My latest article at Baseball America is up, covering Nick Gonzales and how he’s cleaned up his swing. You might remember last year I did a side-by-side video comparison of that swing, noting a few of the changes.
After that video, I talked with Pirates’ farm director John Baker, and Gonzales himself. The changes weren’t intentional or direct, but more a reaction to better velocity and getting his body in better starting form to react to that velocity.
You can read more about that over at BA.
Also at Baseball America, Matt Eddy looks at ten hitters who impressed in winter ball, and has Rodolfo Castro listed at number five. Castro hit .235/.395/.388 in the Dominican this year.
Castro is going to get a chance to win the second base job in Pittsburgh this year, after spending time at the position in 2021. Gonzales profiles as the long-term second baseman, but probably won’t be ready in 2022. That will give Castro time to try and win a starting role, before he’s relegated to a utility infield role.
Pirates Prospects Spotlight
My column this week on Pirates Prospects looks at how to switch your mindset back and forth between two approaches instantaneously, and how that process can be difficult for a hitter. That could be a big reason we’re seeing so many three-true-outcomes approaches in baseball today, as players have focused on a specific aggressive approach, without learning a second, more conservative approach that they can switch to in the same at-bat.
