The Padres are expected to sign first baseman Ty France to a minor league deal, reports Dennis Lin of The Athletic. The agreement includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training. France spent time in the big leagues with the Twins and the Blue Jays last season. The veteran infielder is a client of Equity Baseball.
France had interest from multiple teams, but ultimately landed back in San Diego, where it all started. The 31-year-old Southern California native was selected by the club in the 2015 draft. France debuted for the Padres in 2019, but was dealt to the Mariners the following season. He was part of the swap that netted Seattle’s future closer Andres Munoz. Catcher Austin Nola headlined the package that went back to San Diego.
The Padres add another right-handed bat to factor into the first base/DH mix that includes Miguel Andujar and Nick Castellanos. Gavin Sheets is slated to be San Diego’s primary first baseman. The lefty swinger posted an underwhelming .669 OPS against same-handed pitching last season.
France has bounced around since he first broke into the league, but he always seems to compile regular playing time. His 490 plate appearances between Minnesota and Toronto were his fewest since the shortened 2020 season. France posted a 92 wRC+ across 101 games with the Twins. He was dealt to the Blue Jays at the trade deadline along with reliever Louis Varland. France matched that 92 wRC+ in 37 games with Toronto. He went 1-for-4 in brief postseason action.
Despite his perception as a platoon bat, France doesn’t have noticeable splits for his career. Just 12 points separate his OPS against lefties compared to righties. His batting average and on-base percentage are both within 10 points of each other. France has shown a bit more power when facing southpaws, though he’s also struck out more frequently.
France is coming off the best defensive season of his career. He was credited with 9 Defensive Runs Saved and 10 Outs Above Average for his work at first base. The standout performance earned France his first Gold Glove award. Sheets graded out as a neutral defender last season. Andujar is more of a bat-first option. Castellanos received poor marks for his work in right field and has yet to appear in a big-league game at first base. If France makes the team, he’ll be the best defensive option at the cold corner.
Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images
France/Casty/Andujar……. Not all making the team…….
They can
France can probably play 2B/3B/COF
Andujar Sheets Castellanos split 1B/DH duties
>France can probably play 2B/3B/COF
He could probably drive Formula One and ice dance in Milan too, but he hasn’t. He played some middle infield in 2019-20, but since then Ty has three innings at 2B since his huge 21 games in 2021, he amassed 17 games at 3B between 2020-22, and in his entire college, minor and major league career he has one AA game in the OF. That’s a total of nine appearances outside 1B/DH since the end of 2021. He’s a 1B.
and I believe he won a gold glove at 1b……could be wrong
Wouldn’t be possible for the team to roster France in addition to Andular and Castellanos, not enough space on the 26-man.
Likely not, preller seems to be creating a competition at the 1b/dh spot.
Should be interesting to see how it all works out. Definitely means Casty making the team not a given.
Andujar probably makes the team given they are paying him more than the others. Plus his abilities to hit lefties better than the others.
Yeah they gave him $4.5M. He’s making the team. Castellanos is at league minimum and France is a MiLB deal. They are competing for RHH bench spot
Even before Ty France, thought that about Nick. He should have went somewhere that didn’t have a logjam of RH. Now Ty France has a great glove, Castellanos already looks out there door.
It’s a minor league deal. France starts the year in El Paso.
Considering he had other options. Seems odd he would sign for a team where he thinks being in the minors is a big possibility.
Though only 31 years old, he has declined ( as a hitter) considerably since 2022. Maybe his options have become quite limited, but I’d be surprised if he plays much in minors.
The Padres have been rampaging through what’s left of the free agent market the past couple weeks.
Gold glove 1B last year.
Interesting…
Hah! The new market inefficiency: guys that kind of hit and can only play first to varying degrees. They already had Cronenworth and those other guys and they got Jose Miranda in December, so heads up Rhys and Rowdy and we’ll see you at the trade deadline!
Was wondering what took so long on this move. Seemed like a reunion that had to happen.
Just a guess but I think the padres may trade laureano.
With Casty and even Miguel being able to play left field. Maybe not well but left field at petco isn’t that demanding of a spot.
That then opens up 1b/dh spot for France.
If Laureano is traded keep an eye on the royals and Mets as possible spots.
Of course this could just be adding competition but it feels like an overload over similar players.
The pile up at 1b/DH really is interesting, so is the one at #5 SP. Something has to give beyond just creating healthy competition. So I agree a trade might be in the works, whether it’s Laureano (who is a great bargain btw) or not.
Yeah. It could just be Preller adding depth options. It’s kind of been some of the shortcomings in years past.
Right now there are several options at 1b/dh/of/sp/rp.
Relief options being the ones with the highest upside. It just feels like something else is in the works. Especially when you add in him saying more is to come along with roster additions…meaning not just minor league deals.
Yeah, maybe he signs Hoskins and Giolito today haha and we go into the season with 9 SPs and half a dozen 1Bmen
Castellanos cannot play LF at all. He’s been among the worst defenders in all of baseball the past 4 years. He’s strictly DH and maybe 1B. Andujar and Sheets can play LF in a pinch but are poor defenders. We’ll see what happens with Sung, but I don’t see the Padres trading Laureano even if 2025 was a career year. He’s still a strong defender who can cover CF.
Everyone on this team is a 1B or a SS
Getting Ty France on a minor league deal instead of what Arráez got paid is an absurdly good win for Pads
I had figured France would have been a target for the Nationals given the price range, righty bat, and their lack of options at 1st. I suppose they just were not going to sign a guy who is 31 even to plug a hole and flip him at the deadline (their common move from 2020-2025). I guess they feel Andres Chaparro turning 27 this year deserves a shot at the short-side bat before Yohandy Morales is given a shot. Pretty bleak, to be honest.
Nothing wrong with some competition, brings out the best in some folks…
2 SDSU legends coming home this offseason!