The last time we checked in with the Padres’ minor league slugger, Reyes was finding his way in High A and enjoying the increase in power numbers that are often associated with Cal League ballparks. Reyes hasn’t needed a ton of help in the strength department thus far, and he remains one of the bigger raw-power guys in the minor leagues. That said, in 2016 he struggled to consistently translate that strength to game power, due in large part to the length of his stroke and the stiffness of his actions. Reyes is off to a hot start in his first taste of Double-A action, and while the sample size is exceptionally small, he has not only shown better at-bats and a willingness to take the ball the other way, but he has a looseness in how his hands work that did not exist in 2016. Reyes appears to have dropped a bit of the baby-fat that gave him a more rounded frame in seasons’ past and now looks much leaner and stronger, a sign of him growing into his body and perhaps finding more coordination. Franmil is a huge individual, so it should come as no surprise that it might take a little longer for him to find consistency in maneuvering his immense frame. While there is still a good deal of length to his swing, the bat speed has looked better through this first week. Reyes has also put up much better at-bats early on, working himself into more hitters’ counts and shortening the swing when he gets two strikes on him. One of the biggest knocks against the young slugger has been the swing and miss — if his current approach continues, Reyes could be looking at a season of vastly-improved contact rates, which would then allow the raw power to better translate into games.