Padres’ Nick Castellanos already working on new position after signing with San Diego

After his public breakup with the Philadelphia Phillies, Nick Castellanos signed with the San Diego Padres in free agency. Now, Castellanos appears to be settling in on his new team.

As the Padres begin spring training, Castellanos has been taking reps at first base, via 97.3 The Fan. New manager Craig Stammen is looking for any way he can get Castellanos’ bat into the lineup.

Nick Castellanos working on picks at first base with Padres coaches Ryan Goins, Nick Punto, and Glenn Hoffman. pic.twitter.com/xBhHHGUfLH

— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) February 19, 2026

Over his 13-year MLB career, Castellanos has never played first base. However, his usual spot in right field is occupied by Ramon Laureano while Fernando Tatis Jr. is in left. Gavin Sheets is slated to play first base.

Throughout the season, Stammen will have to be creative in how he gets Castellanos into the lineup. But his best chance of playing time is by displaying his versatility. Being able to play around the diamond makes him a much morse useful tool for San Diego. At the same time, the Padres wouldn’t have signed Castellanos if they didn’t expect him to have a sizable role.

Wherever he is playing on the field, the Padres are mainly expecting Castellanos to contribute in the batter’s box. He’s coming off of a bit of a down season, hitting .250 with 17 home runs and 72 RBIs. But over his entire career, Castellanos has hit .272 with 250 home runs and 920 RBIs.

The Padres know taking down the Los Angeles Dodgers and winning the NL West will be a difficult task. But now, they’ll have Castellanos helping their efforts, likely from numerous different positions on the diamond.

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