Nationals' Drew Mendoza: Nats invite to big-league camp
Rotowire
The Nationals announced Wednesday that Mendoza would be invited to big-league spring training as a non-roster player.
The 2019 third-round pick spent the entire 2020 campaign in the Nationals' 60-man roster pool after slashing .264/.377/.383 with four home runs and three stolen bases over 55 games in the South Atlantic League in his first season as a pro. Due to the lost year of development time, Mendoza could end up spending most of the upcoming season at the High-A or Double-A level.
Mendoza was added to the Nationals' 60-man roster Sunday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Mendoza revamped his swing during the offseason, and he'll now get the chance to showcase it at the team's alternate training site among other top prospects in the organization. The 22-year-old had a .377 OBP with four home runs and 25 RBI over 55 games with Low-A Hagerstown last season, and his presence with the alternate squad is likely only for developmental purposes.
Nationals' Drew Mendoza: Ready to show rebuilt swing
Rotowire
Mendoza has completely changed his swing mechanics since college to get to the ball quicker, Byron Kerr of MASN Sports reports.
A third-round pick in 2019, Mendoza had tried to become more of a power hitter at Florida State, but the result was a slow, uppercut swing path that had a lot of holes in it. Since being drafted, however, he's worked hard with Nats coaches to tighten his mechanics. "He doesn't have to try to create the loft anymore," minor-league hitting instructor Troy Gingrich said last week. "It actually allows him to see the ball longer because he knows the strike zone very well. So if he is shorter to the ball and quicker, he can actually see the ball deeper, make better decisions. Now he can just let it happen naturally." Mendoza only hit four homers in 55 games during his debut at Low-A, a disappointing display given his 6-5 frame, but his 34:57 BB:K showed promise. If the 22-year-old can begin to add game power to his patience, his fantasy stock would soar.
