TEMPE, Ariz. — Austin Hedges’ swing resulted in moments of picturesque contact last year. There were 18 home runs, including six in one nine-game stretch, but those moments proved relatively rare. Hedges upheld his reputation as an elite defender, but he did not dispel lingering concerns about his bat. He was a .214 hitter in his first season as the Padres’ starting catcher. His on-base percentage finished at .262.



Hedges spent much of his winter at Petco Park. Oftentimes, assistant hitting coach Johnny Washington joined him. Together, they worked to tweak the catcher’s form at the plate.



“Nothing crazy,” Hedges said earlier this month, “but it’ll look different.”



In his spring debut, Hedges unveiled the alterations with immediate effect. His first plate appearance Sunday ended with a crack. A 2-2 pitch from Angels right-hander Garrett Richards turned into an opposite-field home run. As Hedges held...