PEORIA, Ariz. -- Outfielder Jabari Blash, who had two hits in an intrasquad game on Tuesday, is itching for the real deal.
He'll get that on Wednesday, when the Padres open Cactus League play with a charity game against the Mariners at the Peoria Sports Complex.
The A's plucked Blash from the Mariners in the Rule 5 Draft and then traded him to the Padres over the winter. He must remain on the 25-man roster the entire year or be offered back to Seattle.
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The Padres will take a long look at Blash this spring, and he's penciled in to start Wednesday against the Mariners as the designated hitter.
"I felt good, got beat a little bit in some parts. It's still early. But it's about getting yourself hot and ready for the season," Blash said. "I'm anxious, I'm ready for it. This is what I've worked toward."
Blash's two hits were the most for any player during the four-inning intrasquad game. Austin Hedges had an RBI single that scored the game's only run.
The Padres looked at some Minor League pitchers in the game and two of their Rule 5 pitchers -- Josh Martin and Blake Smith. Lefty reliever Ryan Buchter had two strikeouts in his lone inning of work.
Blash, who had only nine at-bats in each of the last two springs with the Mariners, could surpass that total by the weekend. But that's by design, as the Padres may keep him as the club's fourth outfielder.
Blash said he's looking forward to getting the chance to show the Padres what he has to offer -- legitimate right-handed power and the ability to play the corner outfield positions.
"It was great to have the umpires back there and have no L-screen and no cage. It was more game-like," Blash said. "[Today was] mainly getting my timing down, seeing the ball as well as I can and getting some reps in."