Padres DFA Former Top MLB Prospect

He was a top prospect coming up through the Texas Rangers system, and finished 5th in Rookie of the Year voting in 2016. But Nomar Mazara never quite exploded into the big-time run producer he was once thought to be. Now, the San Diego Padres have bid him adieu. 

Nomar Mazara was DFA'd, leaving the Padres without a lefty hitter on their bench. José Azocar is back to back up in center field.

— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) August 20, 2022

The outfielder had a hot start with the Padres after his call-up at the beginning of June, hitting .327 as recently as July 13th. But he'd recorded just one RBI in the 22 games since then, batting .140 over that stretch. That led to his being designated for assignment. At 27 years old, he should still be able to find a job with another organization.

Mazara signed a minor league contract with San Diego in the offseason, after a disastrous year in Detroit in 2021, when he batted .212 with a .597 OPS. The Tigers released him at the All-Star break. 

He was the only left-handed hitter on the Pads' bench. They've called up the right-handed swinging Jose Azocar, known more for his speed and defense in the outfield, to take Mazara's spot on the roster. 

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