If anyone ever needs proof that A.J. Preller approaches the pitching market like a never-ending buffet, Dec. 23 provided yet another example. The Padres agreed to a minor-league contract with left-hander DJ Snelten, according to WHDH 7News Boston’s Ari Alexander—and the reasoning behind the move is peak Preller behavior.
Snelten is 33 years old and hasn’t appeared in a major-league game since 2018. Yet this offseason, he reportedly lit up radar guns during throwing sessions, touching as high as 102.7 mph and regularly sitting near 99. It’s the kind of velocity reading that makes you double-check whether the gun was accidentally set to kilometers per hour.
Padres take a flier on DJ Snelten’s high-octane comeback
In essence, San Diego may have uncovered its own version of a classic muscle car tucked away in a dusty garage. It might not run. It could sputter badly. But if it roars to life? People are definitely going to notice.
Snelten’s major-league track record is minimal. His lone MLB appearance came in 2018, when he logged just 4⅓ innings, struck out four batters, and finished with a 10.38 ERA—about as brief a “cup of coffee” as it gets.
Since then, his career has taken him all over. He pitched in the Mexican League in 2024 and later signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox ahead of that season.
So why take the chance? Because that’s what the Padres do.
Preller has always gravitated toward upside, especially with pitchers. If there’s even a slim possibility that a mechanical tweak, grip adjustment, role change, or health rebound could unlock something special, San Diego is quick to offer a minor-league deal and invite the player into its development system. For a bullpen perpetually searching for the next unexpected weapon, a left-hander who can legitimately touch triple digits is an obvious low-risk gamble.
The most likely scenario is straightforward: Snelten provides organizational depth, gets an extended look in spring training, and the Padres evaluate whether the eye-popping velocity holds up when he’s facing real hitters and has to consistently throw strikes.
But the intriguing scenario? Petco Park becomes the stage for a left-handed comeback armed with triple-digit heat—and Preller once again turns a move that sounded absurd in December into something that actually matters by midsummer.