Stassi’s bat might help him this year
Improved hitting approach leaves catcher with shot
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A year ago, catcher Max Stassi slipped out of contention to make the Astros’ opening day roster and into irrelevancy. The Astros liked him, but they did not think his all-around game was good enough to cut it in the majors. He did not think so either. “Last year, I got put on waivers, rightfully so,” Stassi said. “They do what’s best for the team, and I’m all for that.”
“He went through waivers and 29 other teams passed on him,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He probably felt like he was out of favor when it comes to being an option in the big leagues.”
Around that time, Stassi continued to refine a swing that he had revamped in the winter. He committed to the advice of Jeff Albert, then the team’s minor league hitting coordinator and now the assistant hitting coach on Hinch’s major league coaching staff.
Stassi finished 2017 with the crop of September call-ups in the majors, where he unleashed prodigious power daily in bat-
ting practice but inconsistently in limited at-bats.
In spring training, Stassi has continued to show his slugging potential and need to make contact more. Through Wednesday, he has two homers in 17 at-bats.
In what Hinch maintains is a “fierce battle” for who could make the 2018 opening day roster as a third catcher, Stassi appears to be ahead of Tim Federowicz — for now.
“It’s a big spring for him,” Hinch said of Stassi. “That always puts pressure on him and the club to figure out where he fits in. He’s taken it upon himself to do a lot of things offensively and defensively to be on the right side of the fence.
“The fact that he’s seen the gamut — from top prospect to off the roster — with a renewed skillset, being able to contribute at this level is pretty awesome.”
Stassi lost out to Juan Centeno when the Astros needed to call up a catcher last season.
“He watched another catcher last season get promoted and then ultimately he came up,” Hinch said. “We always want guys to take ownership of what their situation is. The better they play, the more adjustments they make and the better their opportunity becomes.
Federowicz, 30, has 109 games — mostly with the Dodgers and Cubs — of experience managing major league pitching staffs and hit .300 in Class AAA last year. Out of options
Stassi, who turns 27, is out of options, which means he will have to be waived if he does not make the cut. That might encourage the Astros to keep him in the organization, but his improved athleticism and work with the starting rotation has been the most persuasive factor in his rising stock.
The biggest adjustment to his swing had been to keep the barrel of his bat in the strike zone longer.
“I was swinging at strikes, but I was fouling pitches off I should have, and rolling stuff over, not staying through it,” said Stassi, who is a brawny 5-10. “I’ve tinkered with my swing because I’ve always known that there’s more in the tank.”
In 241 at-bats in Class AAA last season, he batted .266, with 12 home runs and an .856 OPS.
He said he since has sharpened his strike recognition and contract rate thanks to the Astros, who use a digital diagram of the zone that assigns scores.
He has a simple approach that has kept a bearded smile on his face this spring: “Just asking questions and keep my mouth shut. You look around in the clubhouse, and there’s a lot of guys that have a lot of experience at the highest level.” Focused on improvements
He has not reflected on his past improvements because he is too focused on new ones.
“I’m always picking something each day to work on, so that I’m not constantly working on my strengths,” he said. “You get in such this routine of working and trying to improve and talking with guys that you lose sight of how rewarding it is.”
He has relished the chance to catch two starts for Justin Verlander, the former Most Valuable Player Award winner, who is entering his 14th season.
“His ability to have conviction on each and every pitch,” Stassi began praising, shaking his head.
Verlander has offered Stassi explanations after each inning.
“He has four above average major league pitches, but his ability to read swings on the fly and throw each pitch with 100 percent conviction was incredible,” Stassi said. “Even in spring training. It’s really special.” Third catcher needed
The Astros seem intent on carrying a third catcher to give more rest to 35-year-old veteran Brian McCann and at-bats to backup catcher Evan Gattis.
Stassi is better at blocking than Gattis and taking advantage of Verlander’s tutelage, evidencing Hinch’s initiative this spring to get the starting rotation comfortable with each possible battery mate that might start during the regular season.
Stassi is prepared for history to repeat itself. The Astros might have to put him on waivers again.
“That’s obviously not where I want to go, but whatever is best for this team is what they’re going to do,” Stassi said.