Swing Adjustments Pay Off For Cavan Biggio

Cavan Biggio wasn’t looking to create more launch angle when he made swing adjustments in the offseason. The second baseman was seeking simply to increase his percentage of hard-hit balls.

In the process, the 23-year-old Biggio created the type of launch-angle swing that’s all the rage these days and has ridden it to a breakout season at Double-A New Hampshire. Through 98 games he hit .249/.394/.514 with 21 home runs and 78 walks.

“I used to have my hands up higher, towards the top of my head, and I would come down and I would be out of the zone a lot,” the lefthanded-hitting Biggio said, “so I lowered my hands as a pre-pitch thing just to keep my bat path in the zone more.

“I kept my natural finish, which is a high finish, higher than most people. So, with the lower starting point and higher finish, it created more of a launch angle.”

Biggio also altered the load to his swing to have more consistent timing at the plate, which was something he felt was problematic at high Class A Dunedin last year, which was his second pro season as a 2016 fifth-rounder out of Notre Dame.

Biggio locked in the changes after two months of trial and error and took off with them during spring training.

“I was always just a touch-and-go guy my whole life, and I knew that I needed to get more consistent timing and starting point, besides my hands,” Biggio said. “I knew that getting a load backwards into my swing at a consistent time would always get me on time for when I wanted to get ready to hit.”

While the difference has showed in his results, Biggio notices it more in his comfort at the plate, which is key for him since he’s not big on watching video to identify little tweaks.

“I feel like now, I’m less forcing things,” he said. “I’m letting the pitch get to me versus me just stepping in and (thinking) go get it and trying to get the bat head out there.”

 

JAYS CHATTER

** Outfielder Billy McKinney, acquired with Brandon Drury from the Yankees for J.A. Happ, was assigned to Triple-A Buffalo but was expected to get a quick promotion to the Blue Jays.

** Outfielder Forrest Wall was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire while first baseman Chad Spanberger was sent to low Class A Lansing. Both were acquired from the Rockies for reliever Seung-Hwan Oh.