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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–A player’s ability to mash 60-mile per hour fastballs is hardly a predictor of success, but when games are still a few days away, batting practice home runs are still a hot topic at spring training.

One group of Giants hitters is off to a particularly impressive start.

Outfielders Austin Slater, Cameron Maybin and Mac Williamson formed a quartet with catcher Aramis Garcia during Wednesday’s workout and peppered the left field berm at Scottsdale Stadium with home runs.

The distances players reach during batting practice isn’t particularly important, but the quality of the swings they produce is something coaches watch closely. And thus far, all four have stood out for different reasons.

Slater has overhauled his swing and is launching the ball higher and further, a critical development for a player who struggled to drive pitches last season. Manager Bruce Bochy said Slater is trying to avoid “smothering the ball” and the early changes he’s made to his swing should give him a better opportunity to hit for power.

During a live session Wednesday, Slater crushed an offering from right-hander Trevor Gott over the left center field fence. It was the first and remains the only live batting practice home run in two days of camp.

Maybin also reworked his swing this offseason, spending three-to-four days per month in California with private hitting instructor Craig Wallenbrock. After the well-traveled outfielder signed a minor league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training with the Giants, Maybin said he wasn’t focused on lifting the ball in the air but rather determined to make more solid contact.

Over the past few days, Maybin has driven several balls into outfield gaps but also appears to be getting under a number of pitches as he refines his new approach.

Williamson stands out for the sheer power he brings to the plate, but also because he’s out of minor league options. If Williamson doesn’t make the 25-man roster out of camp, the Giants must designate him for assignment.

The outfielder has said he’s completely recovered from a concussion that cost him much of last season and he’s helped prove that by making plenty of hard contact during batting practices. Williamson is still using the same swing mechanics he brought to spring training last year after working with private hitting instructor Doug Latta.

The final member of the quartet, Garcia, earned rave reviews from president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi who admitted he didn’t know much about the catcher before Zaidi arrived in San Francisco in November. Though the Giants have signed veterans Steven Vogt, Cameron Rupp and Rene Rivera to compete for playing time behind Buster Posey, Garcia is in the best shape of the group and has impressed everyone around camp with his first swings of the spring.

Posey waiting to catch

Bochy said Wednesday that Posey continues to progress well as he recovers from August hip surgery. Though the Giants catcher hasn’t experienced any setbacks while practicing this spring, the team will take a cautious approach and likely won’t have Posey catch in a Cactus League game until around March 1.

Posey could play first base or serve as a designated hitter before the end of February, but don’t expect him in the lineup much during the first week of games.

Giants set rotation for first week

Right-hander Chris Stratton will take the ball in Saturday’s Cactus League opener against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Bochy said left-hander Ty Blach will back up Stratton as the first reliever. The rest of the rotation for the first week is as follows:

Sunday vs. Cubs : Madison Bumgarner

Monday vs. White Sox : Derek Holland followed by Drew Pomeranz

Tuesday @ Reds : Dereck Rodríguez

Wednesday vs. Royals : Jeff Samardzija followed by Andrew Suárez

Pitchers ‘letting it go’

Samardzija faced hitters Tuesday for the first time since he made a rehab start for Double-A Richmond in Bowie, Maryland last August. Samardzija said he felt pain-free and was no longer attempting to compensate for pain in his shoulder by adjusting his mechanics.

Johnny Cueto played catch for the first time Monday, hitting a key milestone in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Cueto was happy to be back on the field and still hopes to rejoin the Giants sometime before the end of the regular season.

One Giants coach said former top prospect Tyler Beede has added a new timing mechanism to his delivery that has helped him regain command and confidence. It’s uncertain whether the Giants will train Beede as a starter or reliever this spring, but he transitioned from the rotation to the bullpen last summer.

Bochy said right-handed relievers Ray Black and Melvin Adon have both touched 100-miles per hour with their fastballs and added that Adon could be on the fast-track to the big leagues if he builds off an impressive Arizona Fall League season.

Day off for Sandoval

Pablo Sandoval tweaked an oblique during an impressive batting practice session on Tuesday and had the day off Wednesday. The injury isn’t considered serious and Sandoval could be back on the field as soon as Thursday.