Cubs’ Josh Rivera Takes Steps Toward Improving Hitting Posture
A standout senior season at Florida did little to help ease shortstop Josh Rivera into a pro routine after four years with the Gators.
The Cubs drafted Rivera in the third round last year and pushed him to High-A South Bend. A late surge at the plate pushed his batting line to .250/.320/.402 with two home runs.
Part of the 23-year-old Rivera’s adjustment at the plate has centered on developing a more consistent posture.
“Most of the swing adjustments I’ve made are to create better angles, try to create more space for myself to get to pitches,” Rivera said. “I’ve always been someone who puts the ball in play hard on the ground, and I’m trying to elevate it a little more, get the ball in the air.
A key for Rivera has been trusting his hands and working through the middle of the field, rather than adjusting his posture to contend with inside fastballs.
Rivera popped 19 home runs as a Florida senior and will need to continue to develop his power as he advances to Double-A Tennessee and the upper levels of the system to complement his steady up-the-middle profile.
Rivera is known for his contact ability and spraying the ball to all parts of the field, but he knows it comes down to trusting in his ability to hit the ball over the fence.
“The higher levels we get to, (pitchers) have better stuff,” Rivera said. “They’re supplying all the power for us, so we can lose sight of that and try to do too much. That’s when you start rolling over and swinging and missing.”
Rivera was chosen a few times to be a backup in Cactus League games and logged three at-bats. He got to observe how major leaguers prepare for a game and then execute, even small details such as “their first step in the infield, their first step when they’re on base.
“It’s kind of amazing when you watch these games because you just see how in tune everybody is and everything flows together.”
