ARLINGTON -- Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not. Genius will not. Education will not.
“Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent,” former U.S. president Calvin Coolidge once said.
Nothing else explains Blake Hunt's winding journey to the bigs.
The 27-year-old Hunt was called up from Triple-A El Paso on Sunday to fortify the Padres’ catching depth after Freddy Fermin was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list. Hunt made his big-league debut during Friday's 9-7 loss and his first Major League start on Saturday in a career that has spanned 552 Minor League games.
So, he could be forgiven for having all the feels when he was inserted as a defensive replacement for Rodolfo Durán in the eighth inning on Friday.
Or no feeling whatsoever.
“I couldn’t feel my legs,” Hunt said of fielding a ball out in front of the plate on an assist Friday. “I described it last night to my fiancée. I felt like a bystander in my own body. I was on autopilot. I felt like I was watching everything through my own eyes, but I wasn't in control, but that's years of preparation.”
Hunt was catching right-hander Walker Buehler on Saturday afternoon in Arlington against the Rangers.
In eight games for El Paso, Hunt was hitting .269 with two doubles, a homer and five RBIs in 26 at-bats. The Padres invested heavily in Hunt when they selected him with a Competitive Balance Round pick in the 2017 Draft and signed him for $1.6 million.
Three years later, with Hunt playing at High-A Fort Wayne, San Diego included him in the blockbuster trade that acquired left-hander Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Santa Ana, Calif., native has played with four organizations. In addition to the Rays, Hunt has been part of the Orioles and Mariners. He was called up by Baltimore in 2024, but he didn’t get into a game before being optioned.
After a season with Seattle’s Triple-A Tacoma in 2025, Hunt opted for free agency. The Padres welcomed him back to the organization as a free agent in December. Hunt was shut down in the spring with an oblique injury and started the season on the injured list.
“I just want to see him smile and have fun,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said of Hunt. “It's his Major League [starting] debut. He's earned it, and I just want him to go play like he’s 10 years old."
Hunt started on Saturday in place of Durán, who had an off-day after playing in six consecutive games.
“I feel like it’s time to give him a breather,” Stammen said.
Hunt’s fiancée, Missy, was in attendance for his first start. They plan to marry in November.
The past week, Hunt said he’s been immersed in preparation and game planning.
“It’s been a lot,” he said. “At the end of the day, we have to trust the years of preparation. Eight years in the Minors. You’ve got to trust that all of that was meant to get me here today.”