Who is D.J. Snelten, and why did the Padres sign him?

Rarely is a player who last appeared in the majors nearly a decade ago projected to make an impact on a baseball season. D.J. Snelten is a hard-throwing left-handed reliever who has not played in the big leagues since 2018 with the San Francisco Giants. 

The San Diego Padres signed him to a minor league contract after their scouts witnessed him regularly hitting triple digits with his fastball in the Mexican League last season. The agreement carries no financial risk for the organization, as the Padres want to take a closer look at a left-hander who throws with such high velocity. 

Interesting path back to a major league organization

Quite a journey for Snelten, as his path through the minors included nine organizational stops. He posted a 3.64 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP in 213 minor league appearances. His time in the majors was not memorable, as Snelten recorded a 10.38 ERA with a 2.77 WHIP in 4.1 innings pitched. 

Arm injuries have plagued him throughout his baseball career. Snelten suffered an elbow injury during his days at the University of Minnesota. He kept playing until going under the knife for Tommy John surgery in 2021.

The Friars are looking to add bullpen depth, as Snelten provides an experienced arm that will be on-call in the minors if an injury occurs at the major league level. Keep in mind, he has received an invitation to Spring Training, and if Snelten performs well in Peoria, the lefty could earn a spot on the Padres’ Opening Day roster.

Snelten uses unique delivery to his advantage

Snelten’s pitching delivery offers deception with a herky-jerky upper-body motion. Add his 6-6 frame and the ability to throw in the high 90s, and suddenly, quality at-bats become few and far between for opposing lineups. Snelten’s height allows him to release the ball at a high angle that makes it difficult for hitters to track the ball coming toward home plate. 

Yes, his pitching style relies on the placement of the fastball, but Snelten’s secondary pitches generate more swings and misses during an at-bat. His pitching repertoire includes a slider, sinker, and changeup.

In Mexican League play, Snelten used the changeup as his out-pitch. If a batter could get on top of the ball, they usually hit a groundball to end a scoring threat. 

If he appears in the majors again, Snelten’s comeback story will be the highlight of the 2026 season. He is 33 years old and has not stood on a mound in a big league ballpark since 2018. 

Most major league teams would love the opportunity to sign Snelten because of his tremendous upside. It is a low-risk investment for the Friars, as they hope to transform him into an effective left-handed reliever.

And he will be just a phone call away.