The Padres sent three relievers to the All-Star Game in 2025: A homegrown lefty who’ll return next year (Adrián Morejón), a set-man who could miss the start of the year as he recovers from surgery (Jason Adam) and a closer who has already departed as a free agent (Robert Suarez).
A.J. Preller likes to trade for arms to boost his bullpen, but the Padres also have history with bringing along young relievers. The 2025 season brought the debuts of David Morgan and Bradgley Rodriguez, both of whom made the NL Wild Card Series roster and headline the relief arms to keep an eye on in 2026:
1 | RHP Bradgley Rodriguez
Opening-day age: 22
How acquired: Signed as an international free agent in January 2021
Height/weight: 6-foot-1/160 pounds
Throws: Right / Right
2025 teams: San Antonio (Double-A), El Paso (Triple-A), Padres
2025 stats: 6-0, 3.19 ERA, 5 saves, 5 holds, 38 strikeouts, 16 walks, 1.09 WHIP, .183 opponent average, 36⅔ innings (33 games)
Need to know: Rodriguez signed for $370,000 out of Venezuela in 2021, but elbow issues played a role in preventing him from joining an affiliate until 2024. He rocketed through three levels that year (2.64 ERA), was in big-league camp the following spring and made his MLB debut on May 31. Rodriguez appeared in just one game before returning to the minors, where he contended with biceps and shoulder issues. He returned to the majors in September and finished with nine strikeouts over 7 ⅔ innings (1.17 ERA) to earn the final spot on the Padres’ wild-card roster, although he did not pitch against the Cubs. His fastball has been up to 101 mph and averaged just over 98 mph in the majors. He also sat 89.2 mph with his cutter and 88.2 mph with his changeup.
Padres pitching prospect Garrett Hawkins suited up for high Single-A Fort Wayne in 2023, before requiring Tommy John surgery. (Fort Wayne TinCaps)
2 | RHP Garrett Hawkins
Opening-day age: 26
How acquired: Drafted in the ninth round in 2021 (British Columbia)
Height/weight: 6-foot-5/230 pounds
Throws: Right
2025 teams: Fort Wayne (high A), San Antonio (Double-A)
2025 stats: 9-1, 1.50 ERA, 10 saves, 3 holds, 80 strikeouts, 23 walks, 0.85 WHIP, .138 opponent average, 60 innings (45 games)
Need to know: Hawkins spent his first three years in the Padres’ system as a starting pitcher, but he lost all of 2024 to Tommy John surgery. He thrived as a reliever upon returning this year, posting a 1.43 ERA in 44 innings to start the season in the Midwest League and finishing with 16 strong innings (1.69 ERA) in his first taste of the Double-A Texas League. Hawkins threw a gyro slider before his elbow reconstruction, but he’s since ditched that for a sweeping slider and a curveball that he throws off a mid-90s fastball.
3 | RHP Tucker Musgrove
Opening-day age: 24
How acquired: Drafted in the seventh round in 2023 (Mobile, Ala.)
Height/weight: 6-foot-3 / 175 pounds
Throws: Right
2025 team: Lake Elsinore (low A)
2025 stats: 2-0, 5.40 ERA, 1 hold, 26 strikeouts, 10 walks, 1.25 WHIP, .205 opponent average, 20 innings (14 games, 7 starts)
Need to know: The Padres originally drafted Musgrove as a two-way player, but those plans were scrapped when he required Tommy John surgery after the draft. He missed all of 2024, got back on the mound in the California League this year and represented the Padres in the Arizona Fall League’s all-star game. All told, Musgrove struck out eight against five walks in 5⅓ innings (5.06 ERA) in the offseason circuit. He’s still in the early stages of rebuilding a profile that includes a 97-99 mph fastball with 6 feet, 9 inches of extension, a mid-80s sweeper and a seldom-used curveball.
Francis Pena throws during Padres spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025 in Peoria, Ariz.. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
4 | RHP Francis Pena
Opening-day age: 25
How acquired: Signed as an international free agent in January 2022
Height/weight: 6-foot-1 / 170 pounds
Throws: Right
2025 team: El Paso (Triple-A)
2025 stats: 4-4, 4.99 ERA, 5 holds, 47 strikeouts, 34 walks, 1.61 WHIP, .255 opponent average, 52⅓ innings (43 games)
Need to know: Rule 5 eligible this month after the Padres did not add him to the 40-man roster, Pena is coming off a down year in the hitter-friendly PCL. His opponents’ batting average rose from .199 to .255 and his walk rate ballooned from 2.57 per nine innings to 5.85. Pena originally signed for $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He throws two fastballs that sit 94-97 mph, including a sinker with arm-side run, as well as a high-80s slider.
Padres pitching prospect Josh Mallitz at high Single-A Fort Wayne in 2025. (Fort Wayne TinCaps)
5 | RHP Josh Mallitz
Opening-day age: 24
How acquired: Signed as an undrafted free agent in July 2024
Height/weight: 6-foot-3/210 pounds
Throws: Right
2025 teams: ACL Padres (Rookie), Fort Wayne (high A), San Antonio (Double-A)
2025 stats: 3-1, 3.64 ERA, 1 save, 57 strikeouts, 13 walks, 1.09 WHIP, .224 opponent average, 54⅓ innings (30 games, 3 starts)
Need to know: He struggled to throw strikes in three years at Ole Miss (4.4 walks per nine innings), but had enough swing-and-miss stuff for the Padres to sign him for $150,000 as an undrafted free agent. Mallitz spent most of 2025 in the Midwest League, where he struck out 51 over 44 innings (4.30 ERA) and only walked 12 batters. Mallitz threw 6⅓ shutout innings to end the year in the Texas League and is currently pitching this winter in Puerto Rico (10⅔ IP, 2 ER). He features a fastball that’s been up to 97 mph, a plus cutter and a changeup he shows to lefties.
Others to know: RHP Manuel Castro (Triple-A), RHP Carter Loewen (Triple-A), LHP Harry Gustin (Double-A), LHP Ryan Och (Double-A), RHP Enmanuel Pinales (Double-A), RHP Johan Moreno (Double-A), RHP Tyler Morgan (high A), RHP Kevin Kopps (Double-A).