March 22--GLENDALE, Ariz. -- White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Saturday he doesn't think any player in spring training has made more strides than outfield prospect Courtney Hawkins.
Hawkins had a big day Saturday at Camelback Ranch, hitting a two-run, walk-off homer off Royals reliever Brandon Finnegan for a 6-4 Sox victory over the Royals. He also hit the game-tying, two-run homer in the seventh.
"All the strikeouts that he has had (in the past), but I think his confidence has grown here to where he's seeing pitches," Ventura said. "Today he gets down 0-2 with the chance to drive somebody in -- and that's a big league pitcher that he's facing. For me he has just made huge strides. Attitude-wise, everything is right where you want it to be."
A Sox 2012 first-round draft pick, Hawkins hasn't played above Class-A Winston-Salem, where he has spent the last two seasons. He had a very rough year in 2013, when he hit .178 with 160 strikeouts over 103 games. He improved on that in 2014, hitting .249 with 19 homers and 143 strikeouts in 122 games.
He called his struggles "an eye-opener," something that has helped him to put in such a nice showing this spring. He has gone 13-for-31 with two doubles, a team-best four home runs, nine RBIs and eight strikeouts.
"It humbled me a lot and made me more hungry, if that makes sense," Hawkins said. "Thankfully right now I'm feeling great. I'm staying calm. I don't feel too much like, go get it. I'm letting stuff come to me and trying to stay as disciplined as I can at the plate, staying aggressive at the same time."
Hawkins said he has been given a lot of help from Ventura and hitting coach Todd Steverson, along with players like Geovany Soto, Gordon Beckham and Alexei Ramirez.
"I came into spring training saying I was going to put the bat on the ball," Hawkins said. "I wasn't trying to hit for power. Everybody knows I have power. I was trying to be that all-around player that people knew me as and want to be and am gonna be. It's just trying to stay calm and going through the emotions of staying consistent."
