The Padres continued trimming the organization this week, parting ways with left-hander Miguel Cienfuegos and right-hander Nathanael Jacinto.
Cienfuegos, 29, was let go by Triple-A El Paso after four seasons in the organization. He spent the 2026 season with the Chihuahuas, where he put up a 7.35 ERA across 31 appearances, including two starts, while working 49 innings.
The lefty never reached the majors during his time in the system, though he did get a look in big-league spring training this year. In that brief stint, Cienfuegos threw 0.2 innings and did not allow a run.
San Diego originally brought him in for the 2023 season after he signed out of the Independent League. Before joining the Padres, Cienfuegos went 10-2 with a 1.79 ERA for Quebec in the Frontier League.
His strongest stretch in the organization came last year at Double-A, where he posted a 1.13 ERA in six appearances. But after moving up to Triple-A, the results changed quickly, and his ERA climbed to 5.30 over 24 outings.
The Padres also moved on from Jacinto, a 20-year-old right-hander who spent this season in Rookie Ball. He struggled there, finishing with a 12.08 ERA in 12 appearances and allowing 24 walks in 12.2 innings.
Jacinto signed with San Diego as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in December 2025.
The roster cuts come while the Padres are riding a strong stretch since the trade deadline. San Diego has pushed itself back into the playoff mix and currently holds a wild-card spot in the National League.
At the deadline, the front office added Robbie Ray and Casey Mize to address the rotation, a move that has reshaped the pitching staff.
The offense has started to come around as well, with more steady production and a boost from unexpected contributors like Luis Rengifo.
That combination has lifted the club’s confidence and made the Padres look like a dangerous team in the NL as the playoff race heats up.
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