Thomas worked on retooling his swing over the offseason in an effort to create more balance and also separation in activating his hips, shoulders and hands, Theo Mackie of The Arizona Republic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Thomas' father and personal hitting coach, Allen, partnered with a trainer named Chad Miller to open a high-tech hitting company named ID Evolution last spring, and Alek revamped his swing this winter while working with the company's staff. While Thomas said his new swing doesn't feel totally natural yet, he's noticing positive results so far this spring. He hit a ball 116 miles per hour against a Triple-A pitcher prior to spring training, which is notable given that his max exit velocity in his two major-league seasons was 111.3 mph. Thomas has slashed just .230/.274/.359 so far in the big leagues, but the 23-year-old is a former top prospect who hit .316/.391/.500 in the minors. Perhaps the new swing will allow him to come closer to realizing his offensive potential.