Jeff Manto talks about Christian Walker and Dariel Alvarez (Aberdeen to host All-Star game)

Jeff Manto is in his first season as the Orioles' coordinator of minor league hitting. He was hired Nov. 5 and brings a lot of experience to this job. That includes time as a big league player and also as the major league hitting coach with Pittsburgh from 2006-07 and with the Chicago White Sox from 2012-13.

This week, I had the chance to talk at length with Manto about his first year in this job and also get his opinion on some of the hitters in the O's minors.

We'll run several blogs in this space over the next few days getting his thoughts, but today Manto talks about two of the top hitters on the farm this year in Christian Walker and Dariel Alvarez. Both hitters spent around 90 games with Double-A Bowie and then were promoted to Triple-A Norfolk last month.

The 23-year-old Walker is a right-handed-hitting first baseman the Orioles drafted in the fourth round out of the University of South Carolina in 2012.

He is having a Player of the Year kind of season. In 126 games he is batting .295 with 22 doubles, two triples, 24 homers and 92 RBIs. He leads all O's farmhands in homers and RBIs. He has an OBP of .366, is slugging .498 and an OPS of .864.

Most of these numbers are well above his 2013 stats, when he hit 11 homers with 56 RBIs and an OPS of .818.

Manto told me about meeting Walker in March in Sarasota, Fla.

"I saw a guy that is eager to learn and listen," Manto said. "When I first met him, you could tell, and I don't how to explain this, you can look at a player's eyes and know this kid wants it.

"He said, 'Listen, I need to hit for more power.' He understood where he was in his career. We said, 'All we need you to do is use your legs a little bit more.' He was an upper-body hitter. He got on that and (Bowie coach) Butch Davis did a great job with him.

"I got to Bowie and saw he was hitting them halfway back in the trees. I was thinking he'd hit more homers, but not that far. He's made tremendous strides."

Walker added the power while continuing to take his walks - he has 53 - and maintaining a high average. He's been a complete hitter.

"He really is," Manto said. "I enjoy watching Walker hit, as a coach and fan. He makes adjustments pitch to pitch. We can't teach as a coach how to do that. It is one of the things you learn by instincts and reps and this kid is off the charts with making adjustments within the at-bat.

"It's all about solidifying a plan. It came together and because of his approach to hitting all the numbers can go up. His on-base, his RBIs and so forth. It's a byproduct of a good approach and good mechanics."

As he puts the finishing touches on a big year, what is next to come for Walker on offense?

"I think learning how to hit when he is ahead in the count," Manto said. "Identifying what pitchers are doing when he is ahead in the count. You can get looking 2-0 or 3-1 fastball and not get one. The next stage is you just don't let it go by either. You get a 3-1 changeup and don't swing at it just because it's not a fastball.

"As we move forward with him, we're not going to let him give the pitcher a 3-1 breaking ball."

As for Alvarez, who played in the Futures Game this season, the 25-year-old outfielder and Cuban native, has put together a real strong season. The right-handed batter played in the Cuban League from 2007-11 and the O's signed him last July.

In 123 games, Alvarez is batting .303 with 33 doubles, a triple, 14 homers and 78 RBIs. He has an OBP of .323, a slugging of .465 and a .788 OPS.

"He is more a fast-twitch, loves to swing type of guy," Manto said. "He can look bad on one pitch and throw it again and he's going to hit it a mile. This kid loves to swing and loves to compete. He can grind out an at-bat.

"When he walks up the plate, you just don't know, in a most respectful way, what you are going to get. You don't know whether he'll hit it hard to right-center, left-center, hit it in the seats or bunt. It's exciting watching him hit."

Alvarez has been called a free swinger and he has walked just 16 times between Bowie and Norfolk.

"He may appear to be that way (a free swinger), but believe me, this kid has a plan. He has a plan," Manto said. "I don't know whether he is setting people up or not.

"I've seen him swing at some sliders that just got over the plate and I've seen him swing at the next one and hit it a mile. Seen him one-hand a first-pitch slider 360 feet for a homer in Trenton. Then I've seen him ground out on the same pitch. You don't know what you are going to get but he's a real good hitter."

With two hits last night, Alvarez is batting .371 (13-for-35) during a nine-game hitting streak for Norfolk and he's hit safely in 26 of 32 games since his July 17 promotion.

So what is next to come in his game?

"His next step is pitch recognition and realizing what pitchers are doing," Manto said. "It may hurt him, all that swinging. He has to get a little more disciplined.

"The best hitting coach for him at this point is going to be the opposing pitcher. They are going to give him all kinds of information as to what he needs to do. That is what is going on right now in Norfolk. He is seeing 1-0 and first-pitch sliders. And if he doesn't hit them, he won't need a hitting coach to realize he has to lay off that thing."

Manto said he is not concerned about Alvarez's ability to hit off-speed pitches. Does Manto think Alvarez projects to hit more for average or power as he moves forward?

"That is a good question. I don't have that answer yet, I don't know," Manto said. "It could be one year one thing and the next year the other thing.

"You don't know what you are going to get with this, (and) I mean that in a positive way. He could hit .320 and hit you 15 or hit .280 and get you 35. I just don't know. He has some pop, I'm telling you."

Photos courtesy of Christopher McCain

Aberdeen to host All-Star game: The Aberdeen IronBirds issued this press release tonight:

The Aberdeen IronBirds and the New York-Penn League are proud to announce that the 2015 NYPL All-Star Game will be held at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. This will be the second time Ripken Stadium has hosted the game. In 2006, over 6,900 fans came through the gates.

"The Aberdeen IronBirds and Ripken Baseball are thrilled to have the best and brightest in the New York-Penn League come to Ripken Stadium next summer and play baseball the Ripken Way," said IronBirds' General Manager Joe Harrington.