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San Diego Padres prospect Jedd Gyorko has made major strides forward this spring in a short amount of time, and manager Bud Black has noticed as the Padres’ top prospect makes the transition from third to second base.
“He’s handled second base very nicely. He’s making all the plays [and] turning a real good double play. Hands are good. Feet are good, “Black told MLB.com on Saturday. “He’s done some nice things. You can tell this guy is a baseball player.”
The Padres will benefit a great deal if Gyorko can win the job outright due to his ability as a hitter. His defense has been the only question mark as he’s had to make the switch from his natural position in deference to Chase Headley.
Black’s comments indicate that everything is going according to plan in order to develop Gyorko and get him on track to shore up the middle of the infield and add some pop to the lineup. With the coaching staff’s confidence, he’ll have every opportunity to showcase his abilities in the Cactus League.
Last year in Triple-A Tuscon, the 24-year-old hit .328 and had a .380 on-base percentage. San Diego finished last season 10th in the National League in runs scored with 651, so a player that can add those numbers as a middle infielder is a major asset.
