Former Storm Fill Padres 40-Man Roster
Peoria, AZ - The San Diego Padres announced today that they have agreed to contract terms with 22 players in advance of the 2014 season. Of those 22, 10 are former members of the Storm. Agreeing to terms were pitchers Donn Roach, Burch Smith, Dale Thayer and Nick Vincent; infielders Juan Oramas, Jedd Gyorko, and Tommy Medica; and outfielders Yeison Asencio, Reymond Fuentes and Rymer Liriano. 13 Storm alumni are listed on the Padres 40-man roster.
With baseball activities in full swing at the Padres facility in Arizona, season-long storylines have already been drafted. Five former Storm will write their own stories this season:
Chase Headley (Storm '06): The Padres third baseman and face of the franchise has been sidelined with a calf strain suffered in preliminary workouts two weeks ago. Barring any setbacks, Headley should be able to return to action in 1-2 weeks. This news is familiar to Padres fans, as the 29-year old suffered a fractured left thumb in mid-March of last year that kept him out for a month and was partly to blame for his poor numbers at the plate following his return to the lineup. The Padres are confident Headley can return to his 2012 form, when he hit .286/.376/.498 with 31 home runs, 17 stolen bases and 115 RBI in 161 games and finished 5th in NL MVP voting.
Jedd Gyorko (Storm '11): 2013 was a breakout year for former Storm Jedd Gyorko, and expectations surrounding the Padres second baseman are high. Gyorko dropped 15 pounds and improved his flexibility in the offseason, and will start camp with the confidence that his name is in ink at second base. "This spring is more about being ready for Opening Day," said Gyorko in an interview last week. "Last year I had to come in and be ready for day one. This year things are changing and I can ease into it a little bit more. But the goal is still the same: to make sure I'm ready."
Xavier Nady (Storm '01): Former Padres first-round draft pick Xavier Nady signed a Minor League contract with the club in the offseason and was invited to camp this spring. The 35 year old is attempting a comeback of sorts, and has not played at the big league level since 2012 when he was with the Giants. 13 other outfielders reported to Spring Training this year, so Nady has a tough row to hoe in order to get back to the show.
Kyle Blanks (Storm '07): 2014 looks promising for Padres outfielder Kyle Blanks. While he has yet to play a full season in the majors since his initial call-up in 2009, in 2013 the 27 year-old proved to fans and critics alike that he deserves a spot on the 25-man roster. Blanks hit .243 with 8 home runs and 35 RBIs over 88 games and proved to be a steady presence in an outfield marred by injuries to Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin.
Austin Hedges (Storm '13): In the weeks leading up to Spring Training, last year's Storm starting catcher Austin Hedges was the focus of national attention in the discussion of the league's top prospects. The San Juan Capistrano native spent parts of two seasons with the Storm and finished 2013 with AA San Antonio. While the Padres will stick with Nick Hundley and Yasmani Grandal for the foreseeable future, Hedges has a good chance at being called up once rosters expand in September.
Headley, Gyorko, and Blanks will break camp with the Padres, and Hedges will most likely start the season with AA San Antonio. Nady's future is uncertain, but a strong spring will put him in the running for a spot on the Padres bench for Opening Day.
There are still plenty of Storm season ticket plans and flex books available, so reserve your place at The Diamond today to see future Padres in action. Visit stormbaseball.com or call the front office at (951) 245-4487 for more information.