By: Michael DiStefano

Canadian Baseball Network

DUNEDIN, Fla.- A power pitcher’s best friend is the fastball and if it’s finding the strike zone, success is likely to follow. 

Sean Reid-Foley took his career to the next level in 2016 after making adjustments to his pitching mechanics to find his control on the fastball. 

After he struggled to find the command of his heater in his first year of professional baseball in 2014 he reverted back to his pitching style from his days at Sandalwood High School in Duval County, Fla., which allowed his game to ascend to a new level last season.
 
“I made [the batters] hit the ball and pitch them more to contact and let the strikeouts come. I didn’t try to force everything and try to miss barrels all the time,” Reid-Foley said after working on pitching drills at the Bobby Mattick Training Centre.

Foley split last season between the Lansing Lugnuts and Dunedin Blue Jays. He went 10-5 with a 2.81 earned-run average, while racking up 130 strikeouts in 115.1 innings pitched.  

After a successful 2016 campaign, Reid-Foley continues to preach the importance of continuing to work on commanding his four-seamer above all else.

Reid-Foley said the Blue Jays seem to be pleased with his development during spring training.

“I’ve been talking to all the pitching coaches and they’re content with where I am at right now and I obviously work to get better every day,” said the power thrower. “They’re excited for me this year; everyone at the complex is.” 

Despite the positive reviews by the Blue Jays coaches, Reid-Foley is still keen on perfecting his fastball this spring.

“The biggest thing they preach is fastball command and to work on that,” he said. “That’s the biggest key you need to have coming out of camp, especially going into the season, so you’re comfortable against hitters.”

Although he may be a year or two away from playing north of the border, Reid-Foley is one the brightest stars in the Blue Jays prospect pool and is excited to begin the season and build on the success from 2016.

“Last year was a huge learning curve,” he said, “It was fun last year playing so hopefully [I] just keep adding onto it and you never know what happens.”