Taking a first crack at Padres' potential Opening Day roster

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Padres enter camp with a roster that feels largely settled -- though it should still feature its share of spring position battles.

The addition of Miguel Andujar largely completes the offense. San Diego could still use another starter -- and potentially another option behind the plate.

But based on the current options, here’s an educated guess at the Padres’ Opening Day roster:

Catchers (2): Freddy Fermin, Luis Campusano
At long last, Fermin will get the opportunity to take over as the primary catcher after years of serving in a backup capacity in Kansas City. The Padres were impressed with Fermin’s ability to handle a new pitching staff on the fly last season, and they’re even more bullish on the idea of Fermin with an entire spring to work with this staff.

Still, Fermin isn’t the kind of catcher you ask for 130 starts. He’s more a 1A type. So who’s 1B? Hard to say right now. Campusano, who is out of options, has a great chance of cracking the roster. But he might be better suited as a bat-first pinch-hitter/DH. Which is to say, he’d fit just fine as a No. 3 catcher, with a better defender backing up Fermin.

As things stand, Blake Hunt -- also a bat-first backstop -- is among those competing for that No. 2 catcher spot. If the Padres were to add a defense-first option to the mix, it’s very possible they’d open the season with three catchers on the roster.

Infielders (7): Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, Jake Cronenworth, Gavin Sheets, Sung-Mun Song, Miguel Andujar, Will Wagner
New manager Craig Stammen recently offered some clarity on the infield alignment when he noted that Sheets would be “penciled in” as the team’s primary first baseman. That just about sets the starting infield -- Machado, Bogaerts, Cronenworth, Sheets from left to right.

Song -- who has experience at third, second and first -- is expected to play all over the diamond and even some outfield. That could allow the Padres to rotate their DH throughout the season. But when the DH spot is open, it’ll be Andujar against lefties, while Song and Andujar battle for at-bats against righties.

Beyond that, there’s one spot open for a position player on the roster. Wagner, Mason McCoy and Tirso Ornelas are the 40-man roster players contending for that spot, but don’t be surprised if a non-roster invitee (like Sheets last year) works his way into the mix.

Outfielders (4): Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, Ramón Laureano, Bryce Johnson
Tatis, Merrill and Laureano comprise the obvious starting outfield, with Johnson capable of backing up at all three spots. He’s the only true backup center fielder, so his place on the roster seems somewhat secure, though Laureano can slide to center in a pinch.

After making an emotional debut last season, Ornelas will get a chance to crack the roster this spring. But he’ll need to do it with his bat. The Padres aren’t lacking outfield depth, with Sheets and potentially Song capable of playing the corners.

Starters (5): Nick Pivetta, Michael King, Joe Musgrove, Randy Vásquez, JP Sears
There’s one spot available at the back of the rotation -- but that’s only if everything goes smoothly health-wise. And there are major question marks on that front. Musgrove is returning from Tommy John surgery, and his workload and progression remain unclear. King, meanwhile, made only 15 starts last season. Both say they’re healthy entering camp. But another depth addition couldn’t hurt.

In any case, Pivetta is presumably lined up to start Opening Day, and Vásquez seems to have earned himself a place at the back end of the rotation. Which leaves Sears, Matt Waldron, Triston McKenzie and Marco Gonzales among those competing for the last available spot.

Relievers (8): Mason Miller, Adrian Morejon, Jeremiah Estrada, David Morgan, Wandy Peralta, Bradgley Rodriguez, Yuki Matsui, Kyle Hart
The early part of the offseason brought plenty of speculation that Miller, Morejon and/or Morgan could transition into a starting role this year. The Padres had shut down that idea by the Winter Meetings. All three, they said, were simply too valuable in relief.

With their return, the Padres boast perhaps the best bullpen in baseball. Jason Adam (left quadriceps tendon repair surgery) is a tossup for Opening Day. (We’ll err on the side of caution for this projection and say he’s back by mid-April or thereabouts.)

Depending on Adam’s status there will be either one or two places available in the Padres’ bullpen this spring. Rodriguez, Hart, Bryan Hoeing, Alek Jacob and Ron Marinaccio will be among those competing for those places.