{"id":580228,"date":"2026-02-19T01:21:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T01:21:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/580228\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T01:21:21","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T01:21:21","slug":"is-this-the-year-luis-campusano-sticks-with-the-padres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/580228\/","title":{"rendered":"Is this the year Luis Campusano sticks with the Padres?"},"content":{"rendered":"

PEORIA, Ariz. \u2014 It\u2019s either comical or tragic how long Luis Campusano has been in the Padres\u2019 organization and how long ago he debuted in the major leagues and how much he has been jerked around and how much some in the organization have fought for him and how many in the organization have at one time or another given up on him.<\/p>\n

And \u2026<\/p>\n

Here we are. Again.<\/p>\n

This is the year. Again.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo pressure,\u201d Luis Campusano said with a grin.<\/p>\n

Maybe this is different.<\/p>\n

For one thing, such a quip by Campusano is something different, something he would not have said out loud in years past.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to change, you\u2019ve got to change,\u201d the 27-year-old Campusano said. \u201cIt took time. But everyone has their own path. People who know me, I\u2019m glad they can see that a little bit more now, and I\u2019m glad I can share a little bit more of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

It has seemed that each of the past three years, at least, Campusano has made a concerted effort to not only grow as a catcher and a hitter but as a teammate.<\/p>\n

His latest step is undeniable.<\/p>\n

\u201cMore engagement, for sure,\u201d pitcher Joe Musgrove said. \u201cI think every player probably experiences it at some point. And I feel like he\u2019s kind of realizing that, like, \u2018What I\u2019m doing is not working.\u2019 His effort has always been there, but the engagement and the approach towards knowing your teammates better and being involved in the process of it, I think he\u2019s put a lot more effort in that realm. And just like, in general, his overall wellbeing and mentality seems like it\u2019s in a really good place. Like, he\u2019s happy to be here again. He seems excited to work. He\u2019s always here early, getting something done. Just a lot more engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Being communicative is paramount for a catcher. And talking a whole lot is not something that comes naturally for Campusano. Not everyone is outgoing. Some people are downright shy. Introverted does not adequately capture Campusano\u2019s kind of quiet.<\/p>\n

But when a catcher is quiet and he is young and he has trouble keeping up with what he is asked to do for a team trying to win, it can rub some people the wrong way.<\/p>\n

There were times early in his Padres career that pitchers would not throw to Campusano. The past two Padres managers got to the point they would not put him behind the plate.<\/p>\n

There is no doubt by virtually anyone in the organization that Campusano\u2019s confidence was tattered at times.<\/p>\n

Conversely, his new manager used to pitch to him and actually liked doing so.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I liked in a catcher was a really good target, a big target, and when he first came up, that\u2019s what he had \u2014 great target,\u201d said Craig Stammen, a sinkerballer in his day. \u201cAnd he was good at catching the ball at the bottom of the zone, which always helped me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stammen has made it a priority to make Campusano feel valued.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is intentional, but it\u2019s also truthful, too,\u201d Stammen said. \u201c\u2026 I like the kid as a person, and I think there\u2019s more in there to come out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whether Stammen\u2019s encouragement and Campusano\u2019s animation manifests in him better handling pitchers and consistently hitting will play out in the coming months.<\/p>\n

But the smiling, the joking, the talking \u2014 those are things the Padres see as building blocks toward Campusano being the player the team wants to believe is still in there six seasons after his big-league debut and nine years after they drafted him in the second round.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think literally, like the full organization, this whole building, is rooting for Campy,\u201d pitching coach Ruben Niebla said. \u201cWe need Campy to be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Peoria,Peoria, AZ \u2013 February 18: Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres looks on during a spring trading practice on February 18, 2026 in Peoria, AZ. (K.C. Alfred \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)
\nThe journey<\/p>\n

Fate has shaped the trajectory of his career to some extent, and Campusano has had his struggles. But the Padres have at times twisted themselves into knots finding solutions behind the plate not named Luis Campusano.<\/p>\n

Campusano, then just 21 years old, hit a home run his fourth time to the plate in his first big-league game, on Sept. 4, 2020, in Oakland. That was also his final plate appearance of the regular season. He sprained his left wrist in batting practice the next day and was placed on the injured list. He would pinch-hit once in that year\u2019s National League Division Series, his only career postseason experience.<\/p>\n

Campusano made the opening-day roster in 2021, but he was 3-for-34 with four walks and struggled receiving and calling games. He was in Triple-A for good by the end of April. An oblique injury ended his season in August.<\/p>\n

New manager Bob Melvin, himself a former catcher who relied heavily on his catcher in game management, assessed in spring training in 2022 that Campusano was not ready to handle all he asked. Campusano played four games in April (none at catcher) and went 1-for-12. He was called up near the end of August and caught 10 of the Padres\u2019 final 34 games. Five of those were starts by Musgrove, who took great care to prepare for each start with Campusano and attempt to help him grow as a catcher. Campusano was 11-for-36 in that span. He was on the roster for all three of the Padres\u2019 postseason series but did not appear in a game.<\/p>\n

Campusano began the 2023 season as Austin Nola\u2019s backup and was 5-for-21 with a double and a homer through his first seven starts before tearing a ligament in his left thumb. He returned in July, by which time Nola was in Triple-A trying to work back from injury. Essentially splitting time with Gary S\u00e1nchez, Campusano hit .331 with an .875 OPS in 42 games before suffering a right ankle sprain in late September.<\/p>\n

In Mike Shildt\u2019s first season as manager, Campusano began 2024 as the Padres\u2019 No.1 catcher. And he started hot, hitting .283 with a .765 OPS through his first 127 plate appearances. He then went 5-for-57 over his next 19 games. Kyle Higashioka started hitting home runs in June, and the two catchers split time until Campusano was placed on the injured list June 20 with a left thumb injury. He returned on July 7 and hit .211 (15-for-71) while catching 21 of the next 50 games. The Padres signed veteran Elias D\u00edaz at the end of August, and Campusano\u2019s season was over.<\/p>\n

And then it got really crazy.<\/p>\n

Campusano was called up three times in 2025 but never caught for the Padres. His first big-league stint, in early May, lasted three games, and he was the Padres\u2019 designated hitter in all three. He was 0-for-6 with four walks. He was called up again on May 24 and did not appear in a game until he was called on to pinch-hit 17 days later. Four days after that, he went 0-for-4 as the DH before being sent down the next day. He served as DH on July 13, the day of his final call-up, before being sent down July 15.<\/p>\n

In all, he went 0-for-21 with six walks and 11 strikeouts. For his career, he is a .240\/.292\/.372 hitter who doubles or homers every 14.4 at-bats.<\/p>\n

Asked last week to reflect on 2025 and where all the years before have brought him, Campusano basically put forth his belief that a man is the sum of his experiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve thought about it, and I wouldn\u2019t want to be anywhere else, honestly,\u201d he said. \u201cIt could be worse. I am just grateful for opportunities. You get beat up a lot, you kind of learn how to just deal with it. It could be a lot worse. The experiences learning that, I think it has helped. I have to be thankful for that.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guess everyone wants the goal of, like, starting their (MLB) careers young and having the (service) time. But it\u2019s not about that either. You\u2019ve got to go through things to help you be better prepared for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\"LuisLuis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres kisses his bat before batting practice at the Peoria Sports Complex on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz. (Meg McLaughlin \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)
\nThe contrast<\/p>\n

The 0-fer Campusano put up in the major leagues last season can be dismissed on its own as being the way baseball goes sometimes.<\/p>\n

But the way he looked in those at-bats \u2014 nine of the 10 balls he put in play were grounders to the left side \u2014 was in glaring contrast to his time in Triple-A.<\/p>\n

No batter in Triple-A had a higher OPS (1.036), batting average (.336) or on-base percentage (.441) than Campusano did last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe played with his mechanics a lot in years past, and then last year, he finally decided, \u2018I\u2019m just gonna get back to who I was at the beginning of my career.\u2019\u201d said Raul Padron, who was the hitting coach at Triple-A El Paso the past three seasons before joining the big-league staff as a hitting instructor this year.<\/p>\n

Padron said Campusano struggled to adjust to the way he was pitched and the MLB strike zone last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had a plan,\u201d Padron said. \u201cHe was trying to do something \u2026 and then at the end of the at-bat, he was like, \u2018You know what? You\u2019ve got to pull that trigger, because it\u2019s different here.\u2019 A big part of it was that. And sitting down for a couple of weeks, it was different. It will get you as a hitter.\u201d<\/p>\n

It must be pointed out, too, that Campusano\u2019s Triple-A numbers were helped by playing in the arid and often elevated Pacific Coast League. But reports all year were that Campusano\u2019s approach and attitude in Triple-A were superb.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe fell in love with the game again,\u201d El Paso manager Pete Zamora said. \u201c\u2026 There was always a big, gigantic heart there. And sometimes, as we get older in life, trying to figure all that kind of stuff out \u2026 his journey brought his heart back. I saw the heart coming back, and I saw the smiles coming back, and it has kind of loosened him up. I mean, what a joy last year. He wasn\u2019t like the team leader, rah-rah guy, but guys rallied around him, and they watched his work ethic.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think, over the years, misunderstood would probably be the term for him. I\u2019ve always loved him because I understood the heart of this kid. \u2026 But I see the joy again and the love for teammates and the opening up to teammates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Triple-A is widely viewed as the worst level of professional baseball. No one wants to be there. It is so close to the majors, and it is full of guys who have been there and just want to get back.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo go to Triple-A and do what he did there, that\u2019s not easy when you think you\u2019re a big-league player,\u201d Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said.<\/p>\n

By all accounts, there was not a trace of resentment from Campusano.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe caught all the bullpens,\u201d Zamora said. \u201cHe did all the work. He was there early with Raul. They hit forever. You ask him a question, we have catching meetings, it was the\u00a0 most open I\u2019ve ever seen Campy. He was opening up, offering the insight he has from playing the big leagues.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FreddyFreddy Fermin #54 and Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres look on during spring training workouts at the Peoria Sports Complex on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 in Peoria, Ariz.(Meg McLaughlin \/ The San Diego Union-Tribune)
\nThe belief<\/p>\n

Now, Campusano is back. He has been all but handed the job backing up Freddie Fermin.<\/p>\n

This time, the Padres are not just counting on Campusano\u2019s growth carrying forward. They are fostering that growth and have made a concerted effort to build his confidence by surrounding him with people he is familiar with and who have supported him.<\/p>\n

Chief among them is the new manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt definitely means a lot,\u201d Campusano said of having Stammen as his manager. \u201cWe played together, and Craig knows me in and out. He\u2019s taught me a lot, especially calling games and just learning how to learn, how to manage pitchers and understand what they like. It\u2019s good, because he\u2019s someone who understands.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides Stammen and Padron, new catchers coach Kevin Plawecki played with Campusano in El Paso in 2023 and \u201824 and was the Padres\u2019 roving catching instructor last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust having the relationship with him, the trust is there, and we\u2019re able to have open and honest dialogue,\u201d Plawecki said. \u201cWith anybody, that\u2019s important. But with him, it\u2019s going to be a big year for him. \u2026 I\u2019ve seen tremendous growth, tremendous self-awareness. I see a different drive in him. He has gotten older, had experiences. Last year, he had a great year in Triple-A. You know, mentally, this game is brutal. \u2026 I think he\u2019s just in a really good headspace. And whatever this year brings, I think he\u2019s got the ability to handle it maybe a little bit better than in the past. It shows in his personality. I think he\u2019s able to be himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Campusano said it helps to be supported.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust having folks around that trust you and that are just gonna have your back takes some pressure off,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was that way in Triple-A. I\u2019m not saying the standards are any different anywhere else, but you still want to be able to feel confident, comfortable doing what you\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Padron talked about Campusano last week after watching him barrel multiple balls in live batting practice. Padron acknowledged it is the beginning of spring, and the major leagues are different than Triple-A. But what he sees and says about Campusano aligns with what everyone else is seeing and saying.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is insane, to be honest with you, what I saw in Triple-A last year,\u201d Padron said. \u201c\u2026 He was believing. He was the guy. Right now I see that guy. \u2026 I think we\u2019re gonna see that from him this time, because this guy is in a different spot. He\u2019s mentally more prepared to do his thing. He knows what he needs to do to become that guy. He needs to be social with the pitchers. He needs to create relationships. He needs to do one thing as a hitter that is going to be working for him. Trust what he has, because he\u2019s pretty good at it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PEORIA, Ariz. \u2014 It\u2019s either comical or tragic how long Luis Campusano has been in the Padres\u2019 organization…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":580229,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2407],"tags":[5,853,4,43,137,18,4339,4338,185,3546],"class_list":{"0":"post-580228","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-diego-padres","8":"tag-baseball","9":"tag-latest-headlines","10":"tag-mlb","11":"tag-padres","12":"tag-san-diego","13":"tag-san-diego-padres","14":"tag-sandiego","15":"tag-sandiegopadres","16":"tag-sports","17":"tag-top-stories-sdut"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@mlb\/116094677642672947","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580228","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=580228"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/580228\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/580229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=580228"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=580228"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=580228"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}