Jake Cronenworth – San Diego Union-Tribune

JAKE CRONENWORTH

Position(s): Second base, first base, shortstop
Bats / Throws: Left / Right
2026 opening day age: 32
Height / Weight: 6-foot / 187 pounds
How acquired: Via trade with the Tampa Bay Rays in December 2019
Contract status: Will make $12 million in the third year of a seven-year, $80 million extension.
fWAR in 2025: 2.9
Key 2025 stats: .246 AVG, .367 OBP, .377 SLG, 11 HRs, 59 RBIs, 61 runs, 69 walks, 107 strikeouts, 3 steals (135 games, 515 plate appearances)

STAT TO NOTE

13.4 — The percent of plate appearances in which Cronenworth worked a walk in 2025, a career high that ranked in the top 94th percentile in the league last year. Cronenworth’s chase rate (22.2%, 86th percentile) and his whiff rate (18.8%, 82nd percentile) also ranked in the 86th and 82nd percentiles, respectively, offsetting sub-par batted ball data: average exit velocity (88.5 mph, 26th percentile), expected slugging (.353, 12th percentile) and barrel rate (6.2%, 25th percentile).

TRENDING

Up — True to career tendencies, Cronenworth began 2025 on a tear only to slow as the season wore on. He had an .895 OPS in April/May, although he played just a dozen games before missing a month with a fractured rib (Cronenworth actually homered with the injury before ultimately having to hit the shelf). Cronenworth had an .807 OPS in May, was under .700 in June and July before rebounding in August (.900) and then had a .619 OPS in September, perhaps foreshadowing an 0-for-11 showing through three postseason games. Among the positives, Cronenworth reversed what had been a downward spiral against left-handed pitching. Cronenworth had seen left-on-left splits drop from a .769 OPS in 2021 to .714 in 2022 to .666 in 2023 to .531 in 2023. But he hit .248/.373/.353 against lefties for a .726 OPS. He hit three home runs against lefties last year, including a game-winning shot against off Braves LHP Dylan Lee in late March as part of the team’s perfect homestand to start the year. Defensively, Cronenworth was primarily a second baseman for the first time since 2022, making 111 starts there. But he also made nine starts at first base and 10 at shortstop as he continued to provide value as a competent glove at multiple spots, a strong suit of his since making his debut in 2020.

2026 OUTLOOK

After spending the majority of 2025 as a second baseman, Cronenworth appears poised to begin the year at second, although there’s plenty of offseason left for A.J. Preller to make changes to the roster. Xander Bogaerts is entrenched at shortstop, but Cronenworth continues to provide the team with versatility as an option who can play either side of second base and handle first base. He’s hit at least 10 home runs in each full season and should continue to provide on-base skills and occasional thump toward the bottom third of a playoff-caliber roster.

Jake Cronenworth #9 of the San Diego Padres looks on after committing an error during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Petco Park on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025 in San Diego, CA. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
ROSTER RANKINGS

12. 2B Jake Cronenworth
13. RHP Joe Musgrove
14. RHP Randy Vasquez
15. OF Gavin Sheets
16. LHP JP Sears
17. RHP Yu Darvish
18. RHP Bradgley Rodriguez
19. RHP David Morgan
20. C Freddy Fermin
21. LHP Wandy Peralta
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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