lot, but he made more quality contact and hit for a lot of power.  He continued to hit after a July promotion to AAA.  BA ranked him 17th in the Rays’ system after the season and the team added him to the 40-man roster.

2020
DNP

Padlo was on the Rays’ taxi squad during the pandemic season, but didn’t get into any games.

2021
AAA (TB):  194/290/379, 253 AB, 11 2B, 12 HR, 25 BB, 93 K, 5-6 SB
AAA (Sea):  298/388/596, 108 AB, 3 2B, 2 3B, 8 HR, 16 BB, 21 K, 1-2 SB
MLB (TB):  083/214/167, 12 AB, 1 2B, 2 BB, 8 K
MLB (Sea):  000/000/000, 1 AB, 1 K

Padlo opened the season with the Rays, but they sent him to AAA after a few games.  Except for one brief callup, he spent the season there until mid-August.  In AAA with the Rays, Padlo continued to hit for good power but otherwise struggled.  At that point, the Rays designated him for assignment and Seattle claimed him.  He got one at-bat for the Mariners, then spent the rest of the season with their AAA affiliate.  He hit there about like he had in 2019.  He spent some time at second as well as first and third.  BA ranked Padlo 24th in the Mariners’ system.

2022
AAA (SF):  275/333/600, 80 AB, 3 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 5 BB, 18 K, 3-3 SB
AAA (Sea):  229/323/371, 140 AB, 6 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 18 BB, 41 K, 7-9 SB
AAA:  279/344/395, 86 AB, 7 2B, 1 HR, 9 BB, 31 K, 3-3 SB
MLB (SF):  167/167/167, 12 AB, 4 K
MLB (Sea):  200/273/300, 10 AB, 1 2B, 1 BB, 5 K
MLB:  000/000/000, 11 AB, 1 K

Padlo did some traveling during the season.  In late April, Seattle sent him to the Giants for cash.  in June, he went the opposite way on a waiver claim.  Padlo saw brief action for both teams in the majors and otherwise played for both in AAA.  Combined, he put up a .781 OPS in AAA, which in the Pacific Coast League was a little below average.  In early August, the Pirates claimed Padlo off waivers from Seattle.  In mid-August, they called him up long enough for him to go 0-for-11, then sent him back to AAA.  A few days later they designated him for assignment to make room for Robert Stephenson.

Padlo was another in a long line of Ben Cherington waiver claims that seem to be based on nothing beyond momentary whims.  The fact that they dfa’d him just 20 days after claiming him only enhances the impression that they simply have no rational basis for many of these moves.  He’s eligible for minor league free agency, which hopefully will forestall any impulse they might have to put him back on the roster during the off-season.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2022: Minor league salary
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $650,000
MiLB Debut: 2014
MLB Debut: 4/6/2021
MiLB FA Eligible: 2022
MLB FA Eligible: 2028
Rule 5 Eligible: Eligible
Added to 40-Man: 11/20/2019 (since removed)
Options Remaining: 0 (USED:  2020, 2021, 2022)
MLB Service Time: 0.044
TRANSACTIONS
June 6, 2014: Drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 5th round, 143rd overall pick; signed on June 19.
January 28, 2016: Traded by the Colorado Rockies with Corey Dickerson to the Tampa Bay Rays for Jake McGee and German Marquez.
November 20, 2019: Contract purchased by the Tampa Bay Rays.
August 17, 2021: Designated for assignment by the Tampa Bay Rays.
August 19, 2021: Claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays by the Seattle Mariners.
April 23, 2022: Designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners.
April 26, 2022: Traded by the Seattle Mariners to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations.
June 8, 2022: Designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants.
June 11, 2022: Claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants by the Seattle Mariners.
August 5, 2022: Designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners.
August 7, 2022: Claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
August 27, 2022: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates; outrighted to AAA on August 30.