PEORIA, Ariz. -- Gavin Sheets could be hitting his way into a roster spot.

The Padres announced on Thursday that they selected the fifth-year first baseman/DH's contract, who was signed to a Minor League deal in February. The move adds Sheets to the 40-man roster, and though it doesn’t guarantee him an Opening Day roster spot, it appears to be trending in that direction.

“It's exciting,” Sheets said. “That was obviously the goal I had when I got here, and to get notified by the front office and everything, it feels good. It's the hard work that was put in. Just excited about the opportunity to be here, to have the contract selected.”

Sheets is coming off a rough two-year stretch with the Chicago White Sox, in which he struck out 172 times and recorded batting averages of .203 and .230 in 2023 and '24, respectively.

He has tweaked his mechanics a bit since arriving at Padres camp, and it seems like it’s been working, as his six home runs this spring entered Thursday tied for the Cactus League lead. His 1.123 OPS is also fifth-best in the Majors.

“For some reason, he wasn’t on a 40-man [roster], and we were able to get him in on a non-roster invite. He’s more than earned his opportunity to be on the 40-man roster,” manager Mike Shildt said. “I’m excited, and I know he is.”

And while this doesn’t guarantee him a spot on the Opening Day roster, putting him on the 40-man is a sign of the club’s belief in Sheets to earn one of the final four or five spots that Shildt alluded to in his media availability on Thursday.

“This is the most competitive position-player camp I’ve ever had at the end of a camp,” Shildt said. “It usually comes down to picking your 26th guy between a guy or two or three. Now we got a legitimate 10 guys for four or five spots.”

The most ideal spot for Sheets is at DH, as the starting job there is still open. Shildt has also mentioned before that he’d like to use the DH spot to rotate some of his regulars, in which case Sheets would be a useful lefty bat off the bench.

The competitiveness of Padres camp is exactly what drew Sheets in the first place, and he’s fully embracing the challenge.

“That's why I came here. That's why I want to be here,” he said. “You look around this clubhouse, you look around with what this team has and the excitement of last year, and obviously what we want to build on. It feels good to start using the word, ‘we,’ look at what's ahead and be a part of this.”

Pivetta looks ready

Right-hander Nick Pivetta allowed just one hit and struck out Rangers five times while walking two batters on 76 pitches over five innings. He attributed his success on Thursday to catcher Elias Díaz and the relationship they’ve been able to build throughout the spring.

“He was really good tonight behind the plate for me,” Pivetta said. “A really good understanding of the gameplan, and I was able to feed off him and just do my thing.”

Pivetta will not make another Cactus League start, but he is scheduled to remain in Peoria to pitch in a Minor League game on Tuesday after the Padres break camp on Monday. Theoretically, that would line him up to pitch the team’s fourth game of the season.

Pivetta has no plans to ease back in his spring finale.

“One hundred percent,” he said. “Keep it going.”

Heyward’s big swing

It’s been a tough spring for Jason Heyward, who entered Thursday batting .148 with just three hits. But he provided a crucial spark from the bottom of the order in the second inning when he lined one down the right-field-line for a bases-clearing, three-RBI triple to give the Padres an early lead.

“He’s a veteran guy,” Shildt said. “These guys that have time in the game, they figure out how to get ready for a season. He’s gone out and been able to take good at-bats as the spring’s progressed.”

Heyward is the Padres’ presumed starter in left field, though he’s likely to share time with a handful of others.