The Padres will have a new starting catcher in 2025.
He has reportedly signed a two-year deal with the Texas Rangers, putting an end to the possibility of a reunion with the career backup who rose to the top of the Padres’ depth chart during their run to the NLDS.
With the Padres facing financial constraints—2025 payroll details remain unclear, but multiple players are due raises following last year’s budget cuts—a reunion with Him was always unlikely.
According to the Dallas Morning News, His deal includes a $5.75 million salary for 2025, $6.76 million in 2026, and a $7 million mutual option for 2027. The 34-year-old catcher, who earned $2.18 million in his final arbitration year, posted a career-high 17 home runs in 2024 and added three more in the postseason. Initially a backup to Luis Campusano, Higashioka—acquired as a minor piece in the Juan Soto trade—emerged as the Padres’ starting catcher by season’s end.
With Higashioka gone, the Padres face questions at the position. Unless they make a significant acquisition, the team will need to decide if Campusano can handle the starting role until top prospect Ethan Salas, just 18 years old, is ready for the majors.
Campusano, 26, hit .227/.281/.361 with eight home runs in 91 games in 2024. After starting the season as the primary catcher, he missed three weeks with a thumb injury and eventually lost his spot to Higashioka during a power surge in June. Defensive struggles further hurt Campusano’s case, leading to his demotion to Triple-A El Paso late in the year.
Once considered the Padres’ future at catcher, Campusano has faced a bumpy road since being drafted in the second round in 2017. He was the first catcher selected in his class and shared MVP honors in the California League in 2019. However, the canceled 2020 minor league season disrupted his development, and he has since shuffled between the majors and Triple-A without cementing his role.
Campusano showed promise late in 2023 with a strong finish in the majors (.875 OPS, six home runs in 42 games), earning him the starting job for Opening Day in 2024. However, his struggles have reopened questions about his future.
As the Padres head into next week’s Winter Meetings, Campusano and Brett Sullivan are the only catchers on their 40-man roster. Currently playing for Licey in the Dominican Winter League, Campusano is hitting .233/.244/.372 with one home run and two RBIs in 10 games, preparing for another chance to claim the starting role.
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