PHOENIX — Austin Hedges, the Padres' presumptive catcher of the future, is on such a torrid pace in Triple-A that Andy Green reached for humor, if not hyperbole, Monday.
"We might ... have all our prospects take their hamate (bone) out in the offseason if this is the response," the Padres manager joked. "Mandatory removal of all hamates in the offseason, I think it's a good idea."
Hedges, who had a fractured hamate bone surgically excised in late April, was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week for the second consecutive week. The 23-year-old is the PCL's first back-to-back winner of the honor since John Bowker in 2009.