Despite what is now a partial exodus in San Diego, the Padres should have one key aspect of their lineup to look forward to.
MLB writers put together a piece that assigned each team a player they thought would break out in 2026. A.J. Cassavell, a reporter for the Padres, predicted one player to make a serious impact in the lineup. What makes the player Cassavell choose so exciting is that it comes from a position that the team has struggled to find production in.
Padres fans should keep an eye on Freddy Fermin as a 2026 breakout name
Cassavell wrote the following: “There are a whole bunch of prospects and young players on this list. Fermin, a catcher entering his age-31 season, doesn’t exactly fit the prototype. But, at long last, Fermin figures to be presented with the role of primary backstop, after he’d split time with Salvador Perez for years in Kansas City. With a full Spring Training under his belt, Fermin could serve as an anchor for what figures to be a new-look rotation. Not to mention, there’s some promise in his bat as well.”
Freddy Fermin started hot in his San Diego tenure, slashing .364/.400/.485 with a 153 wRC+. While his production dipped towards the end of the season, it was still much better than what the Padres had initially.
To start 2025, the Padres quite literally had negative production at the catcher position, with Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado manning the backstop. Those two combined accounted for a -0.4 WAR, meaning their presence in the lineup was hurting the team.
According to Pro Baseball Reference, Fermin is projected to slash .259/.310/.379 with nine home runs and 41 RBIs in 2026. This may not look too flashy on paper, but it is a significant upgrade considering what the numbers could’ve looked like under Diaz and Maldonado.
On the other hand, these are only offensive projections, and other factors make a catcher great, such as defense. Fermin is an above-average defensive catcher, which is something to keep an eye on. How willing are base runners to steal when he’s behind the plate?
Fermin will be won of the most intriguing players to watch on the Padres, and it will also be interesting to see if the team makes a trade for another catcher to complement him.