The Padres agreed to a minor league contract with last month, according to the MLB.com . The 26-year-old corner outfielder had been outrighted and released by the Cardinals last season. Gmez is working to get to the big leagues for the first time. He seemed on track after hitting 39 homers in the minor leagues in 2022. That earned him a 40-man roster spot with St. Louis. Gmez spent the entire 23 campaign on optional Diego Cartaya Jersey a signment to their Triple-A affiliate. He popped another 30 homers but hit .232 with a .293 on-base percentage. That wasnt enough to crack the MLB roster. St. Louis sent him through outright waivers last February. The righty-hitting outfielder again opened the season at the Triple-A level. He hit .208 and saw his power production evaporate, as he only managed three longballs in 45 games before being released. Gmez closed the season in the independent American A sociation. He has mashed in winter ball in his native Venezuela this offseason. Gmez is hitting .273/.396/.613 with 15 longballs in 48 winter ball games. San Diego will give him an opportunity to rebound from his difficult past two seasons. Gmez has big power, hitting 127 homers in parts of nine minor league seasons between the Tampa Bay and St. Louis systems. That includes 49 longballs in fewer than 1000 Triple-A plate appearances, though hes a .236/.303/.452 hitter at that level. He has punched out in nearly a third of his trips to the plate in Triple-A. Pedro Guerrero Jersey