San Diego Padres sign former Toronto Blue Jays first baseman

The San Diego Padres have added some infield depth, signing former Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Ty France to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training, according to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin.

France had interest from multiple teams, but ultimately landed back in San Diego, where it all started.

A Southern California native, he starred collegiately at San Diego State University before beginning his professional career with the Padres.

San Diego selected him in the 34th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, and he went on to make his big-league debut with the club, appearing in parts of two seasons before being traded to the Seattle Mariners in a seven-player deal at the 2020 trade deadline.

Now 31, France is coming off a season in which he captured his first American League Gold Glove Award at first base.

Offensively, however, his production dipped. Between stints with the Minnesota Twins and Blue Jays, he posted a .257/.320/.360 slash line with seven home runs across 490 plate appearances.

Earlier in his career, France was a consistent run producer. From 2020 through 2022, he slashed .285/.355/.443 over 1,418 plate appearances, good for a 129 wRC+.

That number slipped to 106 in 2023 and has fallen further to 93 over the past two seasons, signaling a decline in overall offensive impact.

While France continues to make contact at an above-average clip, his quality of contact has been less impressive.

His hard-hit rates have hovered around league average, and he has never been known for drawing a high number of walks, limiting his on-base value when the power output isn’t there.

Defensively, though, 2025 marked a dramatic turnaround.

After public metrics graded him poorly in prior seasons, France rebounded in a big way, recording +10 Outs Above Average and +9 Defensive Runs Saved across 976 2/3 innings at first base.

That resurgence earned him Gold Glove honors and re-established his value as a reliable defender.

At the plate, France bats right-handed and has shown virtually no platoon split throughout his career, producing similar numbers against both left- and right-handed pitching.

That balance could prove valuable in San Diego.

The Padres feature a number of left-handed hitters competing for time on the right side of the infield, including Jake Cronenworth, Sung Mun Song, Will Wagner, and Gavin Sheets.

France’s right-handed bat provides a natural complement and gives the club another experienced option as it evaluates its roster this spring.

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