Luis Campusano gets a fresh runway to prove himself
San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen has repeatedly said since spring camp began that he envisions Luis Campusano as the club’s No. 2 catcher. Stammen has highlighted Campusano’s hard work and his strong showing at Triple-A last season, and in Friday’s media session he offered a visible vote of confidence, even noting Campusano’s new look.
“He cut the dreads, got a new haircut, looks good, and he’s genuinely excited about this opportunity. This is probably the first time in his career that he has a clear runway to assert himself for the job and win it in Spring Training, plus serve as the No. 2 once we break camp.”
Campusano’s path to the majors has been rocky. He joined the Padres in 2020 at age 21 and logged the most games in 2024, appearing in 91 with a .227/.281/.361 line and a -0.7 fWAR, reflecting below-average defense. His eight home runs and 40 RBIs couldn’t offset defensive challenges behind the plate. Then-manager Mike Shildt seemed ready to move on, limiting Campusano to 10 appearances in 2025, all as a designated hitter with 21 at-bats, no hits, six walks, and 11 strikeouts.
Stammen played alongside Campusano when Campusano was a pitcher in the Padres’ bullpen, and from day one as manager, Stammen has voiced strong support. He’s clear that the 27-year-old will be given every chance to show he can be a major leaguer.
The arrival of Freddy Fermin at the trade deadline last season signaled that Fermin would be the primary catcher going forward. Fermin quickly learned the staff and proved more offensively capable than veteran catchers Elias Díaz and Martin Maldonado.
Fermin has never been a true everyday catcher and has not played more than 89 games in a season. He started 39 of the Padres’ 52 games after arriving from Kansas City, with his previous high being 72 games as a backup to Salvador Pérez.
“To avoid burning Freddy out, Campy, if he’s the No. 2, he needs to catch a lot,” Stammen said. “To get those guys off to a good start, the playing time may not be exactly equal, but Campy will play a lot.”
Stammen also noted the other catchers working with the Padres pitchers in camp. Blake Hunt and Rodolfo Duran are sharing duties with Fermin and Campusano, and all four, plus top prospect Ethan Salas, will catch Padres pitchers in spring games. Either Hunt or Duran is likely to back up Campusano, and if his performance lags, one of them could begin the season as the No. 2.
An interesting topic in the scrum was Stammen’s preference against assigning catchers to specific pitchers. “I think every catcher should catch every pitcher, and every pitcher should throw to every catcher. Of course, there may be pairs that just click better, but you never want to pigeonhole them. If a pitcher gets hurt, the backup has to step in.”
Matt Waldron also came up, and Stammen said all catchers will work with him. Campusano has already brought a glove for Waldron and acknowledged that not everyone can handle a knuckleball, so the best matchup will win the job.
Campusano even caught Dylan Cease’s no-hitter on July 25, 2024—the second no-hitter in Padres history. Yet his inconsistent defense behind the plate seemed to undermine trust with prior manager. With Stammen at the helm and Kevin Plawecki coaching catching, Campusano gets a fresh chance to prove he can be a major league catcher. There’s been no consideration of moving him to first base, despite Stammen noting that he did play some first base last season. His job remains catching and earning the backup role. If he can’t seize it, he’ll face trades or waivers to return to the minors.
This season will also feature the ABS system, which will help judge balls and strikes to challenge pitches. The Padres’ plan is for Campusano and his peers to adapt quickly, leveraging their minor-league familiarity with the technology as spring games begin.
If confidence and belief can influence performance, Campusano could thrive this spring. Stammen’s public support makes this a pivotal moment for the young catcher. This is a crucial opportunity—let’s see if he seizes it and runs with it.
