San Diego Native Hoping To Fill Padres' Outfield Vacancy
Cal Mitchell in a San Diego Padres uniform makes sense, and he's hoping to make an impact large enough this spring to keep him there.
On Friday, Mitchell had one of three hits for San Diego in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He drove in the Padres' only run.
Mitchell attended Rancho Bernardo High School and was committed to San Diego before the Pittsburgh Pirates drafted him in the second round, 50th overall, in the 2017 draft, and he signed with them.
The 24-year-old made his major league debut with the Pirates in 2022, and after hitting just .222 in 71 games and 216 at-bats over two seasons, Mitchell was designated for assignment.
His hometown team swooped in and signed him to a minor league deal in November 2023.
"It's kind of like being the new kid in school. It's really special. You know, of course, those are the only games that I went to as a kid are the only games I could get to so I was a Padre fan through and through. It's exactly that it's special."
Mitchell's likelihood of making the 26-man roster inched closer to reality when the Padres Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to the New York Yankees. This left the team desperate for outfielders and left-handed bats.
Guess who happens to be a left-handed hitting outfielder?
"I only thought of it as something that would be cool. Like man, that would be amazing. To be a Padre. Then I don't know when it was time to get drafted you're just hoping somebody calls your name. But now years later it's still just as cool as when I was thinking about it when I was 10."
Mithell has played in the first two spring training games for the Padres and has some stiff competition, but maybe being home will work to his advantage.
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