The BlueJays are hoping Danny Jansen taps into his natural athleticism while being proactive with his throws. (bnicholsonsmith)
DUNEDIN, Fla. — It wasn’t until months after that first game at Kauffman Stadium that
For Jansen, that night in Kansas City was just the beginning. He would appear in 31 games down the stretch, displacing Russell Martin as the team’s starter and catcher of the future. He hit three homers along the way while posting a .779 OPS — solid numbers for any rookie and more than respectable for a catcher.
The grind of the season behind him, he finally had the chance to rest. It was then that Jansen started reflecting on the journey that began as a teenager in rookie ball in 2013. Most 16th-round selections don’t reach the big-leagues at all, but having arrived there, Jansen soon started working out in anticipation of an even greater challenge.
Last year, when he first arrived in the majors, his catching stance was too wide. As Jansen said, “If you watch video of me blocking balls last year, I was in the damn near splits.” The setup allowed him to block balls comfortably, but controlling the running game was problematic.Sure enough, opponents caught on and started challenging Jansen.
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