(More Than) Three Questions With ... Saints Infielder Spencer Steer

[Seth Stohs]

When players move up levels, the game speeds up, and the competition gets stronger. Through his first two weeks at Triple-A St. Paul, Spencer Steer is defying that logic. The game appears to be coming to him at a proper pace, and despite facing a lot of pitchers that have big-league experience, Steer has quickly adjusted to his new team.

 

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 On Tuesday night, Spencer Steer had two hits including his seventh home run since joining the Saints. In 14 games, he has gone 16-for-59 and is hitting .271/.368/.678 (1.046) with three doubles and seven home runs. That is after starting the season with 35 games in Wichita where he hit .307/.385/.591 (.976) with 13 doubles and eight home runs. 

“It’s pretty much the same game. The biggest difference that I’ve noticed is that almost everyone you’re surrounded by has had time in the big leagues. It’s pretty cool to play with all these guys who have played at the highest level, and then obviously face pitching that’s been at the highest level too. It’s been fun so far to kind of have myself be challenged and see how these guys go about their business. It’s been a fun transition so far.” 

 

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He watched veterans before and during batting practice to see how they prepare, how they get into a routine. He asks questions. Teammates discuss hitting, pitchers and more. 

He specifically talked about watching Tim Beckham who just joined the Saints last week after starting the season on the Injured List. He and Alex Kirilloff talk hitting. And veteran Elliot Soto, who has been in professional baseball for a dozen years and even had a three-game stint with the Angels in 2020, has talked to him about a variety of aspects of the game over the past two weeks. 

In 2021, Steer spent 45 games in Cedar Rapids and he walked 35 times and struck out just 32 times. He moved up to Double-A Wichita, and in 65 games, he walked 20 times and struck out 73 times. 

Jump ahead to 2022. He began the season with 35 games in Wichita. He had 14 walks to go with 23 strikeouts, a massive improvement. 

He said, “Going back to that levels and having that prior experience, and obviously failing at that level, and learning from what went wrong. And also learning more about my swing and trusting that I don’t have to do more. I can just focus on hitting the baseball and hitting it on the barrel. If you hit the ball consistently, good things are going to happen.”

He summarized, “Just finding a way to put the bat on the ball, and then on the barrel as much as you can. As simple as that sounds, the more you can hit the ball on the barrel, the better off you’re going to be. I think it was that simple mind set.” 

He also mentioned “plate discipline” and “swinging less with two strikes” when pitchers are trying to expand the strike zone.

“Just kind of simple stuff like that.” 

Side note - While Steer is making it look simple right now, it isn’t simple. It is actually very difficult. 

In a Twins Daily article from late in the 2019 season, just two months after the Twins made him their 3rd round pick, the 90th overall selection in that year’s draft, I chatted with Steer about the type of hitter he was and could become.

He said, “At this level, I’m not the most powerful guy, but I think I can be a guy who drives in runs. For that reason you can stick me at the top of the order and I’ll find ways on base and draw a lot of walks. I think at this level, I’m more of a top of the order guy, but that can always change as I get older and put on more weight.”  

The 2020 minor-league season was canceled due to the pandemic, but Steer put in the time both in the batting cage and in the weight room. 

He returned in 2021 and in 110 total games, split between High-A Cedar Rapids and Double-A Wichita, he hit .254/.348/.484 (.833) with 18 doubles, three triples, and 24 home runs. Only Jose Miranda (30) and Trey Cabbage (27) hit more homers than Steer in the Twins minor leagues last year. 

In 2022, he leads the Twins minor league system with 16 doubles, 15 homers, and 46 RBI. 

 

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He’s looking like a guy who can drive in runs! And he is quick to credit others as well. 

He mentioned that Bryce Berg for helping him with the mentality and approach in leverage situations and counts. He’d take two rounds of BP with nice and easy swings, and then the last two rounds “for lack of better words, swing out of my butt.” 

It was a concerted effort in batting practice that he has been able to incorporate into his approach and learning how to do that in batting practice and transitioning that into the game. He learned his swing. He worked to refine his approach. He’s stuck with it, and it’s continued to this year. 

Bryce Berg was the Cedar Rapids hitting coach in 2021. This year, he has been named the minor league hitting coordinator. He worked with Ryan Smith in Wichita in 2021 and with the Saints now. He credited the new Wind Surge hitting coach Derek Shomon for the work he put in, but also the communication between coaches at each level, making sure everyone is on the same page with each player’s individual path and plan. 

As we have seen with the Twins in 2022, having some position flexibility is important. Jose Miranda put in time at both corner infield positions. Luis Arraez and Nick Gordon have additional value because they can play all over. Royce Lewis illustrates perfectly the value of being able to play multiple positions so that when there is a need in the big leagues, he can be available. 

Spencer Steer has been playing multiple infield positions his whole career. At the University of Oregon, he played third base his first two years before spending more time at shortstop as a junior. In his three professional seasons, he has played 89 games at third base, 75 games at second base, and 41 games at shortstop. 

Looking specifically at 2022, he has played 22 games at third base, 13 games at second base, and 12 games at shortstop. He certainly understands the value of being versatile. 

He said, “The more positions you can play, the better because there’s just more opportunity going forward. If you can play the left side of the infield and the right side of the infield, I just think the more versatility you have, just opens up more doors for you. I feel comfortable at all three spots. I’ve been playing them all fairly consistently. That’s what I hope to do going forward.”

 

 

 He’s only been in St. Paul for a couple of weeks, but he’s seen many teammates already getting The Call to the big leagues. He is now just one step and one call away from the big league dream. 

“It hasn’t really hit me that it could happen at any time. You’re just doing what you can control and that’s going out there and playing well every day. That’s all you can control. It’s awesome to see guys get that call and that opportunity. It’s something that doesn’t get old, seeing your teammates getting that call to the big leagues.” 

Spencer Steer was a non-roster invite to big-league spring training. While there isn’t necessarily a clear path to a big-league spot in the 2022 season, Steer has done everything in his power, and with his power, to put himself in position to be called up if and when needed.

 

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[mikelink45]

He really has his act together - but where can he play in Minneapolis.  The prospects are stacking up. I imagine Kiriloff, Lewis, then Steer as the pecking order.

[Blyleven2011]

Great  to see the steerster  doing well ,,,

He was my pick for breakout season for a minor league player early this spring  ,,,

He still has a ways to go but he is close , maybe this year or next year for sure  ....

Would like to see steers name on the back if a twins jersey ....

[bunsen82]

Miranda and Steer for 3rd base next year,  have nice insurance if one can't quite figure it out or if there is injury.