Padres’ AJ Preller Got Flooded With Positive Reports on Surprise Trade Deadline Addition

Every year before the trade deadline, major league scouts gather reports on rival players who might make a good addition to their team's roster. The Padres were in the market for a catcher this July, and their due diligence led them to a somewhat surprising addition: Kansas City Royals backup Freddy Fermin.

Fermin, who turned 30 in May, had never been the Royals' primary catcher in parts of four major league seasons. He was buried behind franchise icon Salvador Perez on the depth chart.

But the reports the Padres gathered on Fermin were ostensibly strong enough that general manager AJ Preller felt confident trading two starting pitchers — Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek — for one backup catcher.

The reports Preller received after acquiring Fermin were even stronger.

"We’ve never traded for a player that we’ve gotten more positive reports after the trade than Freddy Fermin," Preller told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "People were coming out of the woodwork talking about when they played with him, coached him, managed him.”

Fermin, 30, is certainly seizing his opportunity.

A career .268/.314/.383 hitter prior to the trade, Fermin is hitting .370 (10 for 27) with a double, a home run, and five RBIs in his first eight games with San Diego. His two-run homer in the seventh inning Monday against San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb broke open the game, lifting the Padres to a victory over their National League West rivals.

Of all the trades the Padres made on an eventful July 31, few tagged their deal for Fermin as the most impactful.

Preller shocked the baseball industry by acquiring A's closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher JP Sears in exchange for a prospect package headlined by Leo De Vries, ranked as the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline.

Preller also acquired Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano from the Baltimore Orioles, and pitcher Nestor Cortes from the Milwaukee Brewers, in separate deals.

Catcher was arguably the Padres' most glaring need going into the July 31 deadline. The tandem of now-backup Elias Diaz and Martin Maldonado had combined for -1.7 Wins Above Replacement at the position according to Baseball Reference, 30th among the 30 major league teams.

Perhaps it's no surprise that Fermin has single-handedly lifted the Padres to 28th in the category since the trade. Even if he does not keep up his torrid hitting through the end of the season, Fermin is giving the Padres exactly what they hoped for — and more.

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