Hart Helps Lead Jays Prospects To Arizona Championship

No team in the Florida State League has scored as many runs as the Dunedin Blue Jays over the past two seasons with Corey Hart at the helm as the team's hitting coach. This year, after helping lead Dunedin to a share of the Florida State League title with the team boasting the league's most prolific offense by a considerable margin, Hart headed to the Arizona Fall League to work with hitters on the Peoria Javelinas. Just like Dunedin, Peoria won the league's championship and was the AFL's highest scoring offense.
Despite his impressive track record developing successful hitters, Hart's advice to his players remains simple.
"Rhythm and timing," he said when asked what he preaches to hitters in Dunedin. "Getting them ready to hit and getting them in a good position. From there, their ability takes over. These guys are all great athletes and they all can hit. They just need to be in the right spot to hit and be on time. That's all it is."
In Arizona this fall, Hart had the opportunity to work with some of Toronto's top prospects as well as some of the most promising young players and most talented coaches from across the minor leagues. For players, the Arizona Fall League serves as an opportunity to learn and develop, and for Hart as a coach, it was no different.
"I tried to take away as much from each individual person and their experience in the game. I tried to pick their brains to see what their organization preaches. I learned some good new drills from other teams. It was a great opportunity, and I had a really good time."
Peoria's fall roster featured seven Blue Jays prospects including 2017 Dunedin Blue Jays Andrew Case, Jackson McClelland, Danny Young, T.J. Zeuch, Max Pentecost, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.. While Hart saw great improvement on the field from the Jays prospects, the opportunity to play on a championship team with Peoria may be just as important in their development as ballplayers.
"I think it's huge. We are trying to develop a championship club. I believe it's very important to put guys in a position where they do win a championship or play for a championship. There's certain guys that are on every team that's in a championship. Take Craig Counsell, he was on a playoff team almost every year. Ben Zobrist, too. Guys like that, they know how to win. To be around guys like that is priceless. They bring people up, and I think there's something to it. If you can put people in that situation where the first time they're playing in a playoff game isn't the World Series, being in that situation will give them a better chance to succeed."
With the 2017 season in the rear-view and two championship rings on the way, Hart headed home following the AFL title game to spend time with his family. After a trip to Paris with his wife, he has turned his sights to the 2018 season and the opportunity to continue to develop young Blue Jays hitters into future stars.
 
Following Peoria's championship win, Hart offered his assessment of some of the Blue Jays prospects on the team.
On Andrew Case's development over the course of the season:
"The biggest thing is his confidence. I don't think that he was un-confident when he got to Dunedin, but watching his numbers and listening to the reports of him in Double A, I think that's really when his confidence broke in. He was fearless. That's how he pitches. He goes out there and comes right after people. He's got good stuff and throws strikes. He had one walk in the Fall League and that was his most upsetting thing he talked about."
On Max Pentecost returning behind the plate after injuries prevented him from catching near the end of the 2017 season:
"He looked really good back there. He made some really good throws. We didn't get to see a lot of people try to run against him in Dunedin because they'd see him throw the ball down between innings. But, some of those guys tried running on him [in Arizona]. It'll take more reps for him to get where he's throwing consistently, but, oh man, he had some really good throws.
On Lourdes Gurriel's development throughout the season:
"I think when he got to Dunedin he was trying to show everyone why he is who he is. I think he was pressing a little big. In the fall league, he was playing more relaxed and had a lot more confidence."