Cardinals' Luke Voit: Torrid start to spring
Voit, who went 1-for-4 with a run in Thursday's 3-3 Grapefruit League tie with the Twins, is hitting .412 (7-for-17) with two doubles, four RBI, two walks and three runs in six spring training games.
It's an excellent start to a pivotal exhibition season for Voit, who proactively undertook a number of initiatives this offseason designed to up his chances of sticking on the 25-man roster. The 27-year-old put in work at learning both corner infield spots, implemented a dietary regimen that led to a 15-pound weight loss and is currently working on a swing adjustment in spring training that's intended to increase his overall contact rate. Voit was serviceable in his first regular-season exposure to major-league pitching in 2017, slashing .246/.306/.430 with nine doubles, four home runs and 18 RBI across 124 plate appearances. However, a bloated 25.0 percent strikeout rate and a corresponding mediocre 73.0 percent contact rate conspired to cap his overall success with the bat, something Voit is hoping his new approach will go a long way towards correcting. If early returns are any indication, the revised swing is already paying dividends.
