Ever since D.J. Stewart was taken with the 25th overall selection in the 2015 Major League Baseball Draft, he has worked to move his way up the Baltimore Orioles' farm system. With the Double-A Bowie Baysox this season, the 6-foot, 230-pound outfielder subtly changed his batting stance to add another layer to his development.
"I'm 23 years old, [and] a big thing my coaches have preached to me is to learn how to be a good hitter now and the power will come later," Stewart said on Glenn Clark Radio May 17. "If you sit there and try to hit home runs, it's not going to happen. That's been the case my entire life."
Stewart is batting .257 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 40 games at Bowie, entering play May 24. He said it'll take some time before the muscle memory of the new stance becomes second nature.
