Padres catcher prospect Yasmani Grandal has been on the 7-day DL at Triple-A Tucson since April 9 because of a hamstring pull, reports The San Diego Union-Tribune. He is expected to return shortly, however. Grandal is batting .500 (6 for 12) with one RBI and two doubles in four games before getting hurt.


(fantasysp.com)

Padres catching prospect Yasmani Grandal has been placed on Triple-A Tucson's 7-day disabled list with a right hamstring injury. It's not clear at this point how long the young catcher might be out.



(fantasysp.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. – The San Diego Padres today announced they have optioned catcher Yasmani Grandal to Triple-A Tucson. In addition, the club has reassigned left-handed pitcher Alex Hinshaw to minor league camp. Executive Vice President/General Manager Josh Byrnes made the announcements.

With today’s announcements, the Padres currently have 38 players in Major League camp, including eight non-roster invitees.


(mlb.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. — Catcher Yasmani Grandal is still in camp and he’s enjoying every minute of it.

Grandal was an early cut during his first big league camp last season with the Cincinnati Reds. While the San Diego Padres have experienced catchers like Nick Hundley and John Baker to work with, the 53rd-ranked prospect in Baseball America’s Top 100 discussed how those guys have helped him improve during his first camp with the Padres.

MT: How’d you feel this spring went compared to last year?
YG: I loved it. It was much better than last year. To that point it was good. I got a lot of playing time, a lot of at-bats. Last year I only had 11 so that wasn’t too fun. Being able to stay until the end, that’s one of the things that I liked the most. I’m looking forward to starting the season now.

Last year I got sent down in the first cut. I wasn’t surprised by that because it was my first spring training. It was fine but I just wanted to get rolling and get my at-bats in. This year it was more of a learning process to where I saw these older guys playing and the different things they did just to get ready for the game.

MT: How much have Hundley and Baker helped along the way?
YG: They’ve been there for me every step. Whatever questions I got, they answer. They’re outspoken. They’re always looking at you when you’re doing something and if you’re doing something wrong they’ll let you know. I can’t have any complains about them two. That’s why they made it in the big leagues, because they’re guys that look at the little things. It’s one of the things you’ve got to learn as a young guy, to look at the little things.

MT: What were you ultimately trying to accomplish here?
YG: I came in trying to learn about what the organization was doing, how they go about things and I think I got a pretty good feeling about that. I worked on every aspect of my game, like my catching and my hitting. Mostly on my catching more than my hitting because I knew my hitting would come along at some point. I think I made a lot of progress in my catching. I want to be known as a defensive guy not a hitter. I want hitting to be another plus.

I want to be like (Red Sox catcher) Jason Varitek, where he caught a couple of no-hitters and guys wanted to throw to him a lot. That’s why he stayed in there for so long. If you’re able to call a good game, guys are going to want to pitch to you. That’s what I want and that’s my main goal.
Everything I learned here is just going to be the little things that get me through the year. Especially not only me, but little things that I can get my pitchers through when we’re having a bad outing. If I can get them out of an inning by doing something, I made a point. That’s one of the things that I’ve wanted to learn here, is to see what I could do to help my pitcher out. That’s my main focus behind the plate.

MT: Players typically say the minor leagues helped them mature, do you feel the same way?
YG: I wasn’t able to play outside of Miami since I went there, and it was the only school I wanted to go to. Minor leagues is a new experience for me. Last year I had a lot of fun being by myself and living by myself. You definitely grow as a man and experience how to take care of yourself. You learn how to be a little more time consuming.

My main goal is to make it to the big leagues and not only that, my main goal is to have a career as a big leaguer. I don’t want to have a career as a minor leaguer. My main goal is to get to wherever I’m going, having a good season and let everything else take care of itself. You can’t really think about whether they’re going to move you up or not.


(utsandiego.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- There's certainly a lot to like about Yasmani Grandal's bat, as the switch-hitting catcher came to the Padres from the Reds in December with what was considered a plus-bat tool.

The defense, many figured, would follow and possibly slowly.

But so far, Grandal has impressed with his bat -- he's hitting .346 with one home run and nine RBIs -- and his glove, particularly his ability to block pitches in the dirt.

"Grandal has been better than expected in camp, thanks to his hard work and the tutelage of Terry Kennedy, Brad Ausmus, John Gibbons and Justin Hatcher," manager Bud Black said Friday.

"It's going to be a process," Black said. "There's some things he needs to continue to work on. But in a short time, he's done some good work. He's done a good job."

Grandal moved fast through the Reds system, advancing to Triple-A last season. Still, he has only 402 Minor League at-bats and figures to benefit -- offensively and defensively -- from a season in the Minor Leagues, likely with Triple-A Tucson.


(mlb.com)

In writing about Nick Hundley‘s contract extension earlier this week I noted that the move blocks top catching prospect Yasmani Grandal’s path to the majors, as he looks likely to be MLB-ready by 2013 at the latest and now Hundley is signed through 2015.

Dan Hayes of the North County Times took it one step further, asking Grandal for his reaction to the Hundley signing:

I’m happy for Hundo. He has worked his butt off to get that deal. I’m looking for the same thing. It doesn’t matter if somebody got a deal or not. You never know what could happen. They could get traded or you could get traded. I’m not only playing for one organization. I’m playing for the 29 others that are out there. That’s one way I see it, and if it’s not meant to be it’s not meant to be. If I don’t make it to the big leagues with this club I can make it with any other team.

Certainly a reasonable response, although it does indicate that Grandal indeed feels somewhat blocked by Hundley now. Of course, he knows all about being traded because Grandal was sent from Cincinnati to San Diego as part of the Mat Latos deal.

My guess is that Grandal spends most of this season at Triple-A and then splits time with Hundley in 2013, at which point the Padres will look to make a trade and will probably be shopping Hundley.


(hardballtalk.com)

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Yasmani Grandal hit a three-run homer and a pair of RBI singles as the Padres defeated the Rockies, 11-6, in a Cactus League split-squad game at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium on Thursday.

The Padres' catcher, one of four players obtained from the Reds this past offseason in the Mat Latos trade, singled in the first and fifth innings. His three-run shot and first of the spring came during a four-run Padres fourth and was struck on the 10th pitch of a full-count at bat against Rockies reliever Carlos Torres.

"It was a fastball right down the pike," said Grandal, who went 3-for-3 with five RBIs in the game. "I've still got a long way to go, but I'm almost there. You can throw me as many fastballs as you want on a 3-2 count, and I'm going to keep fouling them off until I hit one."

Eric Young Jr. led off the game for the Rockies with a homer, his first of the spring, off Padres starter Casey Kelly. Kelly pitched four innings, allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and four strikeouts.

Guillermo Moscoso, still vying for a spot in the Colorado rotation, worked the first three innings for the Rockies, allowing five runs on seven hits with three walks and three whiffs. Torres allowed six runs and six hits in his two innings of work.

Kelly and Grandal could very well be a battery combination for the Triple-A Tucson Padres when camp breaks in two weeks.

"I didn't know I could hit the ball that far," said Grandal, whose homer was launched over the 32-foot green batting eye in dead center, a mammoth blast even by Kino Stadium standards. "I'm beginning to like this park already."


(mlb.com)

Nick Hundley and the Padres have agreed to a multi-year contract that covers 2013 and 2014 while including a team option for 2015.

Hundley was already signed for $2 million this season and under team control through 2014 via the arbitration process, so the Padres will pre-pay for two seasons of arbitration eligibility in exchange for some cost certainty and the option of buying out his first year of free agency.

Hundley has had trouble staying healthy, playing fewer than 90 games in each of his four seasons, but the 28-year-old hit .288 with a .347 on-base percentage and .477 slugging percentage in 82 games last season and has thrown out 28 percent of steal attempts for his career.

Prior to last season’s .824 OPS his career mark was just .699, so committing to Hundley rather than going year-to-year via arbitration is certainly a risk. However, he’s a rare player who actually thrives in the majors’ most pitcher-friendly ballpark, as Hundley has hit .271 with an .818 OPS at Petco Park compared to .240 with a .657 OPS on the road. Those splits are tough to explain and probably aren’t sustainable, but either way he’s a solid-hitting catcher with decent defensive chops and the Padres now have him locked up through age 31.

Now that Hundley is signed long term it’ll be interesting to see what the Padres do with catching prospect Yasmani Grandal, who was acquired from the Reds in the Mat Latos trade and ranks as the No. 53 prospect in the majors according Baseball America. Grandal is 23 years old and figures to begin this season at Triple-A, so he’ll be MLB-ready long before Hundley’s deal expires.


(hardballtalk.com)

Grandal is expected to begin the year at Double-A San Antonio despite getting a taste of Triple-A Louisville at the end of 2011 in the Reds' organization, the North County Times reports.




(fantasysp.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. — They all wear midnight blue and white, but some bleed green and orange.

The San Diego Padres have five players in camp -- including two non-roster invitees -- that attended the University of Miami: first baseman Yonder Alonso, center fielder Blake Tekotte and catchers Yasmani Grandal, Jason Hagerty and Eddy Rodriguez.

“Every time we play with a fellow teammate or someone that played at Miami, it’s really like a family,” Grandal said. “Even if you didn’t play with them, we all know each other.”

Grandal and Alonso came from the Cincinnati Reds in a five-player deal for pitcher Mat Latos. Both players speak passionately about “the U,” as Miami is commonly referred to. Although the school is mostly known for football, its baseball program is just as rich in history.

They’re just two of 38 former Hurricanes on professional baseball rosters from a program that in baseball circles is widely known as one of the best in the country.

“The only reason they talk about the football team is because the publicity they get, but we’ve had almost the same history as they have,” Grandal said. “We’re a good program as well. I think both programs are known nationwide. It’s just a good system they got there whether it’s for football or baseball. We’ve both been successful.”

Grandal spent three seasons as a Hurricane. He played with Alonso during his freshman year. He said Alonso taught him a lot, including how to lead the team.

“That’s the thing about Miami, once you learn the system -- once you learn how to play Hurricane baseball – you try to pass that on,” Grandal said.
Grandal always saw former Hurricanes like Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell and John Jay in the batting cages in the offseason. They always gave him tips to help him improve. The 53rd-ranked prospect by Baseball America said he always wanted to be listed with those players in the school’s media guide.

“More and more you see guys getting up and doing big things,” Grandal said. “Those big things go all the way back to the University of Miami.”
Grandal has a tattoo of the school’s logo inked inside of a baseball with a cross surrounding it. Alonso has a tattoo of the logo as well -- a big orange and green “U” on his shoulder.

“That says enough right there,” Alonso said when asked what the university means to him.

Alonso spent three seasons in Coral Gables, Fla. He still spends his offseason working out at the school’s facilities. Alonso grew up idolizing the program because he appreciated the way Miami played the game.

“A lot of swag,” Alonso said. “They knew they belonged, which is something big. You grow up watching them, imitating them and playing like them.”
At Miami, Alonso became good friends with Alex Rodriguez, who originally had committed to the Hurricanes in high school before he signed his first professional contract with the Seattle Mariners.

Their relationship started when Alonso asked Rodriguez if he could hit with him. Rodriguez thought it was funny Alonso wanted to compare himself to a professional baseball player, but agreed to Alonso’s request.

They went on to hit together for two months straight.

“Even to this day, I just talked to him a couple days ago and we were talking about how it was going with camp and (Padres manager) Bud Black,” Alonso said. “It’s just nice to have someone that knows the game that has been around the game for several years.”

Grandal and Alonso make sure to help current players on the team. It can become a difficult task now that they don’t reside on the East Coast for the majority of the year, but they understand how much the interaction with professional players benefited their play on the field.

“It’s a tradition, it’s an honor,” Alonso said. “With all of that said, you got to make sure you fit that role very well. If you don’t, it doesn’t sit very well with the people around there. You got to make sure that you not only carry it on the field but carry it outside the field, too.”


(utsandiego.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Jason Vargas pitched a perfect four innings in his Cactus League opener on Sunday, as the Mariners topped the Padres, 5-4, in the annual Charity Game at Peoria Stadium.

Third baseman Kyle Seager went 3-for-3 with a home run for the Mariners and also made a nice diving stop in the second inning to help keep Vargas' slate clean, as Seattle improved to 2-1 in Cactus League play.

The Padres managed just three hits in the first eight innings of their spring opener and committed three errors. First baseman Yonder Alonso, making his Padres' debut after being obtained from the Reds in the Mat Latos trade, got San Diego's first hit with a single off of Brandon League in the fifth inning.

In the ninth, San Diego would double that hit total and tie the game. After a run-scoring single by Edinson Rincon, prospect Yasmani Grandal ripped a two-run double to center, and then the Padres tied the game when Seattle shortstop Nick Franklin lost a pop-up in the sun, allowing pinch-runner Cory Spangenberg to score the tying run. Franklin was charged with an error, giving Seattle three errors of its own.

The Mariners left no doubt in the home half of the ninth, as Mike Wilson singled leading off the inning, and Johermyn Chavez doubled him home immediately after to give the Mariners the walk-off win.


(mlb.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. — When it comes to speed, Padres prospect Yasmani Grandal can't compete with his father and his uncle, both of whom played professional soccer in Cuba. But quickness is another matter, and the minor-league catcher has demonstrated plenty this spring.

With a 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame, Grandal — one of four players acquired in the trade that sent pitcher Mat Latos to Cincinnati on on Dec. 17 — has no illusions about his foot speed. Running is clearly not his forte, and soccer has never been an option despite his family background. Fortunately for Grandal and the Padres, soccer and catching have little in common.

Over the last two weeks, the Padres have tried to tap into Grandal's quickness to help him improve behind the plate after he allowed 19 passed balls in 90 games last season. With the spring training opener Sunday, Grandal wants to test out the new techniques at game speed.

"It's more recognizing what you have to do," Grandal said. "One guy can be quick running. But a slower guy might be quicker with his feet.
"I'm ready to go. I'm just real excited."

Based on early reviews this spring, the Padres must be ecstatic with what they have in Grandal, whom Baseball America recently ranked as the 53rd-best prospect in the minor leagues.

A switch-hitter with power on both sides, Grandal is every bit the physical presence that the Reds believed he was when they drafted him 12th overall in 2008. But with prospect Devin Mesoraco also in the system, Cincinnati had a surplus of good catchers and included Grandal in the Latos deal.

The Padres are the beneficiary, in particular Triple-A manager Terry Kennedy, who probably will take Grandal with him to Tucson when the team breaks camp next month. Grandal, 23, started last season at Single-A with the Reds and advanced to Triple-A before the season ended.

"A switch-hitting catcher with some juice?" Kennedy said. "Yeah, I'll take him."

Grandal expects to make significant defensive improvement this season under the direction of former big-league catchers Kennedy and Brad Ausmus, the Padres' special assistant to baseball operations. Kennedy said the early focus has been on changing the angle of Grandal's back when he's behind the plate. Before the adjustment, Grandal's back was straighter, which makes it harder to block and also raises his target — a no-no in the Padres' system.

Though the changes took a few days to kick in, Grandal said he can already see a difference.

"It's something much easier, so I can be a little faster," Grandal said. "It feels much easier to get down and block. It feels much faster when I throw to second. I work on it about four or five times a week just so I don't have to be thinking about it much."

Kennedy thinks Grandal has looked much better, especially after he began to get more comfortable with his pitchers.

"We'll have to watch in the games, but he takes his defense very seriously," Kennedy said. "He's not just a one-way guy. He wants to be a good catcher."

Grandal first played catcher when he was 15, nine years after he picked up baseball and five years after he started in Little League in 1999, when he and his mother moved from Havana to Miami. Originally, at age 4, Grandal tried to follow in the footsteps of his father, Jose Avelino Grandal, and uncle, Gustavo Herrera, who played professionally in Cuba in the late 1970s and early '80s. But soccer was never a natural fit.

Padres general manager Josh Byrnes thinks Grandal is athletic, but can't imagine him on the pitch, only catching pitches.

"He's one of the bigger, stronger guys we have," Byrnes said. "Obviously, there's some athletic ability and flexibility. It's part of the position. He doesn't look like a soccer player."

Grandal knows he can't run like one, either. But that's OK. He doesn't need speed to be a catcher.

"I'm much bigger than my uncle and my dad," Grandal said. "They weren't small, but they were fast. I played soccer when I was little.

"I'm not fast at all."


(nctimes.com)

PEORIA, Ariz. -- In the opinion of Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal, there's no such thing as seeing too much left-handed pitching in spring.

Grandal, in his first big league camp with the team after being acquired from the Reds in December in the Mat Latos deal, is a switch-hitter who is looking to get as many right-handed at-bats as he can this month because once the season starts, left-handed pitching is harder to come by.

"If you're lucky, you might see one or two lefties a week," he said. "But not too many teams have back-to-back lefty starters."

So Grandal is focusing as much on his right-handed swing as he can in camp. And if he sees a few left-handed pitchers this spring, well, that's a bonus.

"During the season, the right-hand side doesn't usually get as many at-bats as the left-hand side. That's why you see a lot of guys being better from the left-hand side than the right," Grandal said.

"In Spring Training, you concentrate on that right-hand swing because it's the one swing that takes the longest to get good with. Lefty, it's more natural."

At this point of his career, the more at-bats Grandal gets, the more comfortable he feels. Grandal was the Reds' first-round pick (12th overall) in 2010, and last season was his first full professional season. He hit a combined .305/.401/.500 with 14 home runs and 68 RBIs in 2011.

Grandal hit .307 against right-handed pitchers and .274 against left-handed pitching.

"Lefty, I'm more a gap-to-gap guy, more contact," Grandal said. "Righty, I have way more power than lefty."


(mlb.com)

Yasmani Grandal is used to change.

After spending the first 10 years of his life in Cuba, Grandal's family won a national lottery that allowed them to immigrate to the United States. Despite coming over with little knowledge of his new home, Grandal eventually learned the country's language and history.

Grandal already knew of the national pastime, as he enjoyed success in the game in Cuba. He made a junior national team as a shortstop and third baseman, but he grew into one of baseball's top prospects at Miami Springs High School. He continued his growth at the University of Miami, playing internationally for Team USA in 2009 and finishing second in the voting for the Golden Spikes Award in '10. Later that year, he was selected 12th overall by the Reds in the Draft.

Grandal posted a .901 OPS in his first full professional season, solidifying his status as one of best young catchers in the game, but change again came for him during the offseason. Grandal was sent to the Padres along with three other players in exchange for right-hander Mat Latos -- a trade that he, like many, didn't see coming.

Though pitchers and catchers only reported last week, Grandal has already been with the Padres for nearly a month getting ready for the season. MiLB.com recently caught up with the young backstop to talk about what it was like coming over from Cuba, his experience at the University of Miami and what he thinks about his new organization.

MiLB.com: It's your first Spring Training with the Padres. What have you done so far in camp?
Yasmani Grandal: Just doing some catching, a little bit of hitting, learning the pitchers. There's a bunch of guys here I've never caught before, which is one of the reasons I got here a couple weeks early. So far, so good. There are a lot of young guys, a lot of good guys, so I'm excited.

MiLB.com: You're with the Padres now after coming over in the Mat Latos trade in December. What was your reaction to that deal?
Grandal: I was in shock. I really didn't know what to say. I thought it was a practical joke by one of my friends, but then I knew it wasn't my friend talking on the phone. I was just in shock. [The Reds] explained to me why they had to do it, and I was fine with it. As long as I'm playing ball anywhere else, it doesn't matter.

MiLB.com: With the Reds, you were behind another young catcher, Devin Mesoraco. Was it a relief to go to a team without another prospect looming right above you?
Grandal: Not really. I like the competition. I set goals. I don't mind having somebody on top of me. My ultimate goal is to beat him out and get that job. Whether it's in Cincinnati or any other organization, I want to do the same thing.

MiLB.com: The Padres play at Petco, a notorious pitchers' park. As a catcher, that must excite you, but as a hitter, maybe not. Are you more excited or anxious about the prospect of playing there?
Grandal: I don't really consider myself as a power hitter, so it's a perfect ballpark for me. It's a pitchers' ballpark, so I'm really excited about that, especially catching all these guys that have a lot of potential. Hopefully in the future, if I ever get to play there, we'll throw a couple no-hitters. I'm definitely excited. It's not like Cincinnati, where you hit the ball in the air and it's a home run.

MiLB.com: When you were 10 years old, you and your family emigrated from Cuba to America after winning a national lottery (which has since been discontinued). What do you remember about that experience?
Grandal: It was great. You always hear these stories about coming here, and that's one thing you want to do. There's opportunity here, all these other things, but being a kid, it wasn't really a big change for me. I think it was a big change for my parents, because they'd already lived [in Cuba for so long]. I think I adjusted really well. It was a good opportunity and my mom took it. Lucky for us, we were able to bring the whole family over here, and we're a big family. We stayed together.

MiLB.com: Obviously, you were young, but what was the biggest change that came with that move?
Grandal: Just the language barrier. Getting to a new country, not knowing the language. Lucky for me, I got to Miami where 75 percent of people speak Spanish, so it wasn't a big difference.

MiLB.com: You got your U.S. citizenship when you were a senior in high school. If you didn't, you likely would have been able to sign a professional contract without being drafted. Did that cross your mind?
Grandal: One thing I wouldn't have been able to do is play for Team USA, and that was one of my goals. That was one of the main reasons why I had to do it -- I wanted to play for the USA. Luckily, I was able to do it my sophomore year at Miami.

MiLB.com: As it played out, you were drafted by the Red Sox in the 27th round out of high school. What made you choose college over the pros?
Grandal: I was really clear with the Red Sox about what I wanted. I told them if they didn't meet what I wanted, then I was going to go to the University of Miami. Same thing I told to [Miami] coach [Jim] Morris -- If they don't give me the money I want, I'm coming [to Miami]. Once the Sox called me, I said 'Don't waste a pick on me.' They said, 'No, we'll work something out.' They offered me I think half of what I wanted, so it was an easy choice.

MiLB.com: Miami has a great baseball program but still might be known to some as more of a football school. What made you decide to go there?
Grandal: Nationwide, I think it's a little bit about both. I think both programs have had success, and they're known around the country. When I got to Miami, I always heard about the University of Miami and the Hurricanes. I always wanted to play there. I had other schools I could've gone to, but my first choice was always Miami.

MiLB.com: You were taken 12th overall by the Reds in 2010. I imagine that was an emotional moment for you and your family.
Grandal: Oh, it was -- it definitely was. One thing I remember is being out on the field, about to start warming up and a little kid told me I had been drafted by the Reds. I have a couple pictures of my parents once they heard the news. Everybody was happy and crying. I had to stay focused. I really didn't think about it until the end of the game -- it was the last game of Regionals and we had to move on.

MiLB.com: You were college teammates with Yonder Alonso, another player in the Reds organization who came to the Padres in the Latos deal. What kind of relationship do you two have?
Grandal: Once you play for the University of Miami, every guy that plays there is like family. No matter whether you play with them or not, you're always Hurricanes. We have a good relationship, but I still have [Padres teammates and Miami alums] Blake [Tekotte] and [Jason] Hagerty and Eddie Rodriguez. I'm looking forward to getting Spring Training rolling around and having a good time with them and all the guys here.

MiLB.com: You're a switch-hitting catcher, which is a pretty rare commodity. How long have you been catching, and when did you start switch-hitting?
Grandal: I started switch-hitting full-time when I was about 15. Around the same time, I started catching. I was always a third baseman and one day my stepdad ... he made me a catcher. I had to do the job, started liking it and I just stayed there. Right then, I figured I didn't like hitting against lefties, I started hitting righty and it stuck.

MiLB.com: I know it's early on in spring, but have you had time to think about goals for the season?
Grandal: I always have my goals set. My goal is still the same. My main goal is not only to make it to the Major Leagues but to have a career in the Major Leagues. I don't really think about stats. I think if I do my job in the Minor Leagues, hopefully I'll have a shot at the Major Leagues.


(milb.com)

Five of the 60 Padres in the major league camp have common roots in the University of Miami.

And the common link between the five is first baseman Yonder Alonso, who played with the other four University of Miami products in the Padres camp.

Alonso played for the Hurricanes from 2006 to 2008 and has a “U” tattoo in the appropriate colors.

Eddy Rodriguez was the first of three current Padres catchers to play at Miami from 2004 to 2006. Jason Hagerty caught for Miami from 2007 to 2009. And Yasmani Grandal caught for Miami from 2008 to 2010.

Blake Tekotte was Miami’s center fielder from 2006 to 2008.


(utsandiego.com)

Position: Catcher
Height: 6-2
Weight: 232
Age: 23
Born: Havana, Cuba
Drafted: 2010, first round, 12th overall
Acquired: Trade with Cincinnati Reds, Dec. 17
Projected arrival in majors: 2013

Strengths: Advanced from Single-A to Triple-A last season; switch-hitter is expected to provide above-average offense and solid defense; has a balanced approach, controls the strike zone, and uses the entire field.

Weaknesses: University of Miami product had 19 passed balls in 90 games and must improve receiving skills; has an average arm, and speed is well below average. Could need a full season at Triple-A.

Quote: "(Advancing three levels last season) was satisfying. Especially, as I moved on, I did better. It was satisfying just to be able to get those three levels under my belt in one year."


(nctimes.com)

Yonder Alonso has been one of the top prospects in baseball for the last couple of years. So it's not surprising that when he was traded to the Padres in the pre-Christmas blockbuster that sent young ace Mat Latos to Cincinnati for Alonso, pitcher Edinson Volquez and highly touted Minor Leaguers Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger, he immediately became his new team's top prospect.

But the deal didn't just clear first base for Alonso, who had been blocked by Joey Votto in Cincinnati. It also sent a message that the already-stout San Diego farm system has gotten burlier, and is now teeming with talent and players on the cusp of Major League readiness.

"Cincinnati drafted me, and I thank them for that. But I feel like we have elite players in the game, right now, when it comes to prospects in San Diego," Alonso said. "Only positive things are happening for the Padres.

"For myself, it's something I've been waiting for. I feel like I can contribute tremendously, and it's something I'm definitely looking forward to. This team is not only getting ready to win now, but in the future, too."

Just take a look at the top names and it's easy to see why. Alonso has been considered ready for the big leagues for a while, and his five home runs and 15 RBIs in 88 at-bats in the Major Leagues last year indicated that the Padres had good reason to say goodbye to their other first-base prospect, Anthony Rizzo, whom they obtained in the 2010 Adrian Gonzalez deal with Boston and dealt to the Cubs this winter.

Catcher Grandal immediately checks in at No. 4 on the Padres' MLB.com list, and reliever Boxberger, who is at No. 12, has a chance to impact the big club's bullpen at some point in 2012.

"Any time you're building the foundation for sustainable success, it starts with scouting, player development -- and there always seem to be those key trades that are tough to swallow sometimes and difficult to take. But they mean change in the organization," said Padres vice president of professional scouting A.J. Hinch.

"When you do a four-for-one and you're trading a talented pitcher like Latos, you'd hope the return is significant. One thing is that we hope to see the fruits of that trade pretty quickly. If the talent and timing matches up and everybody's happy, it's a pretty good success."


(mlb.com)

We’ve gone surface level with our coverage of Yasmani Grandal up to this point, but now it’s time to go deeper. Our coverage to this point hardly qualifies as analysis, and that’s not a dig on us. There have been so many other aspects that needed analysis, Grandal has fallen through the cracks to this point. No more. It’s time for Grandal’s moment of glory. And let me assure you, there’s nothing more glorious than being the focus of an analysis piece here.

We can rehash Grandal’s prospect ranking all day, but I promised you substance. To get that, let’s start with his story.

While most American boys were concerned about Power Rangers and how far they could jump their bikes off ramps, Yasmani Grandal was waiting to find out his future. There are ways out of Cuba.  Many of them are unpleasant and dangerous. But there was a simple method back in 1998, a method Grandal’s family took. They essentially asked the Cuban and United States governments for permission.

Fourteen years ago, Grandal’s family applied for and won a lottery (the Cuban Special Migration Program), and his entire family was allowed to defect to the United States.  The program arose out of the U.S.-Cuban Migration Accords of 1994, and it allows Cuban nationals who otherwise would not qualify for asylum in the United States to participate in a lottery.  The lottery winner is chosen randomly, as was the case with Grandal and his family.  The program is no longer in existence today, and Grandal’s family was one of the last to be allowed to participate.

In a June 2010 article in the Palm Beach Post, Grandal said, “I think about what would have been if I stayed there.”  Things certainly would have been different.

His is a rare tale of a chance at a better life without the inherent danger most Cuban defectors face.  Rather than a life-threatening open-seas trip to Florida, Grandal and his family arrived with relative ease and safety in Florida.  Grandal was ten years old at the time.  He quickly went from a life in which he would go to sleep hungry to a life in which food was abundant, snacks were available, and life was easier.

“In Cuba, we woke up in the morning wondering what we were going to eat in the afternoon,” said Maria Gomez, who arrived in the U.S. on July 3, 1999 with husband Elieser, her parents and son Yasmani, now a star catcher for the University of Miami. “He got here where you could watch television all day in a nice air-conditioned house with tons of goodies to eat.”

Grandal adjusted nicely to the United States, built up his weight and began playing baseball.  By June of 2010, as he waited to find out what Major League team would draft him out of the University of Miami, Grandal was 6′ 2″, weighing 210 pounds.  He had become one of the best players in all of college baseball, a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award and the Golden Spikes Award.

Grandal struggled in his first two years of college ball hitting .234 and .299 respectively.   However, his Junior year proved to be his breakout season.  During that season, Grandal hit .422/.545/.754 with 14 home runs.  And these were just his stats at the plate.  Behind the plate, Grandal was just as good.  In his final year with the Hurricaines, Grandal threw out 40% of the runners trying to steal against him.  His arm will be as valuable as his bat at the Major League level.

The Cincinnati Reds took Yasmani Grandal 12th overall with the June 2010 draft.  As we know, he spent two minor league seasons with the Reds’ organization before being sent to San Diego in the Mat Latos trade.

In his two minor league seasons, which spanned two different Rookie League teams followed by Single-A ball; Double-A ball; and Triple-A ball, Grandal struck out in 22% of his plate appearances, but walked in 13% of those appearances.  He hit .303/.401/.488.  He’s shown some pop hitting 14 home runs in 105 games in 2011, but his real talent is his ability to put the ball where the fielders aren’t.  Part of his BAbip in the minor leagues is the lower-level fielding ability of many of the defenders, but much of Grandal’s numbers have to do with where he hits the ball.  His 2011 BAbip with the Reds’ Single-A affiliate was .359 in 56 games.  In 45 games with the Double-A affiliate, Grandal’s BAbip was .377.  Obviously that number will come back close to .300 when he hits the Major Leagues, but the trend is promising.  Grandal has been able to find the gaps throughout his minor league seasons.  Over the course of 113 combined games, he has hit 32 doubles.

Behind the plate, Grandal threw out 34% of runners in his minor league career thus far.  He had 19 passed balls in 2011, but just 5 combined between Double-A and Triple-A ball.

With Nick Hundley behind the play for 2012, and John Baker serving platoon duty, Grandal will likely start the season in Triple-A Tucson.  He has a shot at a September call-up, but barring any injuries to the Major League roster, Grandal is more likely to see a 2013 call-up.  The Padres have opened up their options behind the plate.  Hundley has been slowly building steam as a trade chip over the last season or so.  With Grandal waiting in the wings, it makes it easier for the Padres to consider a trade.

Whether we see Grandal in 2012 or 2013, the Padres seem very well-set in their catching situation with  player who was selected to the 2010 Collegiate Baseball First Team and the All ACC First team, was a member of the 2009 United States National Team, and was a finalist for both the Johnny Bench Award and Golden Spikes Award.


(chickenfriars.com)

Yasmani Grandal, Padres: The possible competition for a big league job between Grandal and Mesoraco was averted when Cincinnati sent Grandal to San Diego in the Mat Latos deal. The 2010 first-rounder is now the Padres' top catching prospect, and after finishing 2011 in Triple-A, he should be knocking on the door soon. Grandal showed an ability to hit from both sides of the plate, with some power and an advanced approach at the plate. He should be a capable catcher defensively, though he could use some move development time, and his strong arm enabled him to throw out basestealers during his climb. Only Nick Hundley really stands in his way, and when Grandal is ready, he should be given an opportunity.


(mlb.com)

Padres acquired 1B/OF Yonder Alonso, RHPs Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger and C Yasmani Grandal from the Reds for RHP Mat Latos.

Alonso, the seventh overall selection in the 2008 draft, excelled in his time in the majors last season, batting .330/.398/.545 in 88 at-bats. His minor league numbers were more good than great, so he’s probably not a future All-Star. However, he projects as a nice regular at first base and the Padres will have him under control for six years. What that means for fellow top prospect Anthony Rizzo still has to be figured out. Alonso could be stashed in left field at some point or maybe he gets traded again. For now, he’ll probably start at first, with Rizzo returning to Triple-A.



(rotoworld.com)

Bakersfield catcher Yasmani Grandal earned a Major League contract from the Cincinnati Reds for the power-hitting skills he showed at the University of Miami. Grandal slugged 31 home runs over his last two seasons with the Hurricanes and is a power threat for the Blaze with a .298 batting average and eight homers in 37 games.

Grandal's path to the Majors began long before the Reds made him the 12th overall pick in last year's Draft. He was born in Cuba and came to the United States with his mother when he was a child.

"It was an experience I won't forget," he said. "It was tough getting here and not knowing anybody. Once you look back, everything plays out."
Grandal had to leave most of his family behind to have a shot at better opportunities in Miami. His father still lives in Cuba and he calls his relatives there when he can.

The Reds have a recent Cuban connection. Four of their top 30 prospects were born in Cuba. Pitcher Aroldis Chapman and outfielder Felix Perez defected from Cuba and guys like Grandal and Triple-A Louisville first baseman Yonder Alonso came from Havana to Miami as children.
Grandal and Alonso were college teammates and Grandal is looking forward to playing alongside Alonso again in Cincinnati.

The Reds have another top-rated catching prospect ahead of Grandal. Devin Mesoraco was the team's 15th overall pick in 2007 and is the immediate future behind the plate.

Grandal is used to competition at his position. Jason Hagerty was a star catcher at Miami when Grandal joined the Hurricanes. Grandal played so well that he pushed Hagerty to first base.

"I had to fight to get that spot," he recalled.

Grandal has high praise for Mesoraco, adding, "I think competition within the organization is even better."

The 22-year-old is developing his skills behind the plate in Bakersfield, focusing on working with a staff of pitchers he'd never seen before this season.

"[I'm] trying to call pitches better and trying to get a feel for that," he said. "So far, it's going well, especially with the starters."

Grandal sees competition from college as well as from his Team USA days. Last week, he went up against Stockton outfielder Michael Choice, who went 10th overall to Oakland in last year's Draft. Both played for Team USA in 2009.

The Reds surprised Grandal with their Major League contract offer.

"I was just trying to get drafted in the first place," he said. That focus has allowed him to hone his game without giving in to the pressure that accompanies high expectations.

"I think every first-rounder is going to feel pressure because they're expected to put up numbers and develop quickly," he said. "Just because they offered me a MLB contract, it doesn't mean they're going to put more pressure on me. If you play ball under pressure, you're not going to get too far."



(minorleaguebaseball.com)

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds pared their Spring Training roster Monday by reassigning nine players to Minor League camp, reducing the number of players in Major League camp to 45.

Catcher Yasmani Grandal, the team's No. 1 pick (12th overall) in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, was among the players on the 40-man roster sent out, along with right-hander Daryl Thompson and left-hander Philippe Valiquette.

Lefties Donnie Joseph and Jeremy Horst, right-handers Matt Klinker and Justin Lehr, outfielder Danny Dorn and catcher Chris Denove were the non-roster invitees reassigned.



(mlb.com)

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