Potts plays 2B, seeks increased versatility

PEORIA, Ariz. -- When Hudson Potts arrived in Peoria last month, more than a few people in the Padres organization viewed him as a serious candidate to become the team's third baseman of the future.

Potts has hardly put a foot wrong since. A 20-year-old who made the jump to Double-A last season, Potts has held his own against big league pitching, going 4-for-19 with a homer and a double. He's homered at least three times during live settings on the back fields, too.

Of course, no one views Potts as the third baseman of the future anymore -- not since Manny Machado put pen to paper on a record-setting 10-year deal two weeks ago.

Machado's arrival doesn't change Potts' upside. But it might change the Padres' long-term plans for him. In Wednesday night’s 6-4 loss to Cincinnati, Potts started at second base for the first time since rookie ball, and he had no problems with either of the ground balls hit his way.

"I haven't played there much," said Potts, MLB Pipeline’s No. 15 Padres prospect. "But I'm ready for whatever."

Manager Andy Green noted that the decision to play Potts at second was mostly because the Padres wanted to start three of their corner infielders.

Potts has taken almost all of his reps at third this spring, with the bulk of his work around the second-base bag coming during shift drills.

"He's a good young player," said Green. "He does a lot of things well. He works incredibly hard, and he has good hands ... at third base. He looks really good over there. He's had very limited exposure to [second] so we're not going to judge him too harshly today."

It’s likely that Potts continues his development as a third baseman. He's still at least a year from contributing at the big league level, after all. Potts tore up Class A Advanced last year, but he slumped to a .154 average in 22 games after his promotion. Plus, there's probably trade value for Potts at third base, where he projects as a solid defender with a valuable bat.

Eventually, however, the Padres are confident that Potts' athleticism will allow him play a number of different spots on the diamond. His strapping 6-foot-3 frame might be a tricky fit at second. But he could easily make the transition to a corner-outfield spot (where his power bat could also fit). Perhaps, he could slide between second and the outfield, while filling in at first and third when necessary.

Potts, to his credit, seems up for anything.

"I think I'll be able to adjust to wherever," Potts said. "And I'll work as hard as I can, wherever they want me to go."

Right now, that's third base. In the future, even the Padres aren't certain.