Pablo Reyes didn't remain a free agent for long.
Six days after he was released from his minor league contract with the San Diego Padres , the veteran utility player signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.
Reyes will try to continue his strong offensive season in the Pacific Coast League with the Salt Lake Bees, the Angels' Triple-A affiliate, after failing to make a strong enough impression at Triple-A El Paso.
Reyes, 32, was slashing .310/.408/.491 for the Padres' top farm team, leading the club in OBP and walks (35). He saw action at five different positions as well as designated hitter.
What Reyes lacked in pop, he made up for with a small 14% strikeout rate (a shade higher than his 13.6% walk rate) and 121 wRC+.
For all his gaudy stats and versatility, the 5-foot-8 utility player didn't stand out enough to crack the Padres' 40-man roster.
The Padres signed Reyes to a minor league contract on Nov. 6, 2025, making him one of the first players they signed last offseason. He made a fast impression, slashing .323/417/.419 in 19 Cactus League games in spring training.
In seven major league seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates (2018-19), Milwaukee Brewers (2021-22), Boston Red Sox (2023-24), New York Mets (2024) and New York Yankees (2025), Reyes never put up a 100 OPS+ or better in a full season.
Reyes is a career .245/.305/.342 hitter in 257 MLB games, and the Padres were likely counting on some regression to the mean following any potential promotion to the majors.
Utility infielders Will Wagner and Mason McCoy , and catcher Blake Hunt , are the only three position players on the Padres' 40-man roster not currently in the majors. Against this backdrop, losing Reyes could be somewhat consequential if injuries strike their infield.
Reyes will get a better chance at that promotion with the Angels, who recently cut veteran utility player Donovan Walton as a corresponding move to activate Mike Trout .
Reyes can fill the Walton role in their organization, with a better chance of reaching the big leagues with the struggling American League West club. Through Wednesday, the Angels have the worst record in the majors at 37-56.
The Padres conclude a four-game home series against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park on Thursday.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi as Padres Lose 7-Year MLB Veteran to Angels Immediately After Release .
