Padres roster review: James Norwood

Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster heading into the 2022 season: James Norwood’s strikeout numbers were up at Triple-A El Paso in 2021, but his opportunities in the majors were limited to five appearances

Dec. 8, 2021 5 AM PT

Position(s): Right-handed reliever
2022 opening day age: 28
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
Height / Weight: 6-foot-2 / 215 pounds
How acquired: Via trade with the Chicago Cubs in April 2021
Contract status: Will not be arbitration-eligible until 2024
Key 2021 stats: 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0 saves, 3 strikeouts, 3 walks, 1.80 WHIP, .300 opponent average, 5 innings (5 games)

14.3 – Norwood’s strikeouts per nine innings in 44 2/3 innings at Triple-A El Paso in 2021, a career-high; For his career, Norwood has averaged 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings over 316 1/3 innings across seven minor league seasons.

Idle – A seventh-round pick out of St. Louis University in 2014, he had tallied 22 innings across three big-league seasons with the Cubs (4.50 ERA, 1.86 WHIP) when the Padres flipped pitching prospect Dauris Valdez to Chicago for Norwood last April. He reported to Triple-A El Paso and went 3-4 with a 4.43 ERA, a 1.37 WHIP and a 71-to-21 strikeout-to walk ratio across 44 2/3 innings. Norwood was also just 4-for-9 in save chances in 43 appearances and his opponent average jumped from .195 in 2019 at Triple-A Iowa (4.21 ERA, 1.23 WHIP) to .240 in the hitter-friendly Triple-A West. Norwood made his Padres debut with a strikeout in a scoreless two-thirds of an inning on June 16, appeared in another game two days later, two games in July and one final game on Oct. 3, the Padres’ regular season finale. In a small sample, Norwood’s four-seamer averaged 97.5 mph, a sinker sat 97 mph and a splitter sat 87.2 mph. He also flashed an 87.5 mph slider.

With the Padres adding the likes of Robert Suarez and Luis Garcia via free agency, Ray Kerr via trade and Steven Wilson from Triple-A El Paso, it’s difficult to see Norwood remaining on what’s already a full 40-man roster. The Padres were already working toward a deal with Nick Martinez and need to clear a spot on the roster if that deal is completed after the lockout. If Norwood is the roster casualty and remains in the organization, he’ll be among the arms in consideration for a call-up should the Padres need bullpen reinforcements.