Stocking Stuffers: Five Under-the-Radar Players San Diego Padres Should Wish For

[Andy Johnson]

Every kid is familiar with the feeling of waking up on Christmas morning and seeing their presents wrapped neatly under the tree, complete with ribbons and bows. The big, exciting presents tend to be wrapped in boxes under the tree. But what about the stockings? Those are usually filled with "stocking-stuffers"; smaller, more practical gifts that are not necessarily exciting, but sometimes tend to be more useful.

As a kid, my stockings were usually stocked with fruit, soap, flossers, a CD, and plenty of other random goodies that I actually got quite a bit of use from. They weren't the flashiest presents, but they mattered, and they had a real impact on my life. 

You're probably thinking, what does this have to do with baseball? 

The truth is, every offseason, while there are a handful of flashy, big-name acquisitions, the majority of the moves every winter are depth pieces. Minor leaguers, prospects, seasoned veterans, relievers, utility men, bench-pieces, and fifth starters tend to be the guys moving around the most. And while those players aren't as exciting, the right ones can have just as much impact on the season. 

Here are five "stocking-stuffer' type depth players that could reshape the San Diego Padres' roster in a good way in 2026.

Five Under-appreciated Players Padres Should Sign This Offseason

1. Gary Sanchez, C

Backup catchers are the ultimate stocking-stuffers. Nobody gets too excited about them, but they are much more important than anyone realizes. 

Obviously, every backup catcher is one injury away from becoming the starting catcher, and catchers tend to get hurt often, due to the wear and tear the position can have on their bodies. The backup catcher is also responsible for starting at least one game every week to lighten the load on the starter.

Thus, the backup catcher tends to be much more essential than we realize. And Gary Sanchez would be the perfect man to back up Freddy Fermin in San Diego. Sanchez was a league-average bat last year in Baltimore, with a 100 OPS+ and five home runs in 29 games. Before that, he had a solid 2024 with the Brewers, hitting 11 home runs in 89 games, finishing with 0.2 bWAR and a 94 OPS+. That's not the reason the Padres should sign him, though. 

Sanchez was brilliant in 2023 as part of the Friars. He was worth 2.3 bWAR in just 72 games, crushing 19 home runs and finishing with a 113 OPS+. He might never hit 19 home runs in a season again, but his offensive prowess would still be a huge upgrade to the bench. He'll be 33 next year, but it feels like the veteran should still be worth one more good season as a backup backstop. 

2. Ty France, 1B

The Padres still don't have a clear first baseman next year. It could be Sung-Mun Song or Jake Cronenworth, or possibly Jose Miranda. You could throw Gavin Sheets into the mix as well. Cronenworth is currently listed as the starter on the depth chart, but he's also listed as the starting second baseman. 

What about taking a flyer on a former All-Star in Seattle, Ty France? He was once a part of the Padres system, until he was traded to Seattle in 2020 as part of the Austin Nola trade. France peaked in 2022, when he was named to the AL All-Star team, and helped lead Seattle to their first playoff appearance in 21 years. 

Since then, he's been a mostly average player. Between 2023-2025, he's played for four teams (Seattle, Cincinnati, Minnesota, and Toronto), with 1.3 bWAR in 436 games. He has owned a 94 OPS+ since the beginning of 2023, with 32 home runs and 81 doubles. 

France is no longer a guy who will start 150 games at first base in a season, but he could be a valuable depth add on the bench in San Diego. He could play second or third base in a pinch (he was a third baseman in the Padres' system), and the Blue Jays thought he was valuable enough to keep him on their playoff roster (he was 1-for-4 with an RBI in the World Series). He won't change the complexion of the team, but he could augment what's already in place.

3. Dylan Moore, UTL

Another former Mariner, Dylan Moore was the AL's Gold Glove utility man in 2024. Throughout his career, he has been one of the top utility players in the league, and while he's no Tommy Edman, he's the type of guy most teams could use on the bench. 

Moore was worth 2.2 bWAR in 2024, posting a 103 OPS+. He is capable of playing every position besides catcher, with appearances at all four infield positions and all three outfield positions. He also has tremendous speed, with 32 stolen bases in 2024 and 118 steals in his career. 

The righty is more of a platoon bat, having had most of his success against left-handed pitching, but that's something the Padres could work with. He could platoon with a guy like Gavin Sheets or Jake Cronenworth, playing second base or left field against left-handed pitchers, and coming off the bench as a pinch-runner in crucial late-game situations.

His versatility also makes him the perfect guy to have in case injuries occur. He'd be a better option than Will Wagner or Mason McCoy as a utility infielder, and if someone like Manny Machado or Cronenworth were to get hurt, Moore would fit perfectly as a platoon partner for the left-handed Sung-mun Song. 

4. Tyler Anderson, SP

Anderson has been one of the most up-and-down players in the league over the past few seasons. He was an All-Star for the Dodgers in 2022 and again for the Angels in 2024, but was bad in 2023 and average in 2025. 

Still, for a team that is currently slated to have JP Sears as its fifth starter and Kyle Hart as their best depth piece, Anderson would not be a bad player to sign. He has accumulated 9.1 bWAR since 2022, with a 4.54 FIP and a 3.98 ERA (106 ERA+). Those are solid marks, and he's also proven to be durable, starting at least 26 games every season since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. 

He'll be 36 next year, but we've seen veterans his age put together solid seasons as back-end starters. If Anderson bounces back and continues his trend of making the All-Star team every other year, he could quickly become one of the most underrated signings of the year. Even if he doesn't return to All-Star form, though, he'd be a worthwhile flier as a No. 5 starter. Plus, he should come cheap.

5. Andrew Chafin, RP

The Padres already have one of the best bullpens in the league, but why not add another solid reliever to the mix? The team did lose Robert Suarez, so it would make sense to add at least one more veteran to the 'pen. 

What about Andrew Chafin, the longtime Diamondback who has bounced around the league over the past few seasons? He posted a 2.41 ERA and 3.46 FIP last year, appearing in 42 games between Washington and Los Angeles. In 2024, pitching for the Tigers and Rangers, he finished with a 3.51 ERA and 3.54 FIP in 62 appearances. And in 2022, he was elite for the Tigers, appearing in 64 games and finishing with a 2.83 ERA and 3.06 FIP. 

He'll be 36 next year, and would be a cheap veteran to insert into the San Diego bullpen behind Mason Miller, Jason Adam, and Adrian Morejon. Chafin could definitely be a leverage reliever if necessary, but would also be a steady presence in the middle of the relief corps, alongside guys like Wandy Peralta and David Morgan. His addition is more about want than necessity, but sometimes, such is the spirit of the holidays.

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