At the beginning of the season, Baysox outfielder Cory Keylor was fourth on the outfield depth chart, according to manager Don Werner.
How times have changed. With a red-hot bat, Keylor now regularly finds himself hitting third in the Bowie lineup, and he?s leading the team (29-38) in batting average (.288), hits (62), runs scored (28) and total bases (86). He also has four home runs and 21 RBI prior to Tuesday?s play.
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“Cory has been a great surprise (to many people) but not to me,” Werner said. “He?s a guy who works hard, and in the middle of last year, I could really see his swing coming together.”
Keylor said he hasn?t changed anything major in his batting approach but cncentrated on his technique. The increased comfort ? and confidence ? helped Keylor hit .337 in May, sixth-best in the Eastern League.
“I?ve relaxed up there,” Keylor said before a game against Portland last week at Prince George?s Stadium in Bowie. “I?m just going to keep doing what I?ve been doing all year, which is to be a good situation hitter. That?s important.”
In addition to Keylor?s offensive numbers, Werner is pleased with the improvement of the 26-year-old?s overall game. Werner said he?s seen Keylor?s speed develop, making him a base-stealing threat, and defensively he?s saved some runs with his arm from right field.
Now that he?s settled in as a productive hitter and team leader, Keylor said he needs to maintain consistency.
“It?s staying with what I?ve been doing,” he said. “So far, I think it?s worked out pretty well for me.”
THE KEYLOR FILE
Team: Bowie
Position: Outfield
Drafted: By the Orioles in 2001
College: Ohio University
Did you know? Left-handed pitcher Garrett Olson, the Orioles? first-round sandwich pick in the 2005 draft, was promoted from Single-A Frederick to Double-A Bowie following Monday?s game. Olson, 22, pitched eight shutout innings Friday, striking out eight Potomac Nationals and allowing just four hits, lowering his ERA to 2.77. The Cal-Poly product was 4-4 through 14 starts with 77 strikeouts.
