Zach Buchanan

zbuchanan@enquirer.com

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Cincinnati Reds shortstop Zack Cozart was taking some routine grounders during Tuesday’s first full-squad spring training workout when coach Dick Schofield accidentally poked a grounder up the middle of the infield. Cozart was playing in, and bolted quickly to corral the ball.

It was the first time he’s really made that type of quick-twitch movement since knee surgery ended his 2015 season in June.

“I just – bam – got there easy,” Cozart said. “It was like, ‘OK…’ (Schofield) was like, ‘Sorry!’ and I said, ‘No, I appreciate it. That’s what I want.’ For me, that was my main goal. I want to get my quickness back side-to-side. Defense is my game. Once I got that back, my confidence is going to skyrocket.”

Cozart’s confidence in his body is already pretty high. Manager Bryan Price said the team will ease him into Cactus League games, but the 30-year-old shortstop feels he’d be ready to handle game action sooner than that.

He’ll wear a knee brace for the next two or three weeks at least, but most of the time doesn’t realize it’s even there.

“I remember when I look down at my pant and I see a brace under my pants,” he said.

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The bigger question will be how quickly Cozart gets up to speed at the plate. His injury cut short what was shaping up to be his greatest offensive season – the shortstop slashed .258/.310/.459 with nine home runs in 53 games – but taking seven months off comes with a price.

Cozart wasn’t able to do any swinging on his own in the offseason, and still gets tired after 20 or 30 swings. Still, he and Price both feel the six weeks of spring training should be more than enough time to get in game shape and find his rhythm at the plate.

“I’m trying to hit as much as I can even though I get tired,” Cozart said. “I want to keep hitting, keep hitting and just get that muscle memory back.”

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Camp has taken on a different form with first base coach Freddie Benavides orchestrating things, but Price said everything has run smoothly so far. In fact, changes to the routine are refreshing.

“(Reporters) have your groundhog day and to a certain degree, we do too,” Price said “If we can disrupt that a little bit, it’s a nice bonus.”