Preparing for another big year

PHOENIX -- Corey Ray recently smashed five doubles, a triple and two home runs in 48 spring-training at bats for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Ray, a Chicago native with high-end speed and power, also stole three bases and produced a .521 slugging percentage.
But even after the dust cleared and he learned that he would play this season with the Triple-A San Antonio Missions, it was apparent that only one thing about his performance over the past six weeks really mattered to him.
"I'm healthy," he said in an interview at the Brewers' training complex last week. "I'm healthy, and I've gotten better every single day."
Ever since Milwaukee drafted Ray in 2016 as the fifth overall pick out of Louisville, he has come to learn that if everything is good with his body, then good things can happen on the field.
He has also learned a few tough lessons about the flip side of that equation, as well, which leads into Ray's very simple approach to the game.
Basically, it's a matter of taking care of himself as best he can, and then keeping his fingers crossed that he can avoid trips to the training room.
"That's all you can ask for," Ray said. "The numbers will come. Whatever your numbers (are), that's what they are.
"If you come out, and you have a good attitude, and you continue to get better every single day that you're here, then it's been a successful camp."
Much was expected of Ray when the Brewers drafted the former collegiate star so high in the first round.
Playing for Louisville coach Dan McDonnell, he had tormented Atlantic Coast Conference opponents with both a home-run swing and a daring baserunning style.
Ray clubbed 26 homers in 129 games over his last two seasons of college. In addition, he hit 31 doubles and six triples and stole 78 bases in that time.
As a result, the Brewers handed him a reported $4.1 million signing bonus.
But as so often happens in a young man's transition from college to the pros, things did not work out so well for him initially.
Following a half season split between the Brevard County Manatees and the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, he suffered a knee injury in the 2016 fall instructional league.
"Corey stole two bases, I think, and on the second half of that, he ended up tearing his meniscus," Brewers farm director Tom Flanagan said. "So that first offseason in pro ball, he was (rehabilitating) down here in Phoenix all offseason. So, that was a big one, and I think it delayed his start to the next year."
His 2017 season was a struggle. Playing for the Carolina Mudcats, he started striking out too much and didn't connect on as many long balls.
By the start of last season, however, things began to come together for him. He enjoyed a strong year with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, leading the Southern League in home runs (27) and stolen bases (37).
"I think last year was a big year, a big step forward for Corey," Flanagan said. "I think this year, you just watch him work in big league camp, (with) his mindset, and I think he wants to build on last year.
"I don't know statistically what (this season) will end up looking (like). But I know he kind of worked on some things and found himself in his swing a little bit."
Even though Ray has dropped off of the national top-100 prospect lists, he remains the No. 2 prospect of the Brewers, behind projected Missions second baseman Keston Hiura.   He remains as one of   Flanagan's favorites.
"He's just an all-around, exciting player," Flanagan said. "He can run balls down in the gap. He's not a flair guy who tries to be dramatic, or anything. Just, naturally, his speed is probably higher end on the scale.
"He's got that speed-power combo of playing centerfield. So, he might go 0-for-4, or 1-for-3 with a walk, but he'll steal a base. He might run a ball down (in the outfield) and save a couple of runs.   He can impact the game in a lot of ways."
The Brewers would like to see Ray stay healthy for another full season, so that he can find a better rhythm with his swing.
They'd like to see him improve on a .239 batting average from last year
"My first goal is to stay healthy, first and foremost, obviously," Ray said. "I think I want to be more consistent in getting hits. Or, not even getting hits, per se, (but) just hitting the ball harder, more consistently, to have more consistent at bats."
Ray said he also sees good things for the team.
"I think this year we're going to be really good, similar to the team we had in Biloxi," he said. "We made it to the championship (series). So, hopefully, we can kind of recapture that success and take it a step further and win the whole thing."
The Missions open their first season in the Pacific Coast League on April 4 at Oklahoma City. They'll play their first home game on April 9 against Memphis.
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