We Now Know What Turned Christian Vazquez’ Hitting Around

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Christian Vazquez
Credit: Jordan Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Christian Vazquez is in the second year of a three-year contract for the Minnesota Twins. Nearly 50 games into the season, he was the worst offensive regular in baseball. He hasn’t stopped putting in the work and now is reaping the benefits.

All season, Rocco Baldelli has employed a rigid pairing of Christian Vazquez and Ryan Jeffers behind the plate. When Jeffers was going great, to start the year and for much of last season, both he and fans were frustrated.

Minnesota Twins unlocked Christian Vazquez with routine changes

But now that Vazquez has been among the Twins’ best hitters for the past couple months, staying the course is looking like the correct decision. Vazquez talked to Dan Hayes of The Athletic about a small change that has made all of the difference. A pregame hitting routine to help “unlock his body”, and allow for better contact on pitches in the zone.

Yet earlier this summer, Vázquez and his Twins hitting coaches finally discovered a simple routine in the batting cage that allows him to more easily unlock his body and get into a good hitting position.

“I’m a feeling guy,” [Christian] Vázquez said. “We found a feeling that is working right now. Every time I feel the swing I want, I go back and say, ‘This feeling, remember this feeling.’ It’s working. I’m driving the ball everywhere. It feels good.”

The Athletic

By generating more freedom of movement prior to the pitch, Vazquez gets to a set position that has him ready to do damage. The level of comfort in his current state is obvious, and it’s directly reflected in the performance he has provided.

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When the Twins signed Vazquez it wasn’t just for one aspect of his game. He is known as a multi-faceted leader that is exceptional behind the plate. He has remained one of the most productive defensive catchers, specifically for his framing prowess. His bat should never be .368 OPS bad, and the past few weeks he has proven that.

Christian Vazquez’s turnaround has sparked Twins

In recent weeks the Twins have lost Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton. Brooks Lee has been out for a time and the lineup has largely been in flux. It hasn’t been just one player that has gotten the job done.

Vazquez owns a .339/.371/.631 slash line dating back to July 1st. He has also picked up four doubles and five home runs during that stretch. When he has been in the lineup, Baldelli has watched him become among his best hitters.

Players capable of making small tweaks survive in the major leagues. Everyone at the highest level has talent. Those that know how to consistently get the most out of it are the ones that remain around.

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Vazquez has won a pair of World Series rings, and on Thursday he celebrated ten years of service time. His continued presence in big league lineups are a result of the work he puts in. Twins hitting coach Derek Shomon elaborated on the changes to The Athletic as well.

“But we need him to be a good hitter and what we’ve seen for the last month and a half is a good hitter, a guy that has a plan, a guy that can move the ball line-to-line with some authority in big moments.”

Derek Shomon on Christian Vazquez to The Athletic

When I watched Shomon and Vazquez work together this spring, the connection was obvious. The pair remained in the cages beneath Hammond Stadium for nearly an hour after everyone else had left.

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Tony Oliva looked on for a while, but it was Shomon and Vazquez that kept at it. The coach had to ultimately tell the player to go home and be a dad, but the tireless work ethic was obvious.

Minnesota is on the hook for another year of Vazquez, and they’ll owe him $10 million. That would have been a tough pill to swallow had the season start continued. Now, even with payroll constraints, he’s an integral part of what the franchise is trying to build.

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