The San Diego Padres are looking to revamp their corner infield depth, as Manny Machado is a fixture at third base, but the first base position is wide open. Last year’s starter, Luis Arraez, remains a free
agent, and Ryan O’Hearn signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
They added Jose Miranda on a minor league contract with the hope of getting his career back on track after suffering through some non-productive seasons. Miranda was once considered a top prospect in the Minnesota Twins organization. But injuries limited his production and ended his stay in the Twin Cities.
Miranda trying to reclaim a promising career
The Twins drafted Miranda in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He looked like a promising major leaguer after his first season. As a 24-year-old rookie, he hit .268/.325/.426 with 15 HR and 66 RBI in 444 at-bats. The corner infielder recorded 119 hits, including 40 extra-base hits. Career expectations were sky-high for him, as the Twins front office expected Miranda to become a cornerstone piece of the franchise for years to come.
He injured his right shoulder in Spring Training before the 2023 season. Upon his return to the lineup, Miranda lacked timing to make consistent contact, which contributed to his struggles. He finished the disappointing season with a .211 batting average with only seven extra-base hits in 142 at-bats.
Miranda rebounded in 2024 by hitting .284 in 401 at-bats. The highlight of his season was setting a major league record for having a hit in 12 consecutive plate appearances. Everything seemed to click in the batter’s box except for his power production. Miranda posted a better slugging percentage (.441) and on-base percentage (.322) than the year before.
2025: Another injury-filled season
A bizarre hand injury at home in the first month of last season limited him to 12 games in the majors before being demoted to the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate in St. Paul. Miranda batted .167, but recorded 13 strikeouts in 36 at-bats. Observers felt his bat was slow going through the strike zone.
Quickly, pitchers recognized that Miranda was having a hard time protecting the outside and expanded the strike zone with off-speed pitches. The hope was that spending time in the minors would regain his batting skills. But Miranda continued to struggle, as he batted .190 in 90 minor league games.
It was time for a change.
Miranda has taken his talents out west and joined the Padres.
He received an invitation to big league camp and will compete for an organizational backup role at both corner infield positions. It is an opportunity to showcase his skills in Cactus League games.
If Miranda impresses and shows signs of regaining his stroke, he could find himself on the major league roster.
A lot can take place before Opening Day on March 26.
