Yasmani Grandal wonders where he fits in Padres’ plans after Nick Hundley extension

In writing about Nick Hundley‘s contract extension earlier this week I noted that the move blocks top catching prospect Yasmani Grandal’s path to the majors, as he looks likely to be MLB-ready by 2013 at the latest and now Hundley is signed through 2015.

Dan Hayes of the North County Times took it one step further, asking Grandal for his reaction to the Hundley signing:

I’m happy for Hundo. He has worked his butt off to get that deal. I’m looking for the same thing. It doesn’t matter if somebody got a deal or not. You never know what could happen. They could get traded or you could get traded. I’m not only playing for one organization. I’m playing for the 29 others that are out there. That’s one way I see it, and if it’s not meant to be it’s not meant to be. If I don’t make it to the big leagues with this club I can make it with any other team.

Certainly a reasonable response, although it does indicate that Grandal indeed feels somewhat blocked by Hundley now. Of course, he knows all about being traded because Grandal was sent from Cincinnati to San Diego as part of the Mat Latos deal.

My guess is that Grandal spends most of this season at Triple-A and then splits time with Hundley in 2013, at which point the Padres will look to make a trade and will probably be shopping Hundley.


(hardballtalk.com)