Thornton agreed to a minor league deal with the Padres on Thursday that includes an invitation to spring training, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports.

EDGE Analysis

Thornton spent 2015 with the Nationals, where he posted one of the better ERAs of his career (2.18) over 41.1 innings. The 39-year-old has a seemingly good chance to make the team based on his track record in the league, and could end up serving as a sneaky option for holds late in drafts. The left-hander offers little strikeout upside, however, as his 5.0 K/9 rate in 2015 was the lowest of his MLB career.