Braves' Olivera impresses during Puerto Rico workouts
Hector Olivera struggled to make much noise with the Atlanta Braves in his major-league debut last season, but early indications are he could be poised for a breakout in 2016.
After coming over from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 13-player, three-team deal in July, Olivera battled a hamstring injury while slashing a disappointing .253/.310/.405 with two home runs in 24 games with Atlanta.
But, as he prepares for his first full major-league season with the rebuilding Braves, hitting coach Kevin Seitzer has seen the Cuban make strides in Puerto Rico this offseason as he converts from a third baseman to a left fielder.
"I was so impressed by his work ethic, his intensity, his focus and concentration to detail. It was really awesome," Seitzer told Mark Bowman of MLB.com. "I was really impressed by how much more athletic he was in the outfield. It was fun to watch."
Despite the encouraging signs, Seitzer is keeping expectations realistic for the 30-year-old.
"He's a gap-to-gap guy," Seitzer said. "I see him hitting 15 to 20 home runs. If he can hit more than that, then great. If he can drive in 80 runs, that's great. If we get more than that, that's icing on the cake.
"He's a pretty talented kid. I think he's going to make adjustments quick."