Blake Trahan Hopes Learning Curve Shortens

GOODYEAR, Ariz.—When shortstop Blake Trahan got a chance to play in big league camp last spring, he didn’t waste the opportunity. In 13 games he collected nine hits in 21 at-bats.

Through six games this year he went 4-for-9 with a double.

A year ago, Trahan’s hot start inspired confidence but didn’t carry over to high Class A Daytona. He had just nine hits in his first 20 games and 88 at-bats.

“I don’t know,” said Trahan, 23. “Just the way baseball played out that season, it was a big learning curve for me. I just kind of lost my swing and lost track of the things I was doing.

“I just had to go to an emergency approach and just grind through the season.”

He found that swing, though, at the end of April. From April 22 to May 25, he found his way on base in 31 straight games.

The ebbs and flows, he said, were a good learning experience. The 2015 third-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette went off the board eighth among an historic college shortstop class that included first-rounders Dansby Swanson, Alex Bregman, Kevin Newman, Richie Martin and Kyle Holder.

Swanson and Bregman already have reached the majors, while Trahan likely will start at Double-A Pensacola.

“I knew for me to excel in this game and move up the levels, I had to get consistent with my approach and consistent with my mechanics and my swing,” Trahan said, “and continue to take more aggressive swings.

“I think there were a lot of games I was real uncomfortable in the box, and it was because I’d lost my swing earlier in the season and I was doing things I wasn’t used to doing. So it felt good to go into this offseason and get comfortable with some things.”

The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Trahan hit four home runs in 2016, but he thinks there’s more in his bat.

“I wanted to be more athletic in my swing, and be more violent, too,” he said. “I’m looking to drive the ball more and not just be a singles hitter, but look to drive the ball into the gaps more, hit a few more home runs.”

RED HOTS

• With injuries to Anthony DeSclafani and Homer Bailey, the Reds have opened competition for the rotation to several prospects, including lefthanders Cody Reed and Amir Garrett and righthanders Robert Stephenson, Sal Romano and Rookie Davis.

• With his hamstring healthy, Davis has shown the 96 mph fastball he lacked last season.

— C. Trent Rosecrans covers the Reds for the Cincinnati Enquirer