Giving Orioles prospect Ryan McKenna a few weeks away from the game in between his breakout season in the minor leagues and his star-turn in the Arizona Fall League was really all it took for him to bust out of his late-2018 swoon.
And just as important as the time he spent in Gainesville, Fla., visiting his brother was the time he spent at the Orioles' instructional league gearing up for the AFL, the former to recharge and the latter to get some experience at second base to diversify his already-valuable defensive profile.
Taken all together, the progress McKenna has made since the Orioles' affiliates wrapped up for the offseason has been exceptional.