K. Marte mashing at Diamondbacks camp
On a video call last week, Ketel Marte held two fists above his head and flexed, his way of playfully showing reporters how he had ably managed to stay in shape during the quarantine period. The pose was unnecessary. All he had to do was take his at-bats.
Marte has been terrorizing pitchers at camp the past two weeks, launching balls to all fields with relative ease. His swing is quick and seemingly effortless, his power prodigious, his timing rarely off.
After a season in which he finished fourth in MVP voting in the National League, his talent is not a revelation. But what is becoming increasingly apparent is that for as incredible as his 2019 season was, it might only be the opening act.
“He’s just going to keep getting better,” shortstop Nick Ahmed said. “I don’t see why not. Right side, left side of the plate, he’s slowing the game down so well pitch-to-pitch. He’s fighting off tough pitches. He’s laying off tough ones that are just out of the zone. He sees the ball so well and so early.
“He’s always under control and never rushed. You never feel like he’s overmatched. The sky’s the limit with him.”
Last season, Marte was second in the NL with a .329 average. He collected 77 extra-base hits, including 32 homers. He had 92 RBIs. He did it all while bouncing between center field – a new position for him – and second base, with the occasional start at shortstop.
And he did it while playing through lingering back problems that bothered him off and on throughout the second half.
Marte’s performance thus far at camp has evoked both awe and disbelief. After one of the home runs he blasted, teammates could be heard howling and laughing from the dugout.
Recalled manager Torey Lovullo: “It was like, ‘Are you kidding me? What else can this guy do?’”
Marte is clearly enjoying himself. His afternoon routine includes dancing between rounds of batting practice, smiling and mugging for cameras the entire time.
Last weekend, he was asked a general question about the way hitters have performed early in camp, whether their power in intrasquad games was a case of them being ahead of pitchers at that point. Marte laughed, seemingly feeling his way through the answer without insulting his teammates.
“The pitchers look good,” Marte said, “it’s just that personally I feel really strong and comfortable going into the year.”
He blasted a pair of home runs on Monday night, both coming off righthander Merrill Kelly. The first one came on a high fastball that he belted into the right-field seats. The second also was a fastball; he drove it over the pool area in right-center.
“Sometimes,” Lovullo said, “he does things that leave you shaking your head.”
The Diamondbacks are banking on those things continuing when the season gets under way next week.