Perhaps probably the most noticeable change for Gunnar Henderson this previous Orioles homestand was a swap of walk-up songs, with the rookie infielder going from the rock-and-roll intro of Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome To The Jungle” to the upbeat opening of Gwen Stefani’s “Sweet Escape.”
But subtler tweaks have allowed Henderson’s bat to start to take off after a sluggish begin. Over 10 video games at Camden Yards in opposition to the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels, the 21-year-old hit .258/.342/.548, briefly getting his season common above .200 after returning to Baltimore hitting .176/.342/.308.
Henderson’s changes had been each psychological and mechanical. Baseball’s high prospect coming into this season, he entered the homestand with considered one of baseball’s finest stroll charges, an indication of each premier plate self-discipline and passiveness that at instances handicapped him. He credited his latest enhancements to “just not trying to be perfect.”
“When you try to be perfect, you kind of tense up a little bit,” Henderson mentioned. “Try to seek out the right pitch within the good spot, and that simply doesn’t actually occur too usually. And whenever you do get it, then you definately attempt to do an excessive amount of.
“Trying to focus on hitting that perfect pitch in the perfect location with the perfect angle, if you’re sitting there trying to do that, it’s usually not going to work out.”
Through the Orioles’ newest street journey, Henderson had swung at 37% of the pitches he had seen. He then posted a fee about 10% increased over the previous three dwelling collection because of improved aggressiveness.
“Whenever you’re not having the success that you want to, you’re always maybe putting a little bit too much pressure on yourself,” Orioles co-hitting coach Matt Borgschulte mentioned. “I think he’s realizing that he doesn’t need an absolute perfect pitch, as long as he’s in a good spot to attack.”
To put Henderson in that spot, Borgschulte and fellow hitting coach Ryan Fuller labored with him on minor bodily changes. Primarily, Henderson’s shoulders are extra squared, with the left-handed hitter beforehand beginning his stance barely extra closed along with his entrance proper shoulder ahead.
Borgshulte mentioned that tweak, together with a small change in hand placement, have allowed Henderson to maintain his swing via the ball, resulting in constant tougher contact. Entering Thursday, his common exit velocity on the homestand was 94.1 mph, up from 90.8 mph coming in.
“That’s the crazy thing about hitting is you make one tiny, little move, and you might not even be able to notice it if you’re looking at it with an untrained eye,” Borgschulte mentioned. “But it can make a world of difference.”
The early returns recommend that’s been the case for Henderson, who got here into the yr as the favourite to be American League Rookie of the Year however hasn’t fairly lived as much as that billing via the primary quarter of the season. On Thursday, he recorded an infield single off left-hander Tyler Anderson, giving him a six-game hitting streak, nine-game on-base streak and a .202 batting common earlier than he struck out in his subsequent three at-bats to depart his line for the season at .197/.342/.369.
Last yr, Henderson hit .297 with a .946 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A, rising to the highest of prospect lists and the majors, the place he batted .259 with a .788 OPS over the season’s remaining month.
“I just think he’s getting more comfortable as the at-bats pile up,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “It’s not uncommon for young players to go through some adversity. I’m proud of the way he has handled the first part of the season. It’s not easy up here. Nobody thought it was gonna be, honestly. What he did last September was unbelievable. But teams make adjustments, he’s making adjustments back right now. He’s putting in great work, and he’s playing really good baseball right now.”
This isn’t the primary time he’s struggled in his skilled profession. The youngest member of Baltimore’s alternate coaching web site throughout the canceled 2020 minor league season, Henderson was dominated early in matchups in opposition to high prospects and pitchers on the cusp of the majors, however the expertise proved important for his growth as he grew to carry his personal by camp’s finish. In 2021, he slumped massively upon his arrival to High-A Aberdeen, with one hit in his first 11 video games, however he settled in to earn a promotion to Double-A Bowie to finish the season.
“I know what he’s capable of,” mentioned utility participant Terrin Vavra, who performed with Henderson within the minors. “I do know that his numbers may not be the place he envisioned them or lots of people envisioned them, however I feel that the factor about it’s he brings a lot to the staff, whether or not it’s taking at-bat and making pitchers work, simply competing. He’s by no means lacked want, motivation to get higher. He at all times retains his nostril to the grindstone, desires to work and needs to get higher, and I feel that’s what’s in the end gonna preserve him on this sport for a very long time.
“Hopefully, in the future, he’ll be able to say he learned from this and it made him a better player.”
Henderson has proven frustration at instances, with the occasional slammed helmet or bat, however each teammates and coaches have praised how he’s dealt with his season-opening droop.
“Here’s a 21-year-old young man that is learning in the big leagues, and he gets frustrated, but he comes in the next day and he’s fine and he’s willing to work,” bench coach Fredi González mentioned. “The organization’s giving him at-bats to work through it, and it’s not easy here in the big leagues to make adjustments and have success, and little by little, we want him to be the guy that is gonna be on all the billboards, but I think it’s gonna take a little time.”
Borgschulte agreed, acknowledging the pressures going through Henderson as a participant who opened the yr as Orioles’ and baseball’s high prospect.
“It’s not easy to be touted as the No. 1 guy, but the work that he puts in, we know that he’s gonna be one of the top players in the league,” Borgschulte mentioned. “I don’t think there’s any doubt about that with anybody within our organization. And the confidence that he has in his abilities is outstanding, and that’s never wavered, and I don’t think it ever will. It shouldn’t because he’s got a ton of talent, and it’s gonna continue to come through.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com