Hedges was recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday.
Long known as one of the best young defensive catchers in professional baseball, it has taken awhile for Hedges to develop himself into a competent hitter. It remains to be seen how much of his 2016 production should be attributed to the advantageous hitting conditions of the Pacific Coast League, but on paper it looks to be a breakout campaign. Hedges hit .326/.353/.597 with 21 home runs and a 15.3 percent K-rate in 334 plate appearances with El Paso. He has a chance to be the Padres' starting catcher heading into 2017, and if a fragment of his offensive production carries over against big league pitching he could be useful in a wide range of formats next year. Look for him to start a handful of games down the stretch, offering the potential for a home run or two by season's end.