Padres Call Up Blake Hunt, Designate Ty Adcock for Assignment

The Padres have selected the contract of catcher Blake Hunt from Triple-A El Paso and designated right-hander Ty Adcock for assignment. The move comes as catcher Freddy Fermin was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list after being struck by a pitch during a game. Fermin was hit in the left side of his head by Yuki Matsui’s pitch during a bounce in the sixth inning.

Manager Craig Stammen described Fermin’s injury as more severe than that of Xander Bogaerts, who was hit in the head by Orioles’ Trey Gibson earlier in the game. Fermin has been hit multiple times this season, prompting the team to proceed with caution. Rodolfo Durán took over as the starting catcher while Hunt will serve as the backup.

Hunt, 28, is set to make his major league debut. The Padres originally drafted him in Competitive Balance Round B in 2017. After being traded to the Rays in the Blake Snell deal, Hunt also spent time in the Orioles and Mariners organizations before returning to San Diego this year. He was placed on the 60-day injured list with an oblique injury on April 17 and made just 58 plate appearances in 2024.

Last year with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate, Hunt batted .272/.368/.452 with a 108 wRC+ across 280 plate appearances. He hit eight home runs and carried a .180 ISO, though his .331 BABIP suggests some regression could be ahead. With Luis Campusano currently on the IL with a left big toe fracture, Hunt has a chance to see some big league action.

The Padres now have four catchers on the 40-man roster: Durán, Hunt, Fermin, and Campusano. Given the depth and Hunt’s lack of major league experience, he could be the odd man out. If the team decides to carry only three catchers, an option would be to send Fermin to the minors and DFA Hunt. Campusano is expected to return later this month.

Adcock, 29, will be put on waivers after being designated for assignment. He has appeared in just 23 major league innings with a 5.48 ERA from 2023 to 2025. This season in the minors, he has posted a 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 innings. Adcock was outrighted by the Mets last year and can refuse an outright assignment again if unclaimed, which seems likely.

The Padres will continue to monitor the health of their catchers as they prepare for their next game. Fermin will be reevaluated after the seven-day IL stint ends.