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'You’ll be seeing a lot of it': Wil Myers will be swiping dirt at GABP

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Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati Enquirer
·4 min read

GOODYEAR, Ariz. –– New Cincinnati Reds outfielder Wil Myers has a habit that he knows Reds’ fans are going to ask him about.

Before every pitch, Myers reaches down and picks up some dirt off the ground. He’s one of the few players in MLB who doesn’t wear batting gloves, and swiping some dirt has become his pre-pitch routine over his 10-year MLB career.

“Sometimes you’ve got a bit of moisture on your hands, so I pick up dirt very, very regularly,” Myers said. “It’s kind of been my thing. You’ll be seeing a lot of it.”

Cincinnati Reds right fielder Wil Myers doesn't wear batting gloves, so he swipes dirt off the ground before every pitch.
Cincinnati Reds right fielder Wil Myers doesn't wear batting gloves, so he swipes dirt off the ground before every pitch.

Myers didn’t wear batting gloves in high school, and he didn’t want to make that change when his minor league career started. But it’s tougher hitting with a wood bat than it is with a metal bat, and Myers had to find a way to keep his grip consistent with a wood bat.

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He doesn’t remember making a conscious decision to start picking up dirt, but it worked. He became a top-10 prospect in baseball, then the AL Rookie of the Year and then a longtime middle-of-the-order bat in MLB.

“It’s more of a habit at this point,” Myers said. “You take a pitch and swipe a bit of dirt. It’s been a comfort thing for a long time.”

Myers, 32, signed a one-year deal with the Reds in December to bring reliability and power to the middle of their order. He had a great spring training, hitting the ball to all parts of the field with a smooth, natural swing.

Myers was the Reds’ biggest free agent addition since the 2020 offseason. His athleticism and his experience have been on display all spring.

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“He brings experience and fun,” Reds catcher Curt Casali said. “He’s a pretty carefree guy in the best way. He gets his work done. I’ve known Wil since we were both rookies in Tampa. He has matured a lot, but he still has a big kid mentality in his heart and the way he plays the game. You know what you’re going to get. Solid defense, a quick bat and a nice presence for younger guys to look up to.”

Cincinnati Reds right fielder Wil Myers waits to take the field at Goodyear Ballpark. The big free agent addition has had an impressive spring.
Cincinnati Reds right fielder Wil Myers waits to take the field at Goodyear Ballpark. The big free agent addition has had an impressive spring.

Dream comes true

When Reds manager David Bell called right-handed pitcher Luis Cessa into his office on Friday morning, Cessa flashed back to some career-changing decisions he had made over the last six months.

In September, after the long-time reliever wrapped up the regular season in the Reds’ rotation, Cessa decided that he was going to train like a starting pitcher during the offseason. He ran more sprints, lifted more weights and pushed himself more to build up his endurance.

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Then in early March, Cessa left Reds’ spring training to pitch for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Two weeks later, with Team Mexico heading to the semifinals, Cessa decided to leave his international team to return to Reds’ spring training and get back in the starting rotation battle.

Both of those decisions paid off as Cessa learned on Friday that he’ll be the Reds’ No. 5 starter.

“David and I had a big hug,” Cessa said. “I had a flashback to how I made the best decision to come back early from the World Baseball Classic. I’m so happy for David and (pitching coach Derek Johnson) giving me this opportunity. I spent a bunch of time in the offseason to be ready for this.”

Longtime reliever Luis Cessa trained all offseason to be a starting pitcher, and he'll get that chance in the Reds rotation.
Longtime reliever Luis Cessa trained all offseason to be a starting pitcher, and he'll get that chance in the Reds rotation.

Cessa wrapped up his spring pitching four innings in a minor league game against Chicago White Sox prospects on Friday. He’s scheduled to throw in an intrasquad game on Wednesday and then face the Chicago Cubs on April 4.

Against the White Sox, Cessa worked on a new pitch. Cessa’s slider has always been his most effective pitch, and he threw it more than his fastball in 2022. This season, Cessa has added a second version of his slider to complement the old slider that continues to be a productive pitch.

Cessa’s natural slider looks like a curveball. His new slider, which he mixed in against the White Sox, is more sharp and moves more like a cutter.

“Maybe that’ll be my new weapon for the season,” Cessa said.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'You’ll be seeing a lot of it': Wil Myers will be swiping dirt at GABP