masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgIt was late June of this season and an outfielder batting just .230 at Single-A Delmarva got promoted to Single-A Frederick. Orioles director of player development Brian Graham decided to make the move, which was the subject of some debate in the organization.
Not everyone thought it would be a good idea, but it presented DJ Stewart, the Orioles’ first-round pick in 2015 out of Florida State, with a new challenge and a fresh start after 213 at-bats where he played to mixed reviews in the South…

It was late June of this season and an outfielder batting just .230 at Single-A Delmarva got promoted to Single-A Frederick. Orioles director of player development Brian Graham decided to make the move, which was the subject of some debate in the organization.

Not everyone thought it would be a good idea, but it presented DJ Stewart, the Orioles’ first-round pick in 2015 out of Florida State, with a new challenge and a fresh start after 213 at-bats where he played to mixed reviews in the South Atlantic League.

At the time, here is what Graham told me about the decision to move Stewart: “He’s a first-round pick out of a major college. And it’s an opportunity to start fresh with a brand new batting average. He has the tools and the ability, it just has to translate.

DJ Stewart 7-21-2015 (1).jpg“I think he needs to find some consistency with his swing. DJ has a great work ethic. He’s got bat speed. He’s got strength and he understands the strike zone. He’s got to find that consistency with this swing and when that happens, he has a chance to be a good hitter.”

Stewart took advantage of the fresh start. In 59 games with Frederick, he hit .279/.389/.448 with 12 doubles, two triples, six homers, 30 RBIs and an OPS of .837.

Stewart, who turns 23 on Nov. 30, was able to draw some walks throughtout his season with an on-base percentage of .377 for the year with 78 walks in 121 games.

“DJ slowly is understanding hitting in professional baseball,” Graham said. “By that, I mean is that pitchers command the baseball better, they throw their off-speed pitches in all counts. He’s understanding, with his approach to hitting, that you’ve got to hit the ball to all fields and stay on pitches.”

Stewart also made a stance change during the year as he went from an open to a closed stance. Before the year he had already made the decision to stand more upright instead of in the very low crouch he had used in college and much of last year when he hit just .218 at short-season Single-A Aberdeen.

“He closed (his stance) to a degree which also had him standing taller and the swing path changes,” Graham said. “You are more through the ball and your bat stays in the hitting zone longer. When he crouched down and wide open, his bat path was more around the ball. The change helped him stay on the ball and through the ball.

“It was a progression that started in Delmarva and followed him up to Frederick. He continued to adjust while he was in Frederick. That is a sign of a good hitter, to make changes and adjustments.”

Stewart is playing for Peoria in the Arizona Fall Leauge, where play began Tuesday night. That night Stewart went 3-for-5 with a double, walk and stolen base. In his last two AFL games, Stewart is 0-for-6 with three walks and an RBI.