San Diego, CA

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano

Published

2 weeks ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Padres roster review: Luis Campusano – San Diego Union-Tribune

LUIS CAMPUSANO

Position(s): Catcher
Bats / Throws: Right / Right
2026 opening day age: 27
Height / Weight: 5-foot-10 / 232 pounds
How acquired: Second round of the draft in 2017 (Cross Creek HS, Ga.)
Contract status: Will make $900,000 after agreeing to a one-year deal to avoid arbitration; Will not be a free agent until 2029.
fWAR in 2025: Minus-0.4
Key 2025 stats: .000 AVG, .222 OBP, .000 SLG, 0 HRs, 0 RBIs, 0 runs, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts, 0 steals (10 games, 27 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

1 — The number of plate appearances for Campusano while in the majors between June 1 and June 13 and the one at-bat resulted in a weak, pinch-hit groundout against a position player (Kike Hernandez) on the mound in mop-up duty. Campusano was recalled to the majors four times in 2025 but did not get a real opportunity get settled after he went 0-for-6 with four walks and a strikeout in three straight starts as a DH in early May. Of course, hitting .227/.281/.361 with eight homers over 299 plate appearances after getting the first real chance to start in 2024 likely informed how the Padres viewed his opportunity in 2025.

Down — Called up a final time on the last day of the regular season, Campusano balked at the idea that the season did not go the way he wanted. “I had a great season,” he said as he and his teammates packed for the NL Wild Card Series in Chicago. And he did … for Triple-A El Paso. He hit more home runs than ever (25), drove in more runs (95) and finished with a career-high 1.036 OPS, tops among all qualifying Triple-A hitters. The disappointment inferred in the question posed to Campusano was that he was not able to impact the big-league team in any way in 2025, which began with the team choosing to bring in a 40-year-old Yuli Gurriel a chance on the opening day roster over a homegrown product. Once billed as the catcher of the future, Campusno did not catch a single game in the majors, nor did he get any hits, although the opportunity to play was sporadic after getting three straight starts as a DH in early May (see stat to note). The Padres even lost back-up catcher Elias Díaz to an oblique injury over the final weekend of the regular season, but Campusano — who played out the string for a Triple-A El Paso team that did not make the playoffs rather than participate in the majors as a September call-up — was added to the postseason roster more as a right-handed bat than a third catcher (Martín Maldonado was also re-added to the team for the playoffs as the defensive back-up to Freddy Fermin). Campusano, of course, was not asked to help the team in either capacity before the Padres were eliminated in three games.

2026 OUTLOOK

Campusano is finally out of minor league options this year, so the Padres will either have to carry him on the roster, trade him or expose him to waivers. He has fans in the organization, but two big-league staffs headed by Bob Melvin and Mike Shildt seemingly lost faith in his ability to catch a game and all the responsibilities that come with that. It remains to be seen what impact the arrival of robo umps will have on how new manager Craig Stammen views Campusano’s ability behind the plate, but he’s been a potent minor league hitter who has yet to truly get on track in the majors beyond the second half of 2023 (.875 OPS, 6 HRs). Campusano has dabbled at first base in recent years in the minors (12 starts total), so perhaps he settles into a role as a second catcher/right-handed DH/first base option to start 2026.

Luis Campusano #15 of the San Diego Padres and Nick Pivetta #27 walk to the dugout during a practice before the Wildcard series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept. 29, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

ROSTER RANKINGS

22. C Luis Campusano
23. LHP Yuki Matsui
24. INF Sung-Mun Song
25. RHP Matt Waldron
26. OF Bryce Johnson
27. RHP Ron Marinaccio
28. RHP Bryan Hoeing
29. LHP Kyle Hart
30. RHP Jhony Brito
31. INF Will Wagner
32. OF Tirso Ornelas
33. RHP Garrett Hawkins
34. RHP Miguel Mendez
35. RHP Daison Acosta
36. RHP Ty Adcock
37. RHP Alek Jacob
38. INF Mason McCoy

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San Diego, CA

Multiple San Diego County protests target ICE and corporate ties

Published

11 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Press Room

Multiple San Diego County protests target ICE and corporate ties

Protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement unfolded across San Diego County on Friday, with demonstrations reported in Escondido, El Cajon, Lakeside and Mira Mesa. Protesters called for ICE to leave their communities and urged corporations to stop housing agents in local hotels.

In Escondido, demonstrators voiced strong opposition to ICE activity.

“I want ICE out of my community and I want them out now,” one protester said.

In El Cajon, residents said concerns about ICE presence have been growing.

“Well, there are rumors that it’s coming to our city, and I think it’s only a matter of time. So the sooner and quicker that we all push back, and the harder we push back, the better,” said protestor Gabriel Medina.

In Lakeside, dozens of people gathered, expressing fear and frustration over ICE operations.

“It’s like being punched in the gut. It’s just horrible that our country could come to this. That masked thugs could be on our streets hauling people off our streets. Sometimes they’re American citizens, sometimes they’re children. It’s just deplorable that our country has come to this,” said Suzanne Davis.

Several groups also called on corporations, including Hilton, to stop housing ICE agents at hotels across the country. Earlier this month, Hilton removed its branding from a franchise after it refused to rent a room to an ICE agent in Minneapolis.

“To imagine that our large corporations will not take a position when people are being swept off the streets, when families are being separated, when a woman was murdered in the name of ICE,” said Connie Elder.

Local students joined one of the protests outside a Hampton Inn, a Hilton-branded hotel.

At each location, protesters said they hope the impact of their message matters more than the size of the crowd.

“So maybe people that aren’t paying attention, that maybe drive by and get the message, maybe it inspires them to look a little further into what is happening and to hopefully take action, get educated, and spread the word amongst their family and their communities,” said Medina.

Earlier this month, Hilton released a statement in response to an ICE agent being refused a room at one of its branded hotels, saying it is a welcoming place for all and does not tolerate any form of discrimination. NBC 7 has not heard back from Hilton or ICE regarding the recent protests.

Also on Friday, half a dozen people were taken into custody by police after they locked themselves inside San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria’s office for several hours, demanding that the city of San Diego stop cooperating with ICE raids. The mayor, both in an executive order and in policy speeches, has previously stated the city does not participate in federal immigration enforcement.

This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.

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San Diego, CA

City making improvements at some of San Diego’s most dangerous intersections

Published

23 hours ago

January 23, 2026

Press Room

City making improvements at some of San Diego’s most dangerous intersections

Traffic safety improvements are in the works at some of San Diego’s most dangerous intersections, part of a list released Thursday by the city’s traffic engineering team.

That team annually conducts a review of the city’s intersections to pinpoint where safety measures are most needed. The team looked at city traffic collision data from calendar year 2024 and “evaluated intersections where five or more injury or fatal crashes had occurred,” a city statement read. Engineers also looked at intersections where vehicles had hit pedestrians, where injuries were prevalent and more.

“Our engineers and field operations teams are working hand in hand to ensure these safety upgrades are implemented to maximize safety for all road users,” said Transportation Department Interim Assistant Director Margaret McCormick. “Being able to carry out these projects with our in-house teams is important so the work can be completed as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

The locations prioritized for potential safety enhancements are:

15th Street at F Street;
8th Avenue at Broadway;
Bayard Street at Grand Avenue;
8th Avenue at University;
Kettner Boulevard at Sassafras Street;
10th Avenue at A Street;
Otay Center Drive at Siempre Viva Road;
Garnet Avenue at Mission Bay Drive;
Fairmount Avenue between Montezuma Road and Talmadge Canyon Row;
Imperial Avenue between 53rd Street and Jacinto Drive;
Main Street between the I-5 off ramp and Woden Street;
Midway Drive between Kemper Street and Duke Street; and
Mission Gorge Road between Twain Avenue and Mission Gorge Place.

Transportation crews have finished, or are in the process of completing, safety improvements at several locations, including the segments of Fairmount Ave., Main St. Mission Gorge Rd. and Imperial Ave., but some must be completed through the city’s Capital Improvement Program and will require additional funding to implement, a city statement read.

Some of the safety recommendations for the above intersections are additional signs, flashing beacons and crosswalks to increase pedestrian visibility and have a traffic calming effect. The recommendations at other locations call for upgrading traffic signal lights, replacing or adding speed limit signs and installing pedestrian countdown timers.

Additionally, intersections may receive longer red curbs as part of the new “Daylighting Law,” which prohibits vehicles from parking within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk.

A full list and the city’s efforts to combat traffic fatalities are available at sandiego.gov/VisionZero.

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San Diego, CA

Indiana man, 71, arrested in connection with 1975 slaying of San Diego waiter

Published

1 day ago

January 22, 2026

Press Room

Indiana man, 71, arrested in connection with 1975 slaying of San Diego waiter

When Edmond LaFave missed two days of work in February 1975, a worried friend headed to his North Park home to check on him.

The friend found LaFave on the bedroom floor in a pool of blood. The San Diego Union reported that the 34-year-old waiter at Little America Westgate Hotel had been badly beaten and stabbed multiple times.

Police investigated, but the case went cold for five decades until DNA and genealogy recently led investigators to a suspect.

On Thursday, approaching 51 years since LaFave was killed, San Diego police announced the arrest of 71-year-old Johnnie Salisbury of Syracuse in northern Indiana, roughly an hour northwest of Fort Wayne.

Police took Salisbury into custody Wednesday, San Diego homicide Acting Lt. Chris Leahy said in a news release. Leahy said he had been booked into custody on a warrant for his arrest in the homicide and is in an Indiana county jail awaiting an extradition hearing.

Leahy said various cold case investigators “have reviewed the case over the years, with no resolution.” He said the “culmination of the investigation” came when investigators used genetic genealogy and other forensic evidence to identify a suspect. He did not elaborate further on the evidence or the case itself.

The idea behind genetic genealogy is to take DNA from a crime scene and enter it into a publicly accessible genealogy DNA database in hopes of finding a close enough match to relatives of the unknown perpetrator. A hit helps genealogists create family trees that can help put a name to the unknown DNA.

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