The Padres have watched another wave of minor leaguers head for the open market, with 11 position players now officially filing for free agency, according to the club’s transaction log on MiLB.com. That comes on top of eight pitchers who also reached minor league free agency.
Among the group is Tirso Ornelas, who had been in the organization since 2017 after signing as an international free agent. Ornelas was once ranked as high as San Diego’s No. 11 prospect by MLB Pipeline in 2025, and he briefly reached the majors in 2025, going 1-for-14 (.071). He spent all of 2026 back in Double-A, where he hit .253 with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs and an OPS of .771.
Esteban Quiroz Johnson is the most recognizable name in the bunch, having already logged 134 big league games for San Diego over the past three seasons. After batting .342 in 55 games in 2025, he dropped to .178 over 32 games in 2026. The 31-year-old, known for his plus defense and speed, lost his grip on the Padres’ outfield rotation this year and is now looking for a new landing spot.
Tyler Solak also reached the market after a strong season in El Paso. Signed by the Padres this past offseason, he got a four-game look in the majors and went 1-for-10 (.143).
The 31-year-old hit .311 with 16 home runs, 80 RBIs and an OPS of .863 across 116 games at Triple-A. In his MLB career, Solak has played in 263 games and hit .249 with an OPS of .692.
The rest of the group includes players who spent the year across the upper levels of the system. Jorbit Vivas?
No-Acuna, 26, was with the Padres organization since November 2024 and hit .195 with six home runs, 27 RBIs and an OPS of .671 in 85 games at Double-A San Antonio. Duarte, 25, signed as an international free agent in 2018 and appeared in 16 games at Triple-A El Paso, batting .224 with an OPS of .631.
Dungan, 30, had been in the organization since December 2023 and hit .228 with nine home runs, 40 RBIs and an OPS of .688 in 100 games at Triple-A. Fabian, another international signee from 2018, put together a .268 average with 12 home runs, 54 RBIs and an OPS of .758 in 107 games at Double-A.
The Padres also lost Tucker, a former first-round pick by Cleveland in 2020 who joined the organization on a minor league deal this past offseason. He hit .270 with an OPS of .692 in 75 games at Double-A.
Rodriguez, who has been with San Diego since 2019 after signing as an international free agent, hit .218 with an OPS of .655 in 83 games at High-A Fort Wayne. Another Rodriguez, signed last offseason on a minor league deal, played in 124 games with El Paso and hit .308 with six home runs, 77 RBIs and an OPS of .791.
Rounding out the list is Verdugo, who signed in January on a minor league deal and played 100 games at Double-A, where he hit .248 with an OPS of .704. Duarte, Fabian, Solak, Tucker, and the others now join the free-agent pool as San Diego’s offseason roster churn continues.
In Other News...
Padres Rotation Gamble Could Leave A.J. Preller With Another Big Question
The Padres are again staring at the same offseason problem that has followed them for much of A.J. Prellers tenure: how to patch together enough reliable starting pitching without overcommitting to the wrong arm. One possible answer is Foster Griffin, whose recent work after returning from Japan has put him on the radar for a three-year, $39 million deal and made him a name worth tracking as San Diego sorts through rotation options.
Griffins path also invites the kind of caution that comes with any bet on a pitcher whose value has surged in a short window, especially when the comparison to Erick Feddes career arc hangs in the background. Even if Griffin ends up in brown and gold, the Padres would still need more than one addition to feel comfortable about the depth behind him, which leaves Preller with another familiar question to answer before the rotation is truly set. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Value Rankings Just Fueled A Bigger Debate About This Roster
Bleacher Reports 2026 Moneyball Rankings offered a useful snapshot of where the Padres got the most bang for their buck, and it pointed straight to two of the clubs quieter value plays. Ty France and Mason Miller came out as San Diegos most valuable players by net value, with France delivering 4.5 WAR on a $2 million salary and Miller adding 3.1 WAR on a $4 million salary, a reminder that the rosters best returns have not always come from the biggest names.
The broader picture was less flattering, though, with San Diego landing 22nd overall and posting a $45.6 million net value for the full roster. That ranking only sharpens the conversation around some of the clubs heavier contracts, especially with players like Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado not matching salary expectations and with the team still navigating recent pitching additions and looming free agency decisions for key pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Padres First Offseason Move Could Matter More Than Fans Think
The Padres have already made a couple of low-profile moves that fit the kind of winter business a front office often likes to do early, adding first baseman/outfielder Nick Pratto and pitcher Angel Hernandez on minor league contracts. Pratto, once regarded as a top prospect, spent time with San Diegos Triple-A club in 2026 and showed improved performance after joining the organization, which at least gives the Padres a more informed look at what he might offer next spring.
Hernandez brings a different kind of intrigue. The 23-year-old is pitching in the Mexican Winter League after being released by the Miami Marlins in 2024, and the Padres are clearly willing to keep tabs on a young arm with some unfinished business. Neither signing changes the roster picture on its own, but moves like these can matter more than they seem when a club is trying to find useful depth and uncover a player who still has something to prove. [Read more 🡒]