JSerra's Hedges Faces a Big-League Decision

Austin Hedges faces a choice shared by high school seniors across the country. The JSerra graduate must decide whether to continue his education at the collegiate level or to bypass further studies and immediately enter the job market.

However, Hedges’ situation is significantly different from the majority of his peers. The 18-year-old was selected by the San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball’s first-year players draft and must decide between becoming the newest member of the Padres’ farm system or carrying out his commitment to UCLA‘s baseball program.

Hedges, who played catcher for the Lions during their recent CIF Southern Section playoff run, awoke to the news yesterday morning. His proud parents roused him from an early summer-break slumber to tell Austin that the Padres had decided to invest a portion of their future in him. San Diego tabbed the JSerra standout in the draft’s second-round, making him the 82nd overall pick.

“This is a humbling experience,” Hedges said. “It’s an honor just to have the opportunity to make a decision like this. I’ve tried to work as hard as I can to get myself to this point, and when a big league team wants you, it really makes it feel like the hard work has paid off a bit.”

Hedges entered his senior season as one of the country’s premier high school catchers and the reigning recipient of the Rawlings National Defensive Player of the Year award. Considering the hype surrounding Hedges throughout the spring, Wednesday’s news may have been more gratifying than surprising. The anticipation of being chosen early in the draft also gave Hedges more time to prepare for his current quandary.

After earning Trinity League MVP honors as a sophomore second baseman in 2009, Hedges committed to play at UCLA. Even as he moved behind the plate and developed into one of California’s best backstops in recent decades, his decision to become a Bruin hardly wavered. He signed his letter of intent with the team last November.

“UCLA would be a blast,” Hedges said. “I’ve got a bunch of friends going there and I really like the coaching staff. I see it as a great opportunity to compete for college World Series trophies and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to for a while.”

Hedges’ 6-1, 195-pound frame, exceptional defensive instincts, powerful throwing arm and ability to play the sport’s most physically demanding position with the dexterity of a shortstop had pro scouts salivating throughout the spring. Teams may have been hesitant to pull the trigger on Hedges during Monday’s first round because of his perceived firm commitment to attending college (he’s an A student), but it wasn’t long before San Diego scooped him up in Round 2.  

“I thought San Diego had some interest earlier,” Hedges said. “But when nothing happened on the first day of the draft, I had no idea what to expect.”

The Padres front office will attempt to put together a contract package lucrative enough to keep Hedges from packing his bags, heading to Westwood and assuming the role of a freshman dorm dweller.

"It's a pretty strong commitment to UCLA," said Jason McLeod, vice president and assistant general manager of the Padres, in a statement on San Diego’s team website. "He's a great student, and I think he made it known his commitment to go to college. We know we have our work cut out for us, but he's a special kid, a special talent. I don't know if you're going to find many guys who bring to that position the skill set that he does."

Eric Snyder hopes Hedges resists the temptation to take his talents south on I-5. The Edison outfielder, who just wrapped up his CIF Southern Section career ranked seventh all-time in base hits, committed to UCLA along with Hedges two years ago.

“We’ve been talking about it since sophomore year,” Snyder said. “We’ve always been rooming together, that has been our plan. So, hopefully, he decides to go to UCLA and have a great future there. But if he signs, I know he’s going to be a great player and a lifelong friend.”

There’s little doubt that Hedges is physically ready to take on the demands of a professional ballplayer. His tireless work with JSerra coach Brett Kay, a former standout catcher at Cal State Fullerton and the New York Mets’ eighth-round selection in 2001, has helped provide Hedges with the pedigree of a pro.

“He’s meant so much to me,” Hedges said. “He’s one of my mentors, leaders... another father figure for me. Everything he has taught me has helped me get to this point and I owe him so much.”

You can see Hedges’ maturity in the way he speaks to the media, commands the infield and, most importantly, approaches each game.

Less than three weeks ago, JSerra defeated Great Oak, 1-0, in a 14-inning thriller to advance in the Division 1 playoffs. Hedges caught all 14 innings and saved the Lions with an acrobatic defensive play at the plate in the 11th inning. Fatigue never appeared to be a factor for arguably the best high school backstop in America.

“Austin plays the position better than anyone I’ve seen at this level,” said Kay after a late-season victory. “He does things defensively that make you shake your head and he’s been a huge help for our pitching staff. When you add his bat into the equation, it’s clear that he’s a really special player.”

Hedges hit .366 as a senior with four home runs, 16 RBIs and 11 doubles. If he can continue to develop more consistently at the plate and add another dimension to his arsenal of sterling defensive attributes, it may not take long before Hedges is suiting up in The Show.

For now, he must determine whether that milestone comes sooner or later.

“There’s a little time to think things over and wait to see what the best process is moving forward,” Hedges said. “But my goal has always been to become a big-leaguer, regardless of the road I have to take.”

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