Carter Bins reworks swing and discusses Triple-A adjustments

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – While his batting average has not been ideal in 2022, Carter Bins is on pace for career highs in doubles and home runs.

The Indianapolis catcher is batting .198/.286/.383 with six homers in 189 plate appearances.

Bins, who was acquired in the Tyler Anderson trade last July, is also closing in on a career high in games played. Overall, he is pleased with the quality of play this season.

“[The swing] feels really good,” Bins said. “We’ve been playing some really good ball, but I’ve just been on the wrong end of things at times.”

Additionally, as noted by Cody Potanko in February, Bins is trying to put a new swing into game action.

“We put in a lot of work this off-season,“ Bins said. “It was a good thing for me to kind of just, I don’t wanna say reinvent my swing, but there were some things I needed to get cleaned up. Spring Training was kind of the first live at bat I got (with the changes). It’s been good. I think it’s helped me out a lot.“

Bins had a solid June after his promotion to Indianapolis. In July, he hit three home runs, up from two the previous month. However, he struggled to sustain contact. Bins says his swing changes are helping to counteract the higher quality of pitching he is seeing in his first go-around at Triple-A.

“It is giving me more adjustability at the plate,” Bins said. “Obviously the higher levels you go, the more offspeed pitches you see and the different locations you see. With that, it is just giving me more adjustability, to put the barrel on the ball more often.“

Here is a comparison of Bins’ swing from prior to the trade and his first Triple-A at bat, which resulted in a home run.

That’ll play.

Carter Bins | #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/Q07JcUMz9B

— Mariners Player Development (@MsPlayerDev) April 19, 2021

Carter Bins homers in his first AAA game. Cuts the lead in half in the 6th inning #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/3JMmVQkWBt

— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) May 12, 2022

As for the defense behind the plate, generally a strength for Bins, there have been some growing pains at Triple-A as well. Along with working with new arms, Bins noted that there were a few in-game adjustments he has needed to make psychologically.

“As a catcher, defense is what you have to take first priority in, being there for the pitchers and everyone,“ Bins said. “It was a little bit of an adjustment getting to Triple-A, both working with pitchers that I have only caught maybe a couple of times, or not even at all. The hitters are better, situations are bigger. I would say it’s just learning those in game situations. It’s being there for the pitchers, and sort of being a backbone for the team.“

This season has not been exactly what the Pirates or Bins envisioned, as he was nudged to Triple-A. However, there are some signs of progression. The power numbers are encouraging, and if they can continue to grow, so can Bins’ potential.