Pedro Severino put the Milwaukee Brewers a bind last season. After being signed as a free agent in November of 2021, the catcher was suspended 80 games just days before opening day of the 2022 season. His suspension was due to testing positive for a banned substance Clomiphene. Severino did indicate that he knowingly took the medication as he and his wife were seeking help to start a family.
Due to his suspension, the Brewers went out and traded with the Padres and acquired Victor Caratini. Caratini joined Omar Narvaez as the second catcher on the active roster. Severino returned from his suspension in early July and was eventually designated for assignment a month later. He ended up finishing the year within the Brewers minor league system, but elected free agency at seasons end.
Reports have now indicated that former Brewers catcher Pedro Severino has signed with the San Diego Padres.
Free-agent catcher Pedro Severino and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a contract, according to a source familiar with the deal. The 29-year-old is on a split deal that will pay $1.95 million if he’s in the majors and includes $550K in performance bonuses.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 20, 2022
Severino’s contract will not immediately place him on the Padres 40-man roster. As mentioned above by Robert Murray, if he reaches the big leagues his deal will pay him $1.95MM. He can also make an additional $550k if he reaches certain performance milestones.
This is very similar to the deal that the Brewers signed him for last November. At that time, Severino inked a major league deal with the Brew Crew worth $1.9MM. His suspension was 80 games without pay and made him ineligible for the 2022 post season.
Severino will now turn his attention to making the big leagues through the Padres organization. The Padres currently have catchers Austin Nola, Luis Campusano, and Brett Sullivan on their 40-man roster. Sullivan was one of the players the Brewers parted ways with in order to acquire Victor Caratini.
It will be interesting to see if Severino can earn a spot on the Padres major league roster.
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