While several Los Angeles Dodgers had already reported to Camelback Ranch prior to Wednesday, the entire roster was in camp for Thursday’s first full-squad workout.
Thus far, there’s been plenty made of Kenta Maeda’s bullpen sessions and his transition to pitching in the Majors, and Hyun-Jin Ryu’s recovery from last May’s surgery to repair the torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.
Also of note, Kiké Hernandez, Joc Pederson and Yasiel Puig were among the position players who arrived at the club’s Spring Training facility ahead of schedule.
Both Pederson and Puig are looking to bounce back from a frustrating 2015 season, though for various reasons.
Pederson began last season on a high note by winning the starting job in center field and batting .230/.364/.487 with 20 home runs, 15 doubles, 40 RBIs and 58 walks during the first half.
Along with participating in the 2015 Home Run Derby, Pederson became the first Dodgers rookie position player to start in the All-Star Game. However, he began to cool off at the plate in the weeks leading up to the Midsummer Classic, and slumped his way through the second half of the year.
After spending a portion of the offseason working with new Dodgers hitting coach Turner Ward, Pederson appears to have ditched the high leg kick in his swing, evident of video provided by J.P. Hoornstra of the LA Daily News Group from Thursday’s workout:
Overall last season, Pederson batted .210/.346/.417 with 26 home runs, 19 doubles, 54 RBIs, 170 strikeouts, 92 walks, a .335 wOBA and 115 wRC+ over 151 games. Pederson said recently his rookie year proved as a valuable learning experience from which he intends to build on moving forward.
