SAL notes: Pirates' Mitchell powers lineup

As all 30 Major League Baseball teams added talent this week during the annual First-Year Player Draft, Calvin Mitchell could not help but reflect on how much he has grown over the past 12 months. Having entered the 2017 process deemed as one of the top hitters available, the West Virginia right fielder became the 50th player selected when the Pittsburgh Pirates took the San Diego-area product in the second round.

Since then, he spent a summer in the Gulf Coast League prior to being assigned to West Virginia to open the current campaign. Add in the time he spent in the offseason as well as in Spring Training and the 19-year-old outfielder admits he is amazed at how much he has developed in such a short period.
"I do think things are different," Mitchell said. "I've gotten stronger after being in the weight room with the Pirates' trainers. They've really helped me build some strength. I also think I'm a lot smarter than I was last year, especially when it comes to paying attention to the little things before games, like analyzing video to make sure I continue to have success."

As with any player, getting to this point has had its challenges. For example, after entering his senior season at Rancho Bernardo High School deemed a potential first-round pick, Mitchell got off to a slow start that included an 0-for-22 slump at the plate. Several reports suggested those difficulties scared off some scouts regarding the University of San Diego commit before the Pirates decided his pure left-handed stroke was too good to pass up in the second round.
"I felt pressure and the expectations to have a great year," said Mitchell of his senior campaign. "But I do think it was a little bit of me just going into a slump at a bad time."
A member of Team USA that won the Pan American Championships in 2016, Mitchell rebounded to post a .369 batting average with 11 home runs as a senior. He played solidly in the GCL, where he hit .245/.351/.352 in 43 games and displayed an impressive command of the strike zone with 35 strikeouts versus 24 walks in 159 at-bats. The left-handed hitter and showed some power with 11 doubles and two home runs with 20 RBIs.
Upon breaking Spring Training with the Power this year, Mitchell jumped out to a fast start in his first full season of pro ball by batting at a .364 clip in April, including a 13-game hitting streak from April 14-27. He also was named South Atlantic League Player of the Week for April 16-22, during which he went 14-for-30 with nine RBIs and an OPS of 1.233. While numbers are more reminiscent of a video game performance, Mitchell says that his mindset and preparation have helped generate his strong showing in the season's first two months.

"There's definitely been an adjustment period," Mitchell said. "This season I was fortunate to have my first Spring Training where I was able to figure out some stuff and really feel confident from game one. I feel good now because I've been able to find a routine so far that I can rely on and get ready for games each day."
That routine has Mitchell ranking among the SAL leaders in numerous offensive categories. Through June 6, he was second in batting average (.327), hits (66) and doubles (16) and fifth with 34 RBIs and a .540 slugging percentage. He also was tied for first with 26 extra-base hits and was third with 109 total bases, statistics that prove he is raking at the plate, which has always been his passion.
"If I had to pick one thing that I love most about baseball, it would definitely be the competition between me and the pitcher," Mitchell said. "That's where I find a lot of joy, which is the way it's always been for me. Playing professional baseball is the biggest dream I ever had, ever since I was a little kid. It's all I ever wanted to do."

In brief

Pitching dominance: Lakewood's Will Stewart (1.23) and David Parkinson (1.34) own the top two spots among the SAL ERA leaders, and Ramon Rosso (1.62) and  Damon Jones (1.88) rank fourth and fifth, respectively, through games of June 6. Stewart and Rosso have been selected to play in the SAL All-Star Game, with Stewart tabbed to start for the Northern Division. The BlueClaws have won all nine of Stewart's starts. He threw a complete-game shutout with a career-high 10 strikeouts to improve to 5-0 on the season on May 30.
Hot hitters:Columbia right fielder Raphael Gladu extended his hitting streak to 20 games on June 6, giving him the longest string at the Class A level this year. Kannapolis center fielder Luis González had his 17-game string end on June 6, which tied Asheville'sShael Mendoza for second longest in the SAL thus far in 2018.
Mowing 'em down:Rome left-hander Bruce Zimmermann leads the SAL with 84 strikeouts, which was 10 more than second-place Jason Bahr of Augusta through June 6. Drafted in the fifth round in 2017 out of the University of Mount Olive, Zimmermann also leads the league in wins with a 7-2 record and is tied for second with 63 2/3 innings pitched. He owns a 2.12 ERA through 11 starts.