The 24 best players in San Diego Padres history

A historic dialog in regards to the San Diego Padres merely can’t start anyplace aside from with Tony Gwynn, who served because the face of the franchise for twenty years and holds just about each membership document except for residence runs. A local of southern California, Gwynn attended San Diego State College and was chosen by the Padres within the third spherical of the 1981 draft. He made his debut the next season and inside just some brief years had already established himself because the premier all-around hitter in baseball. Gwynn’s resume basically speaks for itself. He completed his profession with a .338/.388/.459 slash line and 763 extra-base hits. He received an unimaginable eight batting titles, made 15 All-Star groups, took residence seven Silver Slugger awards and even earned 5 Gold Gloves. Gwynn led the Nationwide League in hits seven instances on his strategy to a lofty profession whole of three,141 — the twentieth highest whole in MLB historical past. Gwynn was simply elected to the Corridor of Fame in 2007, and the Padres retired his quantity 19 in 2004. 

The Padres picked outfielder Dave Winfield No. 4 total within the 1973 draft popping out of the College of Minnesota, and the group introduced him to the large leagues that very same summer time. Within the eight years the large right-handed slugger referred to as San Diego residence, he slashed .284/.357/.464 with 154 homers and 626 RBI. He represented the Padres in 4 All-Star Video games and earned two Gold Gloves whereas with the group, earlier than leaving to hitch the Yankees as a free agent in 1981. Winfield was elected to the Corridor of Fame in 2001 and wears a Padres hat in his plaque. San Diego retired his quantity 31 in 2001. 

Proper-hander Jake Peavy debuted for the Padres as a 21-year-old in 2002, and in simply his second full big-league season delivered the perfect ERA within the main leagues. Peavy would begin 212 video games in a San Diego uniform, pitching to a 3.29 ERA throughout 1,342.2 innings and putting out 1,348 hitters. The Cell, Alabama native represented the Friars in two All-Star Video games and took residence a second ERA title in 2007. That ’07 season proved to be the spotlight of Peavy’s profession, as he ended up profitable the pitching Triple Crown and strolling away along with his first and solely Cy Younger award that 12 months. 

Whereas former Yankee Mariano Rivera is unanimously thought of the perfect nearer in MLB historical past, longtime Padres stopper Trevor Hoffman is a detailed second. The righty pitched for San Diego for 16 seasons, working to the tune of a 2.76 ERA in 952.1 innings, and changing 552 saves. Hoffman was an All-Star seven instances and earned two Rolaids Aid awards. He would end his profession in Milwaukee with whom he pushed his profession save whole to 601 — simply 51 behind Rivera for probably the most all time. He was inducted into Cooperstown in 2018 and the Padres retired his quantity 51 in 2011. 

Crowder School product Andy Ashby was the participant to be named later in a 1993 commerce with Colorado, and the Rockies actually ended up regretting dealing him to a division rival. In elements of eight seasons in San Diego, Ashby pitched to a 3.59 ERA in 1,212 innings whereas twice qualifying for the All-Star group. He was by no means actually thought of an ace, however Ashby was persistently a strong member of the Padres’ rotation, and gave the membership over 200 innings three years in a row from ’97-’99. 

Adrian Gonzalez grew up in San Diego and immediately turned a fan favourite in his hometown when the Padres acquired him in a January 2006 commerce. After all, it helped that the left-handed slugger was probably the most prolific offensive first baseman in membership historical past. Throughout his 5 seasons with the Friars, Gonzalez slashed .288/.374/.514 with 161 residence runs — simply two shy of Nate Colbert’s franchise excessive. He drove in 501 runs for the Padres, doubled 176 instances, and represented the group in three All-Star video games. Not only a one-dimensional participant, Gonzalez additionally received back-to-back Gold Glove awards in ’08 and ’09, and San Diego followers have been crushed when the group dealt him to Boston in the course of the 2010 winter conferences.

San Diego chosen righty Andy Benes with the primary total decide within the 1988 draft, and whereas he was a serviceable member of the membership’s beginning rotation for seven years, the Padres understandably anticipated extra after choosing him so excessive. In 187 outings for Friars, Benes pitched to a 3.57 ERA with a 1.23 WHIP, whereas putting out 1,036 hitters in 1,235 innings. He certified for one All-Star Recreation whereas with the Padres earlier than being dealt to Seattle on the 1995 commerce deadline. 

Catcher Gene Tenace was the catcher for 3 Oakland Athletics World Collection winners earlier than leaving the Bay Space to go south and be a part of the Padres in 1977, and on the time San Diego was thrilled so as to add a participant with such a profitable pedigree. The Russellton, PA native performed 4 seasons for the Padres, slashing .237/.403/.422 with 150 extra-base hits. The excessive OBP was a direct results of his propensity to attract walks, as he really led baseball in incomes free passes in 1977.  

Southpaw Randy Jones was the Padres’ fifth-round decide in 1972 popping out of Chapman College and would go on to turn into one of the vital profitable beginning pitchers in membership historical past. In 264 outings for San Diego, Jones received 92 video games with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He received the ERA title in ’75 when he completed second within the NL Cy Younger voting, and the next 12 months did win the Cy Younger when he led the league with 22 wins, 25 full video games, and 315.1 innings. He represented San Diego in two All-Star video games and had his quantity 35 retired by the group in 1997. 

Left-handed swinging Gene Richards performed seven of his eight big-league seasons with the Padres and was identified in his period as one of many premier base stealers within the recreation. Throughout his time in San Diego, Richards slashed .291/.357/.387 and stole 242 bases. He additionally added 123 doubles, 63 triples, drove in 251 runs, and performed sturdy outfield protection. On the time of his retirement, Richards was the Padres’ all-time chief in each triples and steals, earlier than being handed by Tony Gwynn in each classes.

Change-hitting third baseman Chase Headley broke into the large leagues with the Padres again in 2007 and developed right into a core participant for the group. Throughout his San Diego tenure, Headley slashed .263/.344/.405 with 287 extra-base hits and 405 RBI. He was by no means higher than in 2012 when he hit .286 with 31 homers and drove in an NL-high 115 runs, but someway did not make the All-Star group. Headley did win each a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove that season, and whereas he spent a number of seasons within the Bronx after leaving San Diego, it was cool to see him return in ’18 and end his profession the place it started. 

Phil Nevin was little greater than a job participant in Houston, Detroit and Anaheim, however turned way more than that when he arrived in San Diego forward of the ’99 marketing campaign. The Padres gave the right-handed slugger an opportunity to play each day and he rewarded them, hitting 24 homers and driving in 85 runs in his first season with the group. Between 2000 and 2001 Nevin would go on to blast 72 lengthy balls and drive in 233 runs, whereas hitting over .300 in annually and incomes an All-Star nod in ’01. Accidents derailed him a little bit bit after that, however he nonetheless gave San Diego a 3rd 100+ RBI season in ’04 earlier than transferring on to the Rangers. 

Ken Caminiti was actually not in San Diego for very lengthy, however in simply 4 seasons turned a reasonably polarizing determine in Padres historical past. The gritty, switch-hitting third baseman slashed .295/.384/.540 with 121 homers and 396 RBI in San Diego, headlined by his NL MVP season in 1996. Caminiti represented the Padres in a pair of All-Star video games, received three Gold Gloves awards, earned a Silver Slugger, and was a key piece of San Diego’s Nationwide League pennant-winning group in ’98. 

When outfielder Brian Giles obtained to San Diego in 2003, he was already 32 years previous, and whereas he was a productive piece for them, the Padres did not understand his greatest days have been already behind him. Giles had been one of the vital productive hitters within the Nationwide League whereas with the Pirates, and in a four-year span between ’99-’02 had crushed 149 homers and pushed in 436 runs. He’d performed in a number of All-Star video games and been an MVP candidate, and that simply wasn’t the participant the Padres obtained on the finish of his profession. Within the six and a half seasons Giles spent in San Diego he slashed .279/.380/.435 with 297 extra-base hits and 415 RBI. 

By the point Manny Machado’s profession is over, there’s each likelihood he’ll maintain each San Diego Padres document. The membership lured the famous person third baseman to southern California as a free agent in 2019, and he is been merely phenomenal in his 4 years with the group. In 519 video games, Machado has slashed .280/.352/.504 with 108 homers, 340 RBI, and 101 doubles. He is made two All-Star groups and received a Silver Slugger in San Diego and led the Friars to the NLCS in October 2022. After expressing a willingness to train the opt-out in his contract following the ’23 marketing campaign, the Padres made {that a} moot level by locking him up with an enormous eleven-year extension that can preserve him in San Diego possible all through his profession. 

Slugging first baseman Nate Colbert was solely in San Diego for six seasons however nonetheless blasted extra residence runs than anybody in Padres’ franchise historical past — although, to be honest, Manny Machado will most likely move him as early as 2024. In 866 video games with the Friars, Colbert slashed .253/.331/.469 with 163 residence runs, 481 RBI and 130 doubles. He represented the group in three straight All-Star video games from ’71-’73 and completed eighth in NL MVP voting in 1972. 

Terry Kennedy was a backup catcher in St. Louis early in his profession, and getting traded to San Diego proved to be top-of-the-line issues that might’ve occurred to him. With the Padres, Kennedy blossomed into one of many higher offensive catchers in baseball, driving in 97 runs in ’82 and 98 in ’83 in his first two campaigns the place he performed in additional than 101 video games. Kennedy represented the Padres in three All-Star video games, received a Silver Slugger, and completed tenth within the 1983 Nationwide League MVP voting. He performed for each the Orioles and the Giants after leaving southern California, however the perfect days of his profession simply got here in a Padres uniform. 

Righty Eric Present is without doubt one of the actual success tales within the historical past of the Padres scouting and participant growth departments, as after being chosen within the 18th spherical of the 1978 draft he’d go on to turn into a priceless member of the group’s pitching workers for a decade. In 309 outings for San Diego, Present pitched to a 3.59 ERA throughout 1,603.1 innings, whereas handing over a 1.28 WHIP. The Riverside, California native gave the Padres over 200 innings 5 totally different instances earlier than heading north to complete his profession with Oakland in 1991. 

Johnson Metropolis, Tennessee native Ed Whitson had two totally different stints in San Diego, and was a helpful pitcher for the membership each instances. In 227 video games for the Friars, the right-hander posted a 3.69 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP, whereas putting out 767 hitters in 1,354.1 innings. He by no means made the All-Star group as a member of the Padres however did contribute over 200 innings for the group in 4 straight seasons from ’87-’90. He did, nonetheless, have the unlucky distinction of permitting probably the most residence runs within the Nationwide League in 1987 when he served up 36 lengthy balls. 

Left-handed swinging Ryan Klesko was a member of the Braves’ World Collection-winning group in 1995, and the Padres have been thrilled so as to add his bat to their on a regular basis lineup forward of the 2000 season. The Westminster, California native would find yourself taking part in seven seasons in San Diego, slashing .279/.381/.491 with 133 homers, 493 RBI and 176 doubles. He helped the Padres advance to the playoffs in ’05 and ’06 and represented them within the 2001 All-Star Recreation.

Elon College product Greg Harris started his profession with San Diego again in 1988, and whereas he was by no means thought of an upper-echelon starter, he gave this group a handful of actually sturdy seasons. In 194 video games for the Padres (71 of which have been begins), Harris turned in a 2.95 ERA with a 1.18 WHIP in 673.1 innings. He was by no means an all-star, however curiously got here very near reaching double digits in each saves (15) and full video games (9) throughout his Friars profession. 

The Padres chosen right-handed beginning pitcher Joey Hamilton eighth total within the 1991 draft popping out of Georgia Southern College and had visions of him main their workers for years to come back. That notion in the end proved to be a little bit overly formidable, however he was nonetheless a productive member of this group’s rotation for 5 years. In 146 outings, Hamilton labored to a 3.83 ERA in 934.2 innings, whereas hurling seven full video games — together with 4 shutouts. He gave San Diego three seasons of 200 or extra innings earlier than being traded to the Blue Jays in the course of the 1998 winter conferences.

Southpaw Bruce Hurst spent the primary 9 years of his profession in Boston earlier than becoming a member of the Padres as a free agent forward of the 1989 season, and truly loved a number of the greatest seasons of his profession pitching on the west coast. In 131 begins for the Padres, Hurst received 55 video games with a 3.27 ERA, whereas contributing 29 full video games and firing 10 shutouts. His 1.18 WHIP was 22 factors higher than his mark with the Purple Sox, and whereas he by no means made an All-Star recreation with the Padres, he did present the membership a strong middle-of-the-rotation veteran arm. 

Benito Santiago caught for 9 totally different groups throughout his 20-year Main League profession, however the Puerto Rico native’s first seven seasons got here in San Diego, the place he undoubtedly performed his greatest baseball. Throughout his time with the Padres, Santiago slashed .264/.298/.406 with 85 homers, 375 RBI, 124 doubles and 15 triples. He was the 1987 NL Rookie of the Yr, represented San Diego in 4 All-Star video games, received three straight Gold Glove awards between ’88-’90, and took residence 4 Silver Sluggers.