Minor League Career
Headley first played professionally with the Eugene Emeralds, where he was described as a team "mainstay," then for the Lake Elsinore Storm, where he was called "one of the top prospects in the Padres' organization." In 2006, he was one of seven players representing the Padres organization in the Arizona Fall League, playing for the Peoria Saguaros. He was the only one who had not played in a Class AA league before.
The San Diego Union-Tribune called Headley the Padres' best eventual prospect to fill the third base position, though it theorized it would take two years.
Headley says:
| “ | I try to do as much as I can to mentally prepare myself every day, mainly because I'm not quite as physically gifted as some of the guys I play against. I'm trying to get every advantage mentally as I can – keeping track of what different pitchers have done to me in the past, or what other hitters do in certain situations against our guys, so I can position myself better – I just try to apply myself and see if I can't pick something up and use it to benefit what I'm trying to do. | ” |
Headley was named the 2007 Texas League Player of the Year, after hitting .330/.437/.580 with a 1.016 OPS and leading the league in many fielding stats for third basemen. He did strike out 114 times, though, in just 443 at bats.
Headley hit well in spring training in 2008, .371 with a team-leading 12 RBIs, but was sent to the AAA Portland Beavers to get more experience playing left field. In 65 games in Portland, he hit 13 HRs and 24 doubles, batted .305/.383/.556, and was then called up to the Padres.
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