Varsho putting his trust in simplified approach to 2024

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- A year ago, Daulton Varsho was trying to do a lot, all at once.

He’d grown comfortable in the D-backs’ organization over seven seasons, but suddenly there were new names, new faces, new schedules, all while shouldering the expectations that come with being at the center of a major trade. Then came the tinkering.

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When Varsho spoke with reporters last spring, he’d detail the timing of his front foot, the rhythm of his leg kick, the movement of his hips, the connection between his upper half and his lower half, which he was working to weld together before the season started.

The leg bone's connected to the knee bone, the knee bone's connected to the thigh bone.

“Last year, I was trying to do more. I was trying to change every single day,” Varsho said prior to the Blue Jays' 2-1 win over the Yankees on Friday at TD Ballpark. “I think that’s what I got caught up with last year. This year, it’s basically trusting what I did in the offseason and knowing that it’s going to work.”

The simpler the better. This is what Varsho needs, and it all falls in line with a more straightforward approach for this offense under bench coach/offensive coordinator Don Mattingly.

This has never been an issue of talent for Varsho, who is a gifted athlete and one of the most dedicated players you’ll come across. It’s a matter of getting to that talent more consistently.

That’s how Varsho can unlock the potential the Blue Jays envisioned -- and still do -- when they landed him in a trade headlined by catcher Gabriel Moreno, one of the top prospects in the sport at the time.

“Sticking with one thing is big for him,” manager John Schneider said. “What I’ve seen is that he’s putting himself in good counts. He’s seeing the ball a little bit better and not chasing at much. From there, it’s just about putting yourself in a good position to swing and staying on top of the ball a little bit more than he did last year.

“It’s pretty obvious, his demeanor and how relaxed he is. Now, it’s like, ‘OK, Varsh. We all know you and you know everyone here. Just go play.’”

In 2023, Varsho hit .220 with a .674 OPS and 20 home runs, teasing with glimpses of what he’s capable of. There are 30 home runs in that bat and 20 steals in those legs. There’s some gold in that glove, too, and teammates and coaches alike have expressed their disbelief that he didn’t win one in '23 after one of the best defensive seasons in the sport.

This brings us back to a conversation we so often have with top prospects, though. Talent is one thing, but turning it into consistent production is a completely different challenge. That’s where the Blue Jays’ optimism is coming from this spring, a belief that a less complicated approach by Varsho will leave few obstacles standing between him and a breakout season.

“With everything going on, I’ve been a lot more simplified with what I’m trying to do in my swing,” Varsho said. “It’s showing in pitch recognition and getting my pitch to hit. It’s just about getting the hard results I’m looking for. This spring, I’ve been mentally OK with where I’m at, and I know it’s going to keep rising, keep getting better.”

Varsho is beloved in the clubhouse and he has learned the ropes now. Veteran Justin Turner is already having an effect on Varsho, too, his plate approach and longevity wearing off on the 27-year-old. Varsho has adopted a set routine with the training staff now, which he goes through every three days in camp, instead of waiting for something to flare up and reacting to it.

It’s all about knocking down these things that were standing in Varsho’s way. If there’s one fewer swing adjustment to think of and his body is at 95% instead of 90% in mid-May, that’s another two hurdles disappearing. Then, he can do what a hitter loves most: hunt.

“It’s about not chasing the pitcher’s pitch and being able to get your pitch in your zone,” Varsho said. “For me, and for almost everybody, it’s the middle part of the plate. If you can get the ball to the middle part of the plate and hit the pitcher’s mistake, that’s going to go really well.

“Last year, I was getting in trouble because I was missing that or fouling it off.”

There’s a thin line between Varsho’s 2023 and where he wants to be, and the simpler path he takes, the better.