A chance to develop
Sisco hopes 2019 season can be springboard for better future for catcher
BOSTON — A season that began with a much-heralded arrival at the major league level for Orioles catcher Chance Sisco has ended rather quietly. But the team’s one-time catcher of the future still feels he’s plenty capable of being the type of offensive threat he was projected to be after what he believes was a “developmental season” in 2019.
“I’ve definitely made some strides,” Sisco said. “Good and bad things happened this year, but I’m going to take the positive momentum that we’ve created this season … and take that into the offseason and get ready for spring, focusing on that type of stuff.”
Sisco, 24, was the Orioles’ top prospect according to Baseball America after the 2016 season and made his major league debut the following season. But he’s struggled in large portions of his three major league seasons, this year batting .220 with a .744 OPS and eight home runs in a 159 at-bats entering Friday’s start against the Boston Red Sox.
Six of those home runs, however, came in 19 games between his June 5 debut and the All-Star break a month later. He has a .171 average with a .540 OPS since the All-Star break, leading manager Brandon Hyde to describe this season as “kind of up and down” for Sisco.
“When he came, he got to the big leagues with us, he swung the bat really well,” Hyde said. “I think his catching has vastly improved, I think his receiving and his blocking, he’s done a really nice job with some of the things we asked him to work on and improve in spring training; I think he did. I think around the league, they started making adjustments to him at the plate, and he’s had a little bit of a struggle the last couple months. I think it was a great experience for him.
“Now, he’s seen a lot of major league pitching, and is able to go into this winter knowing things he needs to work on. There’s some swing mechanic stuff that we feel like he can improve on. We’ve talked to him about it, and we’re looking forward to seeing what it looks like in spring training next year.”
Sisco, for his part, is focusing on the positives. He works daily with major league field coordinator and catching instructor Tim Cossins on defensive drills, mostly in the batting cage, to hone his work behind the plate. Outside evaluators have noted an improvement in his receiving and blocking, even if his 5-for-30 success rate on catching would-be base stealers show his struggles throwing out runners.
“Defensively, things went pretty well,” Sisco said. “I would say it was kind of a developmental season, so kind of re-wiring some throwing, blocking, receiving type things that I’ve learned in the past, I’m re-learning, and learning some new things and new techniques that I’ve made some pretty good strides with.
“Offensively, same thing — kind of re-wiring certain things this season. I’m going to try and focus on some of the good parts this season. I know I’ve barreled a pretty good percentage of balls this year, barrel percentage was good. My strikeout rate from last year is down. My walk rate is up, so that type of thing to focus on.”
He acknowledges that there are some offensive numbers that he’d like to be better, but on that front, reiterated “it’s a developmental season that I’ll take positives from and move on.” That’s all a far cry from the mindset he had going home at the end of last season, which he said was “definitely a struggle” and led to him coming to spring training with a renewed purpose and mentality.
That will carry over into 2020, he said, when he hopes he’ll be able to continue his progress and deliver on some of the promise that was evident all throughout his minor league career. He was seen then as far from a finished product defensively, but with plenty of potential to hit thanks to his approach and discipline.
Sisco feels he’s “absolutely” still that player.
“I think that this is a big offseason for me, going into next year,” Sisco said. “I’m definitely ready to take that next step, for sure, and tap into those abilities, show what I can do next year.”
Around the horn
Hyde said outfielder Anthony Santander, who hasn’t started in the past three games and is in a 1-for-23 slump, is dealing with physical issues that Santander tried to keep quiet so that he could finish the season. He might not play again this weekend, but Hyde said that Santander’s body of work convinced him that he was a major league outfielder.
Outfielder Mason Williams, who hasn’t played since he crashed into a wall Sept. 17, also is unlikely to play again, Hyde said.
Hyde said designated hitter Mark Trumbo, a pending free agent, will likely start Sunday’s season finale.
Minor league pitching coordinator Chris Holt joined the Orioles in Boston to serve as a guest coach this weekend.