Michael Conforto is entering a pivotal season in his career as he enters his first full season back from a shoulder injury that cost him the final two months of the 2017 season and the first week of the 2018 season.
That wasn’t all he lost to start the season, though, as Conforto believes that his limited chances of facing MLB pitching in Spring Training might have made a difference last year, as detailed by Mike Puma of the New York Post.
“It’s nice to be healthy, it’s nice to go out there and work on some stuff and feel some different things and work through some stuff against big league guys. Last year I was hitting against the minor leaguers and got in some big league games, but I am in better shape and healthier at this point, so I feel good.”
Nonetheless, late in Spring Training this year, the outfielder has managed to pick it up late, offensively, as he three hits in his last five at-bats, in which two of them were two-run homers and one of them was an RBI double. Yesterday, he went 1-for-2 with the two-run homer and a walk, with the blast coming off Nationals’ right-hander, Stephen Strasburg.
Conforto, 26, has been okay, overall, this spring as he is slashing .255/.314/.468 with three home runs and eight RBI in 47 at-bats.
The 2014 10th overall pick feels much more comfortable entering the season this year, though, now feeling like he has a solidified role with the Mets.
“This is probably the first one where I have kind of had that job solidified. A little bit in 2016, but even then still a young guy and only a quarter of the season under your belt, so this is the first year I feel like I have this spot, let’s work on stuff, let’s be ready to go for the season, make sure you are healthy and go from there.”
While Conforto’s shoulder injury derailed his production for much of the first half, the Seattle native turned it on in the second half as he hit .273/.356/.539 with 17 home runs and 52 RBI down the stretch. The Mets will be hoping for that version of Michael Conforto in 2019.
