Blake Hunt had an unlucky start to the season.

The 20-year-old catcher, one of the TinCaps' top prospects, was coming off a terrific year at short-season Tri-City, but in the early months of this season, he endured a string of line drives and hard-hit balls that turned into outs.

Through May 26, Hunt was hitting just .194 and his batting average on balls in play – which hovers around .300 for the average hitter – was just .220, the lowest in the Midwest League.

Some players might have lost confidence through such a stretch or tried to overhaul their swing. Instead, Hunt put his head down, made a few minor tweaks and has been one of Fort Wayne's best hitters the last two months.

“The way he handled it, I thought was pretty impressive,” TinCaps hitting coach Jonathan Mathews said. “I was worried he would start to panic a little bit because his batting average isn't what he wants it. But he didn't, he stayed the course. ...

“I was really proud of how he handled himself over the course of the year, the ups and downs.”

Hunt's performance since late May has been a testament to the idea that luck evens out over time. Since May 26, the Padres' No. 25 prospect has hit .311 with a .353 OBP and a .443 slugging percentage. He has 13 extra-base hits in 32 games and had a season-long 11-game hitting streak from June 20 to July 6.

In that same span, Hunt's batting average on balls in play is .370, better than the .351 he posted in 2018.

“Everyone knew I had some tough luck with hitting the ball hard right at guys,” Hunt said of his early-season performance. “The confidence is a huge key. Like, it's knowing that I'm a good hitter and trusting that all the work I've put in before the game is going to result in success during the game.

“So just trusting that. I think turning off your mind and just reacting (at the plate) is a big key because you put your body in a good place and good things are going to happen.”

One change to Hunt's mindset at the plate came as the result of a conversation with 19-year MLB veteran Steve Finley, a former Padre. Finley gave Hunt a new mantra at the plate, which has helped him relax in the box.

“With pitch selection, I was trying to be more aggressive on my pitch and that was leading to me getting a little tense,” said Hunt, the No. 69 pick in the 2017 draft. “Instead of me going with the aggressive body, like the 'Everything has to be aggressive' mindset, (Finley) said just think 'Aggressive mind, calm body.'

“If that's what you do, your body can be relaxed and it can react quicker. Your mind is what has to be aggressive.”

Hunt's batting average is up to .251 and his OPS is above the league average despite his chilly start to the year.

The next step is to start hitting the ball where no one can even think about catching it: over the fence. Hunt has four home runs, but he has been working with his coaches to use his leverage and unlock some extra power.

“It's always a work in progress,” the catcher said.

dsinn@jg.net