Asuaje was optioned to Triple-A El Paso on Monday.
Asuaje faced an uphill battle in camp thanks to the presence of veteran Erick Aybar and Rule 5 pick Allen Cordoba in San Diego's middle infield. The 25-year-old, originally an 11th-round draft pick by Boston in 2013, hit a sharp .321/.378/.473 in 134 games for El Paso in 2016 and could very well be the Padres' first option should they suffer an injury in the middle infield.