Padres announce roster moves

SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Padres today announced they have selected the contracts of right-handed pitcher Nick Vincent, left-handed pitchers Jose De Paula, Pedro Hernandez and Juan Oramas, infielder Edinson Rincon and outfielder Rymer Liriano.  In addition, right-handed pitcher Andrew Carpenter has been claimed off outright waivers by the Toronto Blue Jays and right-handed pitcher Jeremy Hefner has been claimed off outright waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements.

Vincent, 25, spent the entire 2011 season with Double-A San Antonio, going 8-2 with three saves, a 2.27 ERA (20 ER/79.1 IP), a .196 opponents batting average and 89 strikeouts against 20 walks over 66 relief appearances.  The right-hander was selected as a Texas League mid-season All-Star this past year.  A native of Poway, Calif. and graduate of Ramona High School (CA), he was originally selected by San Diego in the 18^th round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.  Over four minor league seasons in the Padres organization, he has gone 19-8 with seven saves, a 2.89 ERA (88 ER/273.2 IP) and 281 strikeouts against 82 walks in 190 games, 10 starts.

De Paula, 21, spent the entire 2011 season with Single-A Lake Elsinore, going 10-5 with a 5.22 ERA (65 ER/112.0 IP) and 87 strikeouts against 37 walks over 26 games, 23 starts.  During the Storm’s postseason run en route to the California League Championship, he made two starts and worked 13.0 scoreless innings, earning the win in both of his starts including Game Two of the Championship Round against the Stockton Ports (Oakland Athletics).  Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in November of 2006, the Dominican Republic native has gone 25-18 with a 3.07 ERA (138 ER/326.1 IP) and 300 strikeouts against 89 walks in 75 games, 65 starts, over five minor league seasons in the Padres organization. 

Hernandez, 22, split the 2011 season between Single-A Lake Elsinore, Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A Tucson.  The southpaw went 10-3 overall on the year, posting a 3.49 ERA (45 ER/116.0 IP) and 94 strikeouts against 22 walks over 28 games total, 18 starts.  He began last season with Lake Elsinore and was named a California League mid-season All-Star after going 5-0 with a 2.70 ERA (17 ER/56.2 IP) and 44 strikeouts against six walks over 15 games, six starts, for the Storm.  Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in November of 2006, the Venezuela native has gone 25-11 with a 3.55 ERA (135 ER/342.2 IP) and 306 strikeouts against 57 walks in 93 games, 48 starts, over five minor league seasons in the Padres organization.

Oramas, 21, spent the majority of 2011 with Double-A San Antonio, going 10-5 with a 3.10 ERA (36 ER/104.2 IP), a .249 opponents batting average and 102 strikeouts against 28 walks over 19 games, 18 starts, for the Missions.  The southpaw also made one start for Triple-A Tucson this past season. Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in November of 2006, the Mexico native has gone 22-15 with a 2.89 ERA (101 ER/314.2 IP) and 354 strikeouts against 102 walks in 84 games, 50 starts, over five minor league seasons in the Padres organization.

Rincon, 21, spent the majority of last season with Single-A Lake Elsinore, hitting .329 (98-for-298) with 24 doubles, one triple, eight home runs, 50 RBI, 54 runs scored, a .394 on-base percentage and .497 slugging percentage in 74 games for the Storm.  The infielder missed time last season with a sprained left wrist, playing in three rehabilitation games with Rookie-Level Peoria before returning to Lake Elsinore in September.  In the California League postseason for the Storm, he hit .324 (12-for-37) with three doubles and five RBI in 11 games played.  Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in May of 2007, the Dominican Republic native has hit .283 (373-for-1318) with 86 doubles, six triples, 30 home runs, 201 RBI, 201 runs scored and 161 walks against 270 strikeouts over five minor league seasons in the Padres organization. 

            Liriano, 20, spent the majority of 2011 with Single-A Fort Wayne and was named the Most Valuable Player and Prospect of the Year by the Midwest League after hitting .319 (145-for-455) with 30 doubles, eight triples, 12 home runs, 62 RBI, 81 runs scored, 65 stolen bases, a .383 on-base percentage and a .499 slugging percentage in 116 games for the TinCaps.  The outfielder was also honored after the season as the Topps Player of the Year for the Midwest League and as a Low Class A All-Star by Baseball America.  Liriano began last season with Single-A Lake Elsinore, playing in 15 games for the Storm. Originally signed as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2007, the Dominican Republic native has hit .267 (369-for-1380) with 78 doubles, 18 triples, 32 home runs, 187 RBI, 226 runs scored, 120 stolen bases and 128 walks against 385 strikeouts in 365 games played over four minor league seasons in the Padres organization.

Carpenter, 26, was claimed by the Padres off outright waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies on September 2 this past season.  He worked six relief appearances for San Diego, posting an 8.44 ERA (5 ER/5.1 IP).  Originally selected by Philadelphia in the second round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, he has gone 1-1 with an 8.51 ERA (23 ER/24.1 IP) and 24 strikeouts against 12 walks in 17 games, one start, over parts of four Major League seasons with the Phillies (2008-11) and Padres (2011).

Hefner, 25, spent the entire 2011 season with Triple-A Tucson, going 9-7 with a 4.98 ERA (87 ER/157.1 IP) and 120 strikeouts against 61 walks over 28 starts.  The right-hander ranked tied for sixth among Pacific Coast League pitchers last season with 120 strikeouts.  Originally selected by San Diego in the 10^th round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft, he has gone 46-34 with a 3.84 ERA (294 ER/688.2 IP) and 606 strikeouts against 215 walks in 131 games, 120 starts, over five minor league seasons in the Padres organization.

With today’s transactions the Padres currently have a full 40-man roster, including eight players developed through the Padres Latin American scouting program.