Kean Wong finds his form at Triple-A
Hilo’s Kean Wong is playing like he doesn’t want to see Montgomery again, compiling his 12th multihit game for the Durham Bulls on Wednesday and raising his average to .272 for the Tampa Bay Rays’ Triple-A affiliate.
Sandwiched in between two stints in Durham this season was a 12-game stretch down in Double-A, where he played all of last season. Wong had just 10 hits in 45 at-bats in Montgomery after being sent down May 15, but Durham manager Jared Sandberg told Tribune New Service it was pleasing for the team to see Wong get it going offensively since being recalled 15 days later.
“For Kean it’s a tale of two seasons,” Sandberg said. “Coming to Triple-A and playing everyday, he put a lot of pressure on himself and went back to Double-A. Now he came back here a different player. He’s got a chip on his shoulder and since he’s been back here he’s been very impressive.”
Wong, a fourth-round draft pick out of Waiakea in 2013, has been much more comfortable in his return role to Durham. The 22 year-old drove in a run his first at-bat Wednesday, giving him some confidence the rest of the day at the plate and in the field at second base, finishing with three RBIs.
“I was seeing the ball well,” Wong said after a 6-4 win against Norfolk. “Jayson Aquino is a really good pitcher, but I was seeing the ball well out of his hand and had a good day and we had a good win.”
Wong has advanced a level every season, just like his brother Kolten Wong, the St. Louis Cardinals second baseman.