Austin Hedges

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #5 prospect in 2015
  Signed for $3 million as a second-round pick out of high school in 2011, Hedges zoomed to Double-A San Antonio to finish the 2013 season, then headed back there for 2014. While his elite defensive skills distinguish him from other catchers his age, his bat needs to find another gear to allow him to contribute to a big league lineup. Hedges hit .250/.300/.400 in 220 at-bats during the first half of 2014 as a 21-year-old catcher at Double-A, and he looked for all the world like a future impact player. His production trailed off drastically in the second half, however, as he collapsed his back side and began swinging uphill, possibly as he wore down in the Texas heat under the strain of catching 106 games. When he's going well, Hedges employs a straightaway, line-drive hitting approach without an excessive number of strikeouts, and he could one day hit .260 with solid power production. Evaluators rave about Hedges' catch-and-throw skills, quick release and agility behind the plate. He's a plus receiver who blocks balls in the dirt adeptly with strong hands, and his plus arm and smooth footwork helped him gun down 38 percent of basestealers in 2014. Hedges will advance to Triple-A El Paso in 2015, and if he benefits from the confidence boost that hitting in the Pacific Coast League can bestow, he could be in line for a second-half callup to San Diego.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #1 prospect in 2014
  Hedges knows how to stand out from a crowd. Southern California area scouts regarded him as one of the finest defensive catchers they had seen at the high school level, the product of six years under the wing of JSerra High coach Brett Kay, a former catcher at Cal State Fullerton and in the Mets system. The Padres nabbed Hedges with the 82nd pick (second round) in the 2011 draft and lured the strong student away from a UCLA commitment with a $3 million bonus. Evaluators have singled him out as best defensive catcher and one of the top handful of position prospects in the low Class A Midwest (2012) and high Class A California (2013) leagues in successive years. Hedges finished 2013 at Double-A San Antonio as the Missions barreled toward the Texas League title. He started eight of 10 playoff games, including two shutouts against Arkansas in the finals. He might have reached Double-A even sooner had he not missed most of May with a deep bone bruise on his left hand, the result of being hit by a pitch. Hedges impressed the Padres by launching home runs during batting practice at Petco Park the summer after he signed. While he has strength and explosiveness to his swing, his ticket to the All-Star Game will be equal parts power and defensive prowess. Strong technique and abundant confidence are apparent in the way he sets targets for his pitchers, receives the ball and shifts his feet while blocking balls in the dirt or firing missiles to second base. He records consistent 1.8-second pop times and has thrown out more than one-third of basestealers in each of the past two seasons. His plus arm plays up due to accuracy and a quick release. Being ahead of the curve defensively has allowed Hedges to study the art of game-calling and refine his hitting technique at a stage where most catchers are grinding through fundamentals. Scouts almost uniformly view Hedges as a good bet to hit and an even better one to deliver extra-base power. He strikes the ball with a quick, balanced swing, hitting enough line drives to keep his average in the black while not striking out excessively. Hedges can pull the ball for power, but he's most effective against all pitch types when using the whole field. An energetic presence on the field, Hedges has a durable frame, though he won't beat out many infield hits with below-average speed. The Padres have Hedges on the express train to San Diego, and when he reaches his destination they envision him as a first-division catcher who can impact the game on both sides of the ball. He made quick work of Class A, then spent his offseason in the Arizona Fall League, where he threw out 12 of 22 basestealers, and he will begin his age-21 season back at Double-A in 2014. Despite the defensive demands of his position, he may not require much more than another season of development before he's ready for the big leagues, putting him on target for a 2015 arrival.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #4 prospect in 2013
  No Padres 2011 draft pick received a higher bonus than Hedges, who signed for $3 million as a second-rounder. High school catchers are notoriously risky picks, but amateur scouts had few reservations about his defensive potential. Pro scouts joined the chorus of supporters based on his all-around showing as a teenager in low Class A in 2012. Hedges shows remarkable arm strength and accuracy for a young catcher. He gunned down 32 percent of Midwest League basestealers, showing consistent off-the-charts pop times of 1.85 seconds. He has soft hands and solid blocking technique, and he successfully worked to eliminate excess movement in his setup and in his throwing motion during the season. Hedges lines the ball to all fields and projects to hit for average with a compact swing and discerning eye. His power has come as advertised, and he could hit 15 or more homers annually based on his frequency of hard contact and loft in his swing. He has below-average speed but runs the bases aggressively. Given that the Padres have Yasmani Grandal and Nick Hundley in the big leagues, they can afford to be patient with Hedges. He still shouldn't require much more than two full seasons in the minors, and they wouldn't be surprised if he finished 2013 in Double-A.
• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #5 prospect in 2012
  The 82nd overall pick in June, Hedges waited until the Aug. 15 deadline before signing for $3 million, which would have been a second-round record had the Pirates' Josh Bell not pulled down $5 million that same night. Scouts regarded Hedges, an A student with a strong UCLA commitment, as one of the best defensive high school catchers in recent draft history. Amateur opponents rarely bothered running on Hedges, whose arm plays as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale because of solid strength and clean, quick mechanics that produce pop times as quick as 1.78 seconds. He receives plus-plus grades for his receiving, blocking, quiet setup and leadership qualities, but scouts disagree on his offensive potential. Those who like Hedges' bat give him a chance to be an average hitter with average pop, while others think his overly aggressive approach will hinder him. He showcased stunning raw power during a batting-practice session at Petco Park. Though he's agile for his size, he's a below-average runner like most catchers. Hedges showed up to instructional league with a more physical build than he had in high school, and the Padres think he could be ready for full-season ball in 2012. He may be four years away from the big leagues, where he could be a future Gold Glove winner.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Texas League #4 prospect in 2014
  Hedges built a reputation as one of the elite defensive catchers in the minors over his first two full seasons and that trend continued in 2014. TL managers rated him the best defensive catcher in the league and raved about his advanced catch-and-throw skills. Hedges has above-average arm strength and used it to throw out a league-high 50 basestealers this season. While his efficiency dipped to 38 percent, San Antonio manager Rich Dauer noted that was due to his pitchers' slow delivery times. Hedges draws praise for his handling of pitchers as well as his positioning and blocking skills behind the plate. "He does a lot of things that don't show up in a box score," Springfield skipper Mike Shildt said. Unfortunately, that included impacting the ball as a hitter. Hedges struggled at the plate for a second straight season and grew frustrated trying to pull the ball into the wind at San Antonio's pitcher-friendly Wolff Stadium. Several managers noted that Hedges showed signs of improvement when he focused on driving the ball to all fields and believe he has more power than his .321 slugging percentage indicates. He's athletic but doesn't run well.
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  Ranked California League #5 prospect in 2013
  Hedges was the Cal League?s youngest everyday catcher but unquestionably its best from a defensive standpoint. Winner of BA?s Captain?s Catcher?s Award, he drew universal praise for his quiet receiving, his footwork and strong arm, which helped him throw out 37 percent of basestealers. He?s still learning the finer points of game-calling and setting up opposing hitters, but his development is well beyond most catchers his age. His defensive ability reminded one manager of longtime big leaguer Brad Ausmus, which is fitting since Ausmus has worked with Hedges as a Padres special assistant. ?He is a once-in-10-years catcher, defensively,? Lancaster manager Rodney Linares said. ?You don?t see that. You don?t see the 1.8 (seconds pop times) all the time, and the blocking, and the way he carried himself.? Hedges, who missed much of May with ankle and knee injuries in a collision at home plate with Lancaster?s hulking Telvin Nash, will make the majors on his defensive prowess alone. His bat lags behind but has potential. He struggled early in the season by getting too pull happy, but the ball jumps off his bat and he has the potential for average power. His approach got better as the season went along when he did a better job of taking the ball up the middle or to right field.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #7 prospect in 2012
  Hedges earned a $3 million bonus in the second round of the 2011 draft because scouts thought he was the best defensive high school catcher in years. He lived up to that reputation in the MWL, consistently delivering accurate throws with 1.85-second pop times while erasing out 32 percent of basestealers. He has soft hands and receives and blocks well, and his only defensive shortcoming is that he sometimes rushes his throws. "He's as good a young defensive catcher as I've seen," a fourth AL scout said. "He's not Joe Mauer all-around, but he can really catch and throw. You just don't see young catchers throw like this." Though he may not be Mauer in the batter's box, Hedges will provide some offense. He doesn't chase pitches and hits to all fields with a compact swing that promises average or better power. He's a below-average runner but is aggressive on the bases and plays with high energy.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #27 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #58 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: No Padres 2011 draft pick received a higher bonus than Hedges, who signed for $3 million as a second-rounder. High school catchers are notoriously risky picks, but amateur scouts had few reservations about his defensive potential. Pro scouts joined the chorus of supporters based on his all-around showing as a teenager in low Class A in 2012. Scouting Report: Hedges shows remarkable arm strength and accuracy for a young catcher. He gunned down 32 percent of Midwest League basestealers, showing consistent off-the-charts pop times of 1.85 seconds. He has soft hands and solid blocking technique, and he worked to eliminate excess movement in his setup and in his throwing motion during the season. Hedges lines the ball to all fields and projects to hit for average with a compact swing and discerning eye. His power has come as advertised, and he could hit 15 or more homers annually based on his frequency of hard contact and loft in his swing. He has below-average speed but runs the bases aggresssively. The Future: Given that the Padres have Yasmani Grandal and Nick Hundley in the big leagues, they can afford to be patient with Hedges. He still shouldn't require much more than two full seasons in the minors, and they wouldn't be surprised if he finished 2013 in Double-A.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The 82nd overall pick in June, Hedges waited until the Aug. 15 deadline before signing for $3 million, which would have been a second-round record had the Pirates' Josh Bell not pulled down $5 million that same day. Scouts regarded Hedges, an A student with a strong UCLA commitment, as one of the best defensive high school catchers in recent draft history. Scouting Report: Amateur opponents rarely bothered running on Hedges, whose arm plays as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale because of solid strength and clean, quick mechanics that produce pop times as quick as 1.78 seconds. He receives plus-plus grades for his receiving, blocking, quiet setup and leadership qualities, but scouts disagree on his offensive potential. Those who like Hedges' bat give him a chance to be an average hitter with average pop, while others think his overly aggressive approach will hinder him. Though he's agile for his size, he's a below-average runner like most catchers. The Future: Hedges showed up to instructional league with a more physical build than he had in high school, and the Padres think he could be ready for full-season ball in 2012. He may be four years away from the big leagues, however.