Freddy Fermin Looks Reenergized In San Diego, But Is This Just A Hot Streak Or A Sustainable Trend?

[Bryan Jaeger]

Previously, the San Diego Padres had one of the worst catching positions in MLB before the trade deadline, ranking 30th in WAR. This made upgrading the position a priority. Freddy Fermin, a fan favorite in Kansas City for his defensive skills and decent contact, wasn't known for his bat. Nevertheless, acquiring the 30-year-old catcher cost the Padres two controllable pitchers, Steven Kolek and Ryan Bergert. Fermin, though, is under team control until after the 2029 season.

During his time with the Royals this season, Fermin slashed .255/.309/.339 with three home runs, 17 runs, and 12 knocked in, posting a 78 wRC+ and a 17.8 strikeout percentage over 208 plate appearances. Defensively, he shone, throwing out base stealers 23 percent of the time (six of 26 attempts) while backing up Salvador Perez.

Now with the Padres, Fermin has excelled both at and behind the plate, finally stepping into the role of No. 1 catcher. In just 37 plate appearances before the August 16th game, he improved dramatically, slashing .364/.400/.485, nearly doubling his wRC+ to 154, and drastically reducing his strikeout percentage to 2.7 percent. His defensive stats have also jumped, with a 43 percent caught stealing rate—nearly double his previous mark—though the sample is smaller (three of seven attempts). Overall, this season, he ranks 25th among 64 eligible MLB catchers in caught stealing percentage, according to Baseball Savant, which is supported by his 92nd percentile pop time.

In 10 games with the Padres, Fermin has already matched his 0.4 WAR total from 67 games in Kansas City. These statistics are a pleasant surprise for Padres fans, who aren't used to this level of production from the catcher position. By comparison, Elias Díaz (-0.2), the now-released Martín Maldonado (-0.8), and Luis Campusano (-0.6), who has bounced between Triple-A and the majors, haven't posted a positive WAR this season.

While fans should enjoy his current offensive production, Fermin's 108 wRC+ in 2023 suggests it may not entirely fade. Finally, having consistent playing time could help prolong his success. Defensively, even modest improvements are an upgrade from San Diego's previous catching depth. Fermin has earned fan appreciation and appears poised to remain the starting catcher for the coming seasons if the offensive production holds up. Early results suggest the Padres are winning this trade.

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