{"id":115956,"date":"2026-03-20T02:33:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T06:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=115956"},"modified":"2026-03-20T02:37:25","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T06:37:25","slug":"look-back-grading-padres-2025-trade-deadline-moves-will-define-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/03\/20\/look-back-grading-padres-2025-trade-deadline-moves-will-define-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"A Look Back at the Padres’ 2025 Deadline: Grading the Moves That Will Define 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2025, the San Diego Padres had one of the most frenzied trade deadlines<\/a> in recent memory. General Manager A.J. Preller traded away 14 players and brought eight onto the club. In total, five trades were made with different teams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of these trades saw San Diego\u2019s top prospect (and MLB\u2019s No. 3 at the time), Leo De Vries<\/a>, leave the club in order to get one of the most dominant relief weapons in all of baseball. Looking back on these trades a little under a year later, let\u2019s grade each of them on how they\u2019ve fared thus far.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Looking Back at the Padres’ 2025 Trade Deadline Moves<\/h2>\n

A Surprising Addition to the Farm<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Friars traded away bench outfielder Brandon Lockridge<\/a> for Nestor Cortes<\/a>\u00a0and shortstop prospect Jorge Quintana<\/a>. Cortes was decent in his time with San Diego, putting up a 5.47 ERA in six starts for the club.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quintana is the interesting get. The young prospect has plenty of upside and has a serviceable arm at short. His bat is not as good thus far in the minors, but his underlying metrics show something could begin to come out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For not paying a lot, the Padres added to their rotation depth for the \u201825 playoff run and helped bolster their somewhat-depleted farm.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grade: A<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some Help Behind the Plate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The catching situation in San Diego prior to the deadline was abysmal, to say the least. The tandem of Elias D\u00edaz<\/a> and Mart\u00edn Maldonado<\/a> was one of the worst in baseball.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To rectify that, Preller traded young starters Stephen Kolek<\/a> and Ryan Bergert<\/a> to the Kansas City Royals for backup catcher Freddy Fermin<\/a>. And what an addition he was.<\/span><\/p>\n

His defense and offense were well above-average for a catcher, and being under club control until 2030 certainly helps. He raked in the postseason for the club, hitting .364 in the series against the Chicago Cubs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The only problem was the payment. Kolek and Bergert are blossoming young pitchers with lots of potential. Dealing both hurlers for a catcher is difficult to justify, but with him being the anchor of the catching group for the next three years, it seems worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grade: B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

Two Birds (Orioles) With One Stone<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the largest deal of the San Diego deadline, the Baltimore Orioles sent<\/a> All-Star Ryan O\u2019Hearn<\/a> and Ram\u00f3n Laureano<\/a> to the Friars for six prospects (three in the Padres\u2019 top 20).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The deal immediately bolstered a lineup that had been seriously lacking in production. It gave the Padres a clear option in left field after having the worst production in MLB at the position, and a clear DH\/1B platoon option.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n