When Padres catcher Martín Maldonado was drafted in the 27th round of the 2004 MLB Draft, Usher’s “Burn” topped the Billboard charts, Facebook was still just for Harvard students and LeBron James was an NBA rookie.

Maldonado was 17. Jackson Merrill, now his teammate, was 13 months and 20 days old.

Making it to the major leagues is rare enough; staying there is even harder. Fewer players have worn a big-league uniform than can fill all the seats at Petco Park. And to still be doing it in your late 30s — or even your (gasp!) 40s? That’s unicorn territory.

“It’s hard,” Maldonado said. “The game is getting younger and younger.”

If your knees creak in the morning or your back aches just from tying your shoes, you can probably relate. Now imagine catching 98 mph fastballs while crouched in t

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