Padres sign outfielder Will Venable to a two-year contract extension through 2015 season

The San Diego Padres today announced that they have signed outfielder Will Venable to a two-year contract extension through the 2015 season.   Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcement.

Venable, 30, is currently hitting .273 (109-for-400) with a career-high 20 home runs in 129 games. He has added 18 doubles, seven triples, 49 RBI, 55 runs scored and 15 stolen bases while playing both right and center field this season. His .510 slugging pct. as an outfielder currently leads the National League (min. 120 games in the outfield) and is second to the Angels' Mike Trout (.588) in baseball. He is currently one of five players in baseball with at least 20 home runs and 15 stolen bases, joining the Angels' Mike Trout, the Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez, the Nationals' Ian Desmond and the Yankees' Alfonso Soriano.

The Padres seventh-round selection in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, Venable is a career .257 hitter with 87 doubles, 33 triples, 65 home runs, 237 RBI, 280 runs and 101 stolen bases in 652 games since his debut in 2008.