GOODYEAR, Ariz. — There’s another Hoffman in Padres brown and gold.
Wyatt Hoffman — youngest son of legendary closer Trevor Hoffman and nephew of longtime coach Glenn Hoffman — made his Padres debut Saturday night, playing the final four innings of San Diego’s 6-3 Cactus League loss to Cincinnati at Goodyear Ballpark.
Evidently, Hoffman’s appearance on Saturday came as something of a surprise to him. He was listed on the team’s travel roster but didn’t expect to see any action in the field.
“I got told today I was going to be a pinch-runner,” Hoffman said. “But [Padres manager] Bob Melvin came up to me in the third inning and was like: ‘OK, you got the second half of the game.’ I was stoked, way more excited than nervous.”
Hoffman — a middle infielder, much like his father at the time of his professional debut in 1990 –recorded one at-bat, bouncing into a double play. Defensively, he was tested once and coolly recorded a forceout. Trevor, a special adviser with the team, watched from the dugout.
“He didn’t really do anything special,” Wyatt said. “He kind of just let me go out there and play my game.”
Hoffman, 23, is in his first camp with the team after graduating from the University of the Pacific last spring and going undrafted. He batted .270 playing in the Cape Cod League last summer.