Padres Sign Former NL West Rival Infielder

Dues, 27, found himself out of affiliated baseball for the first time in three years when the San Francisco Giants released him from his minor league contract in June 2024.

The last year has seen Dues take at-bats in the Puerto Rican Winter League, the independent Atlantic League — where he was traded in March from the Lancaster (Penn.) Barnstormers to the Staten Island FerryHawks — to the independent Mexican League. It's a path that seldom leads back to affiliated baseball, but Dues made the most of his opportunity.

In 41 games with the FerryHawks, Dues slashed .331/.443/.526. He was 23-for-23 in stolen base attempts and struck out (26) less often than he walked (28).

In 27 games with the Algodoneros de Union Laguna, Dues slashed .386/.510/.542, stole five more bases, and again walked (21) more times than he struck out (14).

Sunday, Dues formalized his minor league contract and was assigned to Double-A San Antonio. A left-handed hitter, Dues signed with the San Francisco Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2021.

In parts of four seasons in the Giants' organization (2021-24), Dues reached the Double-A level. He hit .185 with one extra-base hit in 30 games for the Richmond Flying Squirrels in 2024 before being released.

Dues also got into five spring training games with the Giants in 2023, and one in 2024. He went 2 for 5 with a double and two walks in those games, and did not commit an error in 20 innings in the field.

The Giants used Dues at six positions, not including 3.1 mop-up innings on the mound. He saw most of his time at second base, after spending most of his time at Wright State University at shortstop. As a senior, he was a frequent double-play partner of current Milwaukee Brewers infielder Tyler Black.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, Dues is the son of Trent Dues, who coached him in high school.

"My father has by far had the biggest impact on my baseball career," Dues said in a 2015 interview. "He has been teaching me about the game of baseball since I was 1. Without him I would be nowhere near the player I am. His knowledge of the game is incredible. I cannot thank him enough."

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