Padres trade Adam Frazier to Mariners for two prospects

The Padres are unclogging their infield and clearing some money off the books.

All-Star second baseman Adam Frazier was traded Saturday morning to the Mariners for two prospects, left-hander Ray Kerr and outfielder Corey Rosier. The latter was added to Seattle’s 40-man roster earlier this offseason, a rags to riches story as the 6-foot-3 Kerr began his career as an undrafted free agent. The 22-year-old Rosier thrived over the summer in his pro debut a low Single-A Modesto.

Meantime, Fernando Tatis Jr.’s return to the infield as the starting shortstop amplified the need to move Frazier, who was projected to make $7.2 million in his third year of arbitration eligibility, according to MLBTradeRumors.com.

The Padres’ opening day payroll is still projected to push past $180 million, as the club seeks to add starting pitching depth and a replacement in left field for the departed Tommy Pham as MLB and the players’ union work to address a collective bargaining agreement that expires Wednesday.

“For us to have some roster flexibility … this was something we felt gave us some options the rest of the offseason,” Padres General Manager A.J. Preller said by phone Saturday afternoon. “We like the players we got back.”

Preller added: “We felt like (Frazier) was the right fit at the time. Ultimately this is about getting some guys back, Tatis coming back to the infield and more looking at the entire roster.”

The 29-year-old Frazier hit .324/.388/.448 en route to representing the Pirates in the All-Star Game, only to slump to .267/.327/.335 in 57 games after a July trade to the Padres.

Frazier was especially unproductive in August, hitting .229/.297/.265 as the NL’s second wild-card spot began to slip out of San Diego’s grip. His arrival was especially disruptive because the Padres did not move first baseman Eric Hosmer at the deadline as had been rumored, forcing then-manager Jayce Tingler to juggle the lineup on a nightly basis.

Tatis had moved to the outfield following his latest shoulder dislocation but both the 22-year-old Dominican and Preller said at season’s end that Tatis was expected to return to shortstop in 2022.

With the Padres moving on from Frazier, that again leaves All-Star Jake Cronenworth as the unquestioned starter at second base and an occasional option at first, Hosmer as the primary starter at first and perhaps frees up more playing time for utility man Ha-seong Kim, who started just 14 games over the final two months of the season.

Jurickson Profar is also in the mix for time in the infield and outfield, depending on what shakes out of their efforts to address Pham’s vacancy in left field. Pham, of course, is an option to return on a short-term deal to rebuild his value after two disappointing seasons in San Diego.

Frazier had also played 158 games in the outfield in five years in Pittsburgh, but he started just five games in left field with the Padres. He was an option to see time in left field before Saturday’s trade jettisoned him and his salary off the books.

Neither Kerr nor Rosier finished 2021 ranked among the Mariners’ top-30 prospects by Baseball America or MLB.com, but both were trending up.

The 27-year-old Kerr — who has options remaining — is a power lefty who’s been clocked as high as 102 mph, making him the hardest thrower in the Padres’ system. He pairs that fastball with a slider and a seldom-used change-up.

Kerr struck out 60 batters against 16 walks in 39 2/3 innings (3.18 ERA, 1.06 HIP) in 2021 as he climbed from Double-A Arkansas to Triple-A Tacoma, under the watchful eye of new pitching development director Rob Marcello Jr., formerly of the Mariners. Kerr is expected to compete for a spot in a bullpen that has already seen closer Mark Melancon file for free agency.

Rosier was drafted in the 12^th round out of UNC-Greensboro in July. A center fielder with speed, the 5-foot-10 Rosier hit .390/.461/.585 with three homers and 13 steals in 31 games at low Single-A Modesto.

He adds depth to a position of need in a Padres system that has traded away a number of outfielders — including Taylor Trammell, Josh Naylor and Jack Suwinski — over the last two years.