Austin Hedges is headed to the big league club. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
SAN FRANCISCO — A month ago, the San Diego Padres determined it was more important for their prized prospect to play in the minors than sit in the majors.
Monday, they changed their mind.
The Padres promoted the No. 2 prospect in their system, 22-year-old catcher Austin Hedges, from Triple-A El Paso before the start of their nine-game trip Monday in San Francisco.
Predictably, Hedges didn’t start the game, but he did make his major league debut as a pinch hitter against San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner. He struck out.
Asked before the game what he planned to do with Hedges being that he already has a .337-hitting catcher on the roster, Padres manager Bud Black assured he’s not about to rush his prospect into game action just because he’s available to do so.
“There’s an advantage to being in the big leagues without playing,” Black said before Monday’s game. “But he’ll play.”
Why, you might ask, when your starter is playing at an All-Star level?
“Derek is on pace to catch more games than he’s ever caught in his life,” Black said of Norris, who has been behind the plate for 210 2/3 innings in San Diego’s first 27 games. “I’m not sure we want to go in that direction.”
