Each of the last two seasons, Charlie Tilson was a temporary member of the Chicago White Sox.
He played for the major-league club from May to July, but he started and finished the year at Triple-A Charlotte.
After he elected free agency in October, Tilson signed a minor-league contract with Pittsburgh in January and is in spring training with the Pirates as a non-roster invitee.
Tilson, a second-round pick out of New Trier in 2011, thinks he is capable of much more than his track record would suggest.
“I definitely think I’ve got more potential and more to offer,” Tilson said. “I know I could be a regular player in the big leagues, and if I’m able to take care of business and really maximize my abilities, things will play out in that way.”
One thing that has held Tilson back is his production at the plate. He posted a .229 batting average, a .293 on-base percentage and a .285 slugging percentage in 144 at-bats with the White Sox last season.
The underlying numbers were no better. Among the 411 players with a minimum of 150 plate appearances in 2019, Tilson ranked 311th in average exit velocity (86.9 mph) and 395th in average launch angle (4.9), according to MLB’s Baseball Savant website. For comparison, the Yankees’ Aaron Judge produced a league-leading average exit velocity of 95.9 mph and paired it with an average launch angle of 11.4.
Tilson said he worked in the offseason to move the bat-ball contact point further out in front when he swings.
“Nowadays you hear a lot about exit velocity, launch angle. I think you can talk in those terms, but for hitters, we like to simplify it more,” Tilson said. “What you see in the sabermetrics and the numbers is that when you hit the ball further out in front, typically you’re able to do more damage. Exit velocities are higher, and often times launch angles are as well.”
For the second consecutive offseason, Tilson worked on his swing with former Cubs catcher Erik Pappas. Pappas was Tilson’s hitting coach in 2013 with the Peoria Chiefs, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Single-A affiliate.
Pappas said Tilson has a much better grasp of hitting than he did even a season ago.
“He had better questions,” Pappas said. “I said, ‘Oh, you get it. You’re understanding it now.'”
Tilson has continued to work on his swing in spring training with Pirates hitting coach Rick Eckstein, the older brother of former major-league infielder David Eckstein. Rick Eckstein said he has a background in sports science, and his understanding of how the body works has been beneficial, Tilson said.
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“The way he teaches, it’s not just so that you do it the right way, it’s so that you understand why,” Tilson said. “I think that is what allows us as hitters to be more consistent. It’s been great for me because I can ask him all sorts of questions. It gives me stuff to think about.”
Eckstein said they’ve worked on making Tilson’s body more efficient when he swings. Now that his movement is more efficient, Tilson has already generated a greater exit velocity.
“Every day he’s getting a little bit more knowledgeable about himself,” Eckstein said. “A little bit more knowledgeable about, ‘Wow, I wasn’t able to get to that zone or I wasn’t able to get to that pitch in the past and now I am.’ Really, we’re just trying to open up the hitting area for him and then see where that takes us.”
The results so far have been mixed. Tilson has four walks in 19 spring-training plate appearances, but he has just two hits: both singles.
Eckstein, however, is optimistic.
“I’m really excited about where his mind is going and how he’s thinking and how he’s challenging himself to achieve what he knows to be his potential,” Eckstein said. “It’s been a very exciting start to this process.”
Ryan Nilsson is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press