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
