After a nine-year minor league career with the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs, Christian Villanueva finally found a home on a major league roster with the San Diego Padres. He may have had his struggles and downfalls, but Villanueva ended the season as one of the top offensive performers on the 2018 San Diego roster.
Villanueva didn’t start out as the starting third baseman for Andy Green and the Padres and he didn’t end the season as the starting third baseman, either. The trade for Bryan Mitchell that left the Padres with Chase Headley meant Villanueva started the years as the backup, but quickly earned his way into a starting role, easing the team’s decision to release Headley.