Ex-Mets and Yankees infielder inks deal with Padres, sparking excitement over the team’s roster upgrade.NL
Veteran utility infielder Pablo Reyes signed a minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres on Nov. 6. The deal marks his latest stop on a journeyman career that includes stops in the majors with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2018-19), Milwaukee Brewers (2021-22), Boston Red Sox (2023-24), New York Mets (2024) and New York Yankees (2025).
Reyes, 32, split a challenging 2025 campaign between the Yankees and Mets organizations, slashing .194/.242/.226 in 25 major league games in the Bronx. He brings a versatile defender into the Padres’ depth pool.
Listed at 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, Reyes appeared in big-league games in every season since his debut in 2018 — except 2020, when he served a suspension for violating MLB’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
Reyes opened the 2025 season with the Yankees and made just 34 plate appearances before being outrighted in early June. He refused the assignment, elected free agency and finished the year in the New York Mets’ organization but wasn’t promoted to the majors.
For the Padres, who could lose veteran infielders Jose Iglesias and Luis Arraez in free agency, Reyes offers a low-cost option with experience across multiple positions.
Reyes has amassed a Triple-A career OPS of .808 across 434 games, and a .648 mark in 259 major league games.
Minor-league free agent signings in November rarely yield big league regulars. Between the timing of his signing, and his career trajectory, it’s more likely Reyes sees the bulk of his time with Triple-A El Paso rather than San Diego.
To this point in his career, Reyes has embraced a journeyman’s role.
“I just try to keep my head up, working hard and just get ready for the opportunity and try to enjoy,” Reyes said last June (via SNY) after a big game with the Yankees. “When I get the opportunity, I try and enjoy it to help my teammates and try my best to win the game. That’s the only thing I can control. Working hard every day and when the opportunity came, I just try and take advantage of that and play the game the right way.”
Reyes could also potentially slot into the Padres’ (or Chihuahuas’) outfield in 2026. He’s played every position in his career but catcher.
