Padres set offseason 40-man roster

SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Padres announced today they have signed right-handed pitcher Cesar Vargas to a Major League contract for the 2016 season and have purchased the contracts of outfielder Manuel Margot and infielder Jose Rondon. In addition the club also announced earlier today they have claimed catcher Josmil Pinto off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. With these additions, the Padres currently have 39 players on their 40-man roster. Executive Vice President/General Manager A.J. Preller made the announcements. 

Vargas, 23, spent the 2015 season between Double-A Trenton and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the New York Yankees organization, going a combined 6-0 with a 3.08 ERA (25 ER, 73.0 IP) and 76 strikeouts against 22 walks in 46 relief appearances. In his 43 outings with Double-A Trenton in 2015, he went 6-0 with a 2.79 ERA (21 ER, 67.2 IP) and 65 strikeouts against 22 walks. The Mexico native was originally signed by the Yankees as a non-drafted free agent in February 2009. Over parts of seven minor league seasons (2009-15) in the Yankees organization he has gone 26-19 with a 3.12 ERA (158 ER, 456.1 IP) and 431 strikeouts against 140 walks in 173 games, 46 starts.

Margot, 21, was recently acquired by the Padres in a five-player trade with the Boston Red Sox. The outfielder split the 2015 season between Single-A Salem and Double-A Portland, hitting a combined .276 (121-439) with 27 doubles, nine triples, six home runs, 50 RBI, 73 runs scored and 39 stolen bases in 110 games, playing primarily in center field. The outfielder also was named to the international team of the 2015 Futures Game. A native of the Dominican Republic, he was originally signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent in July 2011. Over parts of four minor league seasons (2012-15) in the Red Sox organization he has hit .282 (368-1304) with 70 doubles, 23 triples, 23 home runs, 175 RBI, 216 runs scored and 132 stolen bases in 342 games played, playing almost exclusively in center field.

Rondon, 21, split the 2015 season between Single-A Lake Elsinore and Double-A San Antonio, hitting a combined .267 (90-337) with 14 doubles, four triples, three home runs, 31 RBI, 56 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in 85 games played. The Venezuela native was originally signed by the Los Angeles Angels as an international free agent in January 2011 and was acquired by the Padres in a six-player trade with the Angels on July 18, 2014. Over parts of five minor league seasons with the Angels (2011-14) and Padres (2014-15) organizations he has hit .292 (418-1431) with 87 doubles, 16 triples, six home runs, 159 RBI, 220 runs scored and 59 stolen bases in 367 games.

Pinto, 26, hit a combined .228 (60-263) with 10 doubles, nine home runs, 35 RBI and 36 runs scored in 72 games in 2015, spending the majority of the season with Triple-A Rochester. The catcher made his Major League debut for the Twins in 2013, hitting .342 (26-76) in 21 games. Over parts of two Major League seasons (2013-14) with the Twins he has hit .257 (63-245) with 11 home runs in 78 games played. A native of Venezuela, he was originally signed by the Twins as a non-drafted free agent in February 2006. Over parts of 10 minor league seasons (2006-15) in the Twins organization he has hit .271 (698-2579) with 158 doubles, 14 triples, 78 home runs, 421 RBI and 354 runs scored in 720 games played, seeing the majority of his time behind the plate and as the designated hitter.