Padres catcher Austin Hedges is already becoming a favorite in the locker room. The rookie is now showing off what many regarded as his top skill in the minors, his defense, according to MLB.com.
"We saw the quick feet, [the] powerful arm," said Padres manager Bud Black. "Great reaction, arm strength, accurate … that's what we've seen out of him since the day we signed him."
Hedges gunned down Ian Desmond on Saturday when he tried to steal second base on a delayed steal.
"That was cool. I had definitely thought of that [first caught stealing], what would it be … I didn't expect it to be at third," Hedges said. "That was a big situation and it helped us get out of the inning. I was pretty pumped about that."