Lugnuts Player Spotlight: Reggie Pruitt

LANSING, Mich. via TORONTO, Ont. - Lansing Lugnuts outfielder Reggie Pruitt had a relaxing offseason after his third year of professional baseball.
In 2018, the native of Kennesaw, Georgia, stole an astonishing 37 bases, adding 13 doubles and three triples to go along with a .211/.300/.304 slash line in 89 games for the Lugs. After a hugely impactful season, he decided to take a break, travelling to Texas and around his home state for the first two months.
"I decompressed and took it down a bit," he said of his offseason. "After that, I really hunkered down and started to work, especially on my hitting, because that's really what I need to work on."
And work on his hitting he did.

Any observer would notice that Pruitt, more patient and connected at the plate, has greatly improved his ability to make contact and hit to all fields. After 80 games, his batting average has increased by 47 points since last year, with his on-base percentage and slugging percentage also rising steadily. Of course, he continues to be a demon on the basepaths.
Notably, Pruitt worked out with Colorado Rockies All-Star Charlie Blackmon, Boston Red Sox rookie Michael Chavis and Washington Nationals infielder Carter Kieboom, among others.
"We know how hard it is to play this game and to be a certain age," he said. "I feel like that did a lot of help for me this offseason."
Though his approach changed slightly after an offseason of learning and conversation, perhaps the biggest change for Pruitt this season was the fact that he now wears glasses while playing.
While he never had any massive vision problems, it was suggested to him in Spring Training that wearing glasses (or contacts, which Pruitt personally dislikes) might make things a little brighter and easier to see.
Seeing as this is his second season in the Midwest League, Pruitt is facing different challenges this time around, mainly finding consistency in his swing and approach. With the help of hitting coach Logan Bone, he's lowered his hands and slightly adjusted the path of his stride.
"I originally had a high hand 'load', I guess you could say," Pruitt remarked of his swing. "When I took my stride, my hands would be dropping. When I stride now, my hands go up, it's kind of like a lever, just reversed it."
Because of these changes, Pruitt has been able to control his strikeout numbers, making more solid contact with tough pitches in various different situations, something he attributes to both the position of his hands, and a sharper eye at the plate when it comes to high heat.
Though he admits that he feels a little "antsy" on the basepaths, he continues to be a force to be reckoned with in terms of stealing bases. In sole possession of the Midwest League lead in stolen bases with 36 (ten more than the next most prolific base stealer), Pruitt continues to feel good about both his abilities and his progress.
"That's a part of the game that I'm really confident in," he noted. "I know that even if I get thrown out, I'll stride back up and try again. When I get good preparation on my jumps, which me and [Lugnuts position coach] Dave Pano work on all the time, it definitely leads to success on the field."
One of the league's top defenders as well, Pruitt always likes to help out his pitchers, making both the highlight reel and routine plays. Simply put, Pruitt's goal is to get outs and minimize the amount of baserunners that his hurler has to deal with.
As he improves his offensive prowess, Reggie Pruitt, one of the most consistent and energetic players on the roster, remains a defensive wizard. With the speed of a sprinter and the improving bat of an up-and-coming outfielder, he remains one of the system's most intriguing names.
"This group of guys is hilarious," he joked about his team. "We may not be as old as the guys last year, but we definitely have that competitive youth. It's never a dull moment. We always want to have fun - win, lose, or draw."