Padres get payoff for overlooked trade: 'They believed in me'

This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

By late November, Jorge Alfaro had known for nearly two months that he wasn’t going to return to the Marlins. He just wasn’t sure where he would end up -- until he got a late-night phone call from Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller.

“You won’t regret this,” Alfaro recalled telling Preller, having learned he’d been traded to San Diego (in exchange for modest cash considerations). “I will give you my best.”

The Padres certainly aren’t regretting it. The Marlins might be though. Alfaro is having an under-the-radar outstanding season in San Diego, bringing a .284/.322/.486 slash line into the weekend while showcasing some serious power. That production has earned Alfaro more playing time, too, as he’s worked into a fairly even timeshare at catcher with Austin Nola.

On top of that, Alfaro has drawn rave reviews in the clubhouse for his hard work and his positive vibes. He’s also honed his game defensively to the point where he’s something of a league-average defensive catcher, no longer a liability behind the plate. His pitchers love throwing to him, too.

“He’s just a really happy person all the time, and he’s always listening,” said right-hander Craig Stammen. “He’s a really big target -- which I’ve always liked a lot. But he’s been great this year, learning a whole new pitching staff, a whole new way of doing things as a Padre. … I always looked at him as someone who super-hustled and had a lot of tools. You’d watch him throw and run and hit BP, you’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, if this guy could put it together, he could be one of the best players in the game.’ I think we’re seeing some glimpses of it right now. ”

Alfaro is only delivering on his promise.

“They believed in me,” Alfaro said. “They gave me an opportunity. I don't want to take it for granted.”