Danny Jansen's career took off once he got glasses
"Keep your eye on the ball." Perhaps the simplest form of baseball advice, millions of young ballplayers have heard this trope at some point in their careers. But what if your eyes aren't quite good enough? Blue Jays rookie catcher Danny Jansen unlocked a new level of performance when he realized that his eyesight wasn't up to par: It was time to get some glasses.
Jansen was a 16th round pick out of a Wisconsin high school in 2013 and struggled in his first few seasons at the plate. He hit .234 with just 11 home runs through the end of the 2016 season, reaching only Class-A Advanced Dunedin. He got glasses before the 2017 season, and his offensive numbers skyrocketed immediately, hitting .323 with 10 home runs in 104 games. Now he's one of the premier catching prospects in all of baseball.
Check out the video at the top of the page to hear Jansen describe the moment he realized he needed glasses, and how much they've helped him. Then, watch him take an eye test to see just how badly he really needed the glasses in the first place.
Jansen also received attention earlier this year when it was revealed that when Jansen was younger, his family in Appleton, Wis. hosted a Minor League player in his first professional season by the name of
Jansen discussed his memories of Jones as an 18-year-old and just how crazy it is to be reunited so many years later:
