Nicholas Padilla

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Nicholas Padilla

|image =

|caption =

|team = Philadelphia Phillies

|number =

|position = Pitcher

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|12|24}}

|birth_place = The Bronx, New York, U.S.

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = August 23

|debutyear = 2022

|debutteam = Chicago Cubs

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = 2023 season

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 0–1

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 5.68

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 7

|teams =

Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|2022}})
Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|2023}})

}}

Nicholas Gilbert Padilla (born December 24, 1996) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. He plays for the Puerto Rico national baseball team.

Career

Padilla attended Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx, New York,{{cite web | url=https://www.cardinalspellman.org/m/news/show_news.jsp?REC_ID=834523&id=3 | title=Alumni Spotlight: Nicholas Padilla '14 }} and Grayson College.

=Tampa Bay Rays=

The Tampa Bay Rays in the 13th round of the 2015 MLB draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/sports/baseball/minors/2017/06/16/renegades-return-new-team-new-town-but-padilla-home/398042001/ | title=Renegades return: New team, new town but Padilla at home }} He made his professional debut in 2016, starting 8 games for the rookie-level Gulf Coast Rays. In 2017. Padilla spent the year with the Low-A Hudson Valley Renegades, pitching to a 3-2 record and 2.38 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 34.0 innings of work across 11 games (7 starts).{{Cite web|title=Renegades return: New team, new town but Padilla at home|url=https://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/sports/baseball/minors/2017/06/16/renegades-return-new-team-new-town-but-padilla-home/398042001/|access-date=2023-04-02|website=poughkeepsiejournal.com|language=en}}

He spent the 2018 season split between Hudson Valley and the Single-A Bowling Green Hot Rods, registering a 4-7 record and 4.04 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 69.0 innings pitched. In 2019, Padilla spent the year with Bowling Green, logging a 7-2 record and 3.48 ERA with 76 strikeouts and 2 saves in 62.0 innings pitched. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=2023-03-18|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

=Chicago Cubs=

On December 10, 2020, the Chicago Cubs selected Padilla in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft.{{Cite web|title=2020 Rule 5 Draft results, pick by pick|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-rule-5-draft-results|access-date=2023-04-02|website=mlb.com|language=en}} He spent the 2021 season with the High-A South Bend Cubs, struggling to a 16.20 ERA in 2 appearances and missing the majority of the year due to injury. He spent time with three Cubs affiliates prior to his promotion in 2022, posting excellent results with South Bend, the Double-A Tennessee Smokies, and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

On August 23, 2022, Padilla was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted up to the majors for the first time.{{cite web | url=https://chicago.suntimes.com/cubs/2022/8/23/23318675/cubs-javier-assad-debuts-nicholas-padilla-27th-man-doubleheader-vs-cardinals-albert-pujols | title=Cubs' Javier Assad debuts, Nicholas Padilla 27th man in doubleheader vs. Cardinals | date=23 August 2022 }} He made his major league debut that day against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing a run in 1.2 innings pitched while recording his first career strikeout against eventual National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt. On September 6, Padilla was designated for assignment by the Cubs.{{Cite web|title=Cubs' Nicholas Padilla: Designated for assignment|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/cubs-nicholas-padilla-designated-for-assignment/|access-date=2023-04-02|website=cbssports.com|date=September 6, 2022 |language=en}}

=Chicago White Sox=

On September 9, 2022, Padilla was claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox.{{Cite web|title=White Sox's Nicholas Padilla: Moves across Chicago|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-nicholas-padilla-moves-across-chicago/|access-date=2023-04-02|website=cbssports.com|date=September 9, 2022 |language=en}} He made seven appearances for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights to close out the year, posting a 3.00 ERA with six strikeouts in six innings pitched.

Padilla was optioned to Triple-A Charlotte to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=White Sox's Nicholas Padilla: Optioned to Triple-A level|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-nicholas-padilla-optioned-to-triple-a-level/|access-date=2023-03-11|website=cbssports.com|date=March 10, 2023 |language=en}} In 3 appearances for Chicago, he recorded a 5.79 ERA with 6 strikeouts across {{fraction|4|2|3}} innings of work. Following the season on November 30, Padilla was removed from the roster and sent outright to Triple–A Charlotte.{{Cite web|title=White Sox's Nicholas Padilla: Outrighted to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/white-soxs-nicholas-padilla-outrighted-to-triple-a/amp/|access-date=November 30, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

In 2024, Padilla made 29 appearances split between Charlotte, the High–A Winston-Salem Dash, and rookie–level Arizona Complex League White Sox, compiling a cumulative 2.92 ERA with 46 strikeouts over 37 innings of work. He elected free agency following the season on November 4, 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/minor-league-free-agents-2024/|title=Minor League Free Agents 2024|work=Baseball America|date=November 6, 2024|accessdate=November 6, 2024|first=Matt|last=Eddy}}

=Philadelphia Phillies=

On November 11, 2024, Padilla signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.{{Cite web|url=https://www.philliesbaseballfan.com/post/11-11-14-phillies-sign-rhp-nicholas-padilla-to-minor-league-contract|title=Phillies sign RHP Nicholas Padilla to minor league contract|first=Steve|last=Potter|date=November 11, 2024|accessdate=November 16, 2024|website=philliesbaseballfan.com}}

International career

Padilla played for the Puerto Rico national baseball team at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southsidesox.com/2023/3/24/23655810/south-side-sox-white-sox-top-prospect-no-38-nicholas-padilla|title=South Side Sox Top Prospect No. 38: Nicholas Padilla|first=Melissa|last=Sage-Bollenbach|date=March 24, 2023|website=South Side Sox}}