REPORT: Padres confirms another deal with 27 years-old young talent to buster rotation

The Padres recently signed right-handed pitcher to a minor league deal, according to his MLB.com profile. This marks Gillaspie’s second stint with the organization after being non-tendered in November to free up space on the 40-man roster.

Gillaspie posted a 4.10 ERA across 26 1/3 innings and 28 appearances for the Orioles during the 2022-23 seasons before being claimed off waivers by the Red Sox in September 2023. However, he didn’t see any major league action with Boston and was picked up by San Diego on waivers two months later. The Padres frequently shuffled Gillaspie between Triple-A and the majors, maxing out his five allowable options. This frequent movement may have contributed to his struggles, as he recorded a 7.15 ERA over 11 1/3 innings in nine appearances for San Diego.

Despite this, Gillaspie showed promise in Triple-A, posting a 3.77 ERA with a 21.5% strikeout rate and a 9.7% walk rate over 45 1/3 innings for El Paso. These solid stats are especially notable given the hitter-friendly nature of the Pacific Coast League and represent an improvement over his previous Triple-A performances. However, his strikeout rate has declined slightly over the past two seasons, accompanied by a modest increase in walks.

Gillaspie is out of minor league options, meaning the Padres would need to pass him through waivers to send him back to Triple-A if he is added to the active roster next season. This situation could put him at risk of frequent designation for assignment (DFA) and outright assignments in 2025. For now, Gillaspie remains a depth option in the Padres’ minor league bullpen.