Juan Padilla
Encyclopedia
Juan Miguel Padilla is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. He is now pitching for the American Defenders of New Hampshire
(Nashua
) of the independent Can-Am League.
. He spent six seasons in the Twins' minor league
system before breaking into the majors with the New York Yankees
and Cincinnati Reds
in . Although not highly successful with either team, he was signed by the New York Mets
and responded with a 1.49 earned run average
in the second half of . Padilla had Tommy John surgery
in March and had to miss the 2006 season.
Padilla was not offered a new contract by the Mets and became a free agent on December 12, 2007. He was later signed to a minor-league contract and given a non-roster invitation to spring training
by the Mets. In July , Padilla was released by the Mets.
Padilla is currently the pitching coach/closer for the Pittsfield Colonials.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. He is now pitching for the American Defenders of New Hampshire
American Defenders of New Hampshire
The Pittsfield Colonials were a baseball team in the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Pittsfield, Massachusetts...
(Nashua
Nashua, New Hampshire
-Climate:-Demographics:As of the census of 2010, there were 86,494 people, 35,044 households, and 21,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,719.9 people per square mile . There were 37,168 housing units at an average density of 1,202.8 per square mile...
) of the independent Can-Am League.
Major league career
Padilla was a 24th round draft pick of the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He spent six seasons in the Twins' minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
system before breaking into the majors with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
in . Although not highly successful with either team, he was signed by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
and responded with a 1.49 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in the second half of . Padilla had Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery
Tommy John surgery, known in medical practice as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body...
in March and had to miss the 2006 season.
Padilla was not offered a new contract by the Mets and became a free agent on December 12, 2007. He was later signed to a minor-league contract and given a non-roster invitation to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
by the Mets. In July , Padilla was released by the Mets.
Padilla is currently the pitching coach/closer for the Pittsfield Colonials.