February 19, 2020 12:47 PM : Bauers has been working on his swing mechanics all winter and says his confidence is high entering 2020, Mandy Bell of MLB.com reports. "I've never felt as good hitting as I do now," Bauers said. "It's not just BP, either. We're in the cage hitting off the velo machine. I could never hit that thing and I'm squaring balls up. I'm just excited to get into games, because obviously that's where it matters. You can be the best 5 o'clock hitter in the world. It doesn't matter. I'm just excited to get into games and see how it plays."
Analysis: It's nice to hear he's feeling confident, but Bauers will have to show it on the field this spring to secure his spot on the Indians' Opening Day roster, which is more crowded after the addition of Domingo Santana. After struggling mightily in his first year with the Cleveland organization, Bauers went to work in the offseason, learning more about swing mechanics and developing proper daily routines. Manager Terry Francona recently noted that he's noticed a big leap in Bauers' maturity from last season.