San Diego Padres: Yasmani Grandal Not Necessarily Blocked by Hundley Extension

As I was putting the final touches on my Top 50 prospects ranking—which will debut on Monday morning—I had just finished writing about how the San Diego Padres' Mat Latos trade opened a door to the major leagues for catcher Yasmani Grandal.

No more than five minutes after writing my final thoughts on the switch-hitting catcher, I received a text alert that the Padres had agreed to a contract extension with their incumbent backstop, Nick Hundley, that locked him up through the 2015 season.

Why on earth would the Padres go out of their way to acquire a nearly big league-ready catcher in Grandal if they were planning on extending Hundley?  Grandal will likely be ready by the beginning of the next season (at the latest), so why block his path or pay Hundley that much to split time with him?

However, a closer look at the terms of Hundley’s extension suggests that he may not impede Grandal’s progress as much as it would seem on the surface.

The contract is team-friendly in the sense that the Padres bought out Hundley’s two years of arbitration, guaranteeing him $3 million in 2013 and $4 million in 2014, with a $5 million club option for the 2015 season.  

Therefore, the contract makes Hundley—who posted a 3.5 fWAR in 2011—a likely trade candidate and an intriguing and affordable option for many teams.  With this contract in place, potential suitors understand that it won’t cost them anything beyond what's already specified. 

When—not if—Hundley is ultimately traded will be dictated by Grandal’s overall progress.  And while I deplore the valuation of spring training statistics, the 23-year-old is slashing .346/.393/.577  with four extra-base hits and nine RBI, which, albeit a small sample size, is a fair representation of his bat’s potential impact.

Grandal, a University of Miami alumnus who ranks as the organization’s No. 2 prospect, made a stop at every minor league level last season while with the Reds.  While his defense needs another year of seasoning in Triple-A, his bat is nearly big league ready.

He could be ready as early as the second half of the 2012 season, but realistically, Grandal won’t receive considerable playing time until 2013—assuming Hundley remains healthy.

So, with the potential to be moved as early as the 2012 trade deadline, Hundley’s contract extension hardly guarantees that he’ll be a Padre through the 2014 season. Rather, it allows the organization to develop Grandal as planned, while ensuring a valuable return for Hundley when he's ultimately traded.