Holy Cow Jason Heyward is a Completely Different Hitter and Other Nuggets
So we got a glimpse of Jason Heyward’s tireless work in Arizona the other day on Instagram. Jason has been in Arizona, training with several Chicago Cubs coaches in an attempt to revamp his swing. Well, the initial results are extremely optimistic.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOOjVSDgf00/?hl=en
The video, posted by the Cubs mental skills coordinator Darnell McDonald, shows a great deal of improvements. In the first 50 days after the Cubs season came to an end, Heyward has seemingly improved his approach at the plate to a great degree. Here is a look at Heyward’s swing in 2016, compared to this much improved swing today.
@WhatTheMicah @DEvanAltman best I can do rn. Hard to find a longer side angle from 2016 showing full swing/load. pic.twitter.com/NbNK4E4WzJ
— Corey Freedman (@CFCubsRelated) December 20, 2016
And while improving his approach at the plate will be a huge boost to the 2017 Cubs, the work that Darnell is doing with Jason may have the most profound impact.
This is a hitter’s worst nightmare, and not just because getting hit in the head/face is scary, it becomes the hardest thing for a hitter to shake from his head (no pun intended) once they’ve been hit hard there. Many major leaguers have never fully recovered, mentally, from a hit to the head, and while Jason has continued to perform at a high level (he did have a career year in St. Louis in 2015).
Jason could very well have some lasting effects of this hit, which since he has worn a helmet with a flap that covered his jaw, but Darnell might also be useful in working through disappointment in a poor season after signing a gigantic contract.
While I really like the changes to Heyward’s swing, the proof will come in Spring Training when Jason will face live pitching. I would suspect that he will certainly improve, just from being in a better striking position alone he should be better.
Well… unless he plans on using this approach….
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOTeWNrgV0P/?taken-by=macdime54
I like the more conventional look.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOTe3JlArgU/?taken-by=macdime54
