The transformation of Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield was purposeful and well-crafted, and by now, it’s been well-documented, too. After the 2015 season, another year in the minor leagues, Merrifield hired a personal trainer and got to work.
He lifted heavy weights daily. He ate like he’d never eaten before, starting each morning with a platter of eggs and ingesting every bit as much protein as he could stomach. The effect on his body was 20 pounds.
The effect on his production was far greater. Merrifield shed the scrappy, light-hitting middle infielder narrative and reached double-digit home runs in one calendar year for the first time in his professional career.