Pettis: Mike Olt “Will Grow Into” Playing The Outfield

Mike Olt is in right field for today’s series finale against the Yankees in the Bronx, and it seems likely that we could be seeing a lot more of the rookie out there. Naturally a corner infielder, Olt has spent the week working with Rangers’ outfield instructor Gary Pettis, and Pettis believes the power-hitting Olt has the tools necessary to make the transition successfully.

“Being a corner infield guy, he’s got instincts and you have to have instincts,” Pettis said, per the Dallas Morning News. “It’s always just going to be a matter of reading the ball off the bat. I just want him to make the routine play and hit the cutoff man. He will grow into it as he plays.”

In limited action (specifically, three games) in the outfield with Double-A Frisco, prior to his call-up earlier this month, Olt said he felt relatively comfortable--and he hopes this bit of experience will help ease the transition from infield to outfield at the Major League level.

“I felt good at Frisco,” Olt said. “It felt like I’d been out there for a while.”