The San Diego Padres liked what they saw from catcher Kyle Higashioka last season, and want to see more in 2025.
Padres are determined to resign C Kyle Higashioka this offseason
The Padres have been reported by James Clark of the East Village Times to want to run things back with Higashioka. Clark’s inside sources within the franchise divulged this to him, as he published on Tuesday:
“According to a source within the team, early negotiations are positive, and the Padres seem content that they will ink the catcher soon. ‘He is a priority for us this winter,’ the source tells EVT. The two sides are at the early stages, but both sides expect the talks to progress,” Clark wrote.
Higashioka played well in limited appearances in 2025
The 34-year-old free agent has proven himself to be a quality catcher over the last four seasons in particular. Higashioka most recently produced a .220/.263/.476 slash line to go along with 17 home runs and 45 RBIs in 2024 for the Padres. He was on pace for 32.7 home runs and around 86.7 RBIs had he played the full 162-game slate.
Higashioka also played well in the playoffs, hitting three home runs and registering five RBIs behind a stellar 1.062 OPS. The California native did post a solid .987 fielding percentage behind the plate last regular season, but also committed a National League-leading nine errors.
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Higashioka may be the Padres’ favored starting catcher moving forward
All things considered, San Diego appears to be fully confident in their veteran catcher. Having come from the New York Yankees’ first-class organization, Higashioka has the playoff experience and potential at the plate to do damage for the Padres and take over their starting role permanently over current starter Luis Campusano.
His 1.4 WAR compared to Campusano’s -0.7 WAR gives credence to such a shift. Clark projected that San Diego could give him a raise with a two-year deal estimated at $6-$8 million dollars this offseason. He’d be a cost-effective option for them to retain in their quest to win next season’s Fall Classic.
