It’s been hard to overlook Addison Barger’s spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays so far, and it’s not just because he’s 6-foot and 210-pounds of mostly muscle.
The power-hitting infielder was elevated to Toronto’s 40-man roster in November, and in spring training – batting .273 in 22 at-bats with a towering homerun – looks to belong amongst the Blue Jays’ big boys.
On Friday, Barger discussed the changes he made in his game and body to get to this point in an interview on Blair and Barker.
“I just wanted to come here and do what I know how to do,” said Barger about his goals for spring training. “I know what I'm capable of doing, and if I'm doing that, can't ask for much more out of myself.
The Jays’ sixth-ranked prospect according to MLB.com slashed .308 for 26 homers and 91 RBIs in the minors last season, though most of his at-bats came at high-A level.
Things changed for Barger after his 2021 season in the minors, where he distinguished himself as a tantalizing power-hitting lefty prospect with 18 home runs.
“The big thing was that I gained 50 pounds from the last season I played … I was three times stronger than I was before,” said Barger about his 2021 campaign. “I decided I wanted to be a power hitter, so I went from 160 to 220.”
It wasn’t the first major transformation that Barger, 23, underwent.
“I decided when I was probably seven or eight, I'm going to start taking swings and BP left-handed,” said the natural righty. “I wanted to hit left-handed because I really liked Ichiro (Suzuki).”
The Bellvue, Washington native mimicked the swing style of his baseball idol as a child, but – more recently – has started taking reps at Ichiro’s position in the outfield.
“I've never really done it before,” said Barger on playing the outfield in spring training. “I've been spending a lot of time with (Kevin) Kiermaier and (Daulton) Varsho out there, and they've helped me a lot in the little things I need to know and do.”
With Matt Chapman locking down third base for the Jays – Barger’s primary position – the lefty’s poise in the batting box thrown in with positional versatility on defence shows there is a path to getting reps in the big leagues.
Though the far more likely scenario is that Barger will be an everyday player in AAA ball, through his physical and mental transformations, the 23-year-old has willed himself into the mix for a spot at the highest level.
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