Cincinnati Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco's 2010 campaign illustrates why it sometimes pays to be patient with prospects, especially high draft picks. The 15th overall selection in the 2007 draft out of a Pennsylvania high school spent the first three seasons of his pro career failing to post even a .400 slugging percentage. However, things changed quickly last year.

Mesoraco, who turns 23 this weekend, posted a breakout season across three levels last year, putting up a .322 AVG/.377 OBP/.587 SLG stat line, and has carried over that offensive surge to 2011. He's hitting .329 with a .406 on-base percentage, 21 doubles and eight homers in 57 games at Triple-A Louisville. His .552 slugging percentage is good for second in the International League.So what happened? Besides the fact I think we need to be patient with the development of catchers, better health was a key factor. Mesoraco spent his first three seasons dealing with multiple injuries to both thumbs, as well as an issue with his left wrist. Mesoraco told me this spring he also got a little more serious about his workouts and preparation, and adjusted mentally, as well."I think it was just my approach to every game. I wasn't getting so concerned over a single good at-bat or single bad at-bat. It was more just staying focused on the big picture," Mesoraco said. "In the past I put a lot of pressure on myself because I obviously expected a lot, and the results weren't quite there. At the end of 2009 I started to feel pretty comfortable with where I was at, and I started to gain some confidence. [In 2010], I knew it was about time to put up [some numbers]. I think I did a better job of not going after the 'pitcher's pitch' as much."Obviously, mental adjustments can have benefits, and more confidence led to more aggressive swings, but Mesoraco's injury problems didn't allow him to show the same bat speed that helped get him drafted so high. As the bat speed returned, so did his ability to make contact yet still hit with authority.Mesoraco also changed his hand positioning, dropping his hands to give him a better bat path and be more direct to the ball, resulting in him hitting the ball in the air more, which is obviously never a bad thing for a power hitter. It also helped him reduce the uppercut in his swing, allowing him to keep the bat in the hitting zone longer. The stocky right-handed hitter gets good leverage, uses his lower half well and gets good extension, and the changes helped him tap into his raw power better. I expect more of those doubles to turn into homers down the road.The only thing Mesoraco has to watch regarding his swing now is being a little too anxious and not staying back on the ball. He sometimes gets out on his front foot. "I do get real aggressive to the pitch sometimes," Mesoraco said. "Whenever I'm real aggressive, bad things happen. I do have to watch that. Sometimes I don't know how to fix it, but it's gotten a lot better."Mesoraco is still a work in progress defensively, despite solid athleticism for the position. I got an extended look at him during the Arizona Fall League, where he was having all sorts of problems just receiving the ball, in addition to throwing. He had 10 passed balls and four errors in just 18 games behind the plate, though he was reportedly battling a finger issue. The defensive numbers have been better this season, with just two errors and four passed balls in 57 games, though he has thrown out just 19 percent of opposing base stealers. Only Jesus Montero has a worse mark among starting catchers at Triple-A.Mesoraco has the arm strength to post good pop times, but good throwing mechanics and accuracy aren't always there. He's always going to be an offense-first backstop, but I don't think he's in danger of being moved from the position.Reds manager Dusty Baker was impressed with Mesoraco's bat even in the preseason, hinting even then that the club wouldn't hesitate to call upon Mesoraco if either Ramon Hernandez or Ryan Hanigan got hurt. Barring a trade, that's likely the only scenario that gets Mesoraco playing time this season, as the team is happy with its catcher tandem. However, Hernandez is a pending free agent, likely opening the door for Mesoraco next year.Mesoraco projects to hit 20-plus homers in the big leagues. Unlike the two catchers who currently have the most homers in the majors, J.P. Arencibia and Miguel Olivo, who hit homers at the expense of batting average and on-base percentage, Mesoraco's solid pitch recognition and ability to make contact gives him a chance to hit for a decent batting average to go with his pop. He is the rookie catcher most likely to make an impact in 2012.

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