Steven Kwan discusses the importance of mental preparation at the MLB level

As the Cleveland Guardians’ first half of the 2022 season unfolded, one of the great stories has been the emergence of rookie Steven Kwan.

It did not take long for Kwan to emerge on the MLB scene. In fact, he started the season with an incredible flurry of offense. In his first four games, Kwan tied an MLB record by reaching base three or more times in each of his first four games.

This led fans to wonder: How great can Kwan become? Will he ever swing and miss?

As Kwan had an excellent first month of the season, much was discussed about how Kwan acquired mental skills in college that helped him learn to stay calm, cool, and collected. In particular, one specific mental skill that Kwan emphasized in his training during college and the minor leagues was meditation.

Of course, Kwan’s early-season dominance did not go on forever, and like with all players, there was adversity at the plate to overcome.

According to Kwan, in an interview with The Athletic’s Zack Meisel, Kwan explained that during the first half of the season his focus on mental preparation and meditation has become even more of a priority. He views the increased importance of mental training as being related to the attention that is placed on players at the MLB level.

Kwan was also asked about how he dealt with negative thoughts about his baseball performance. Kwan explained to Meisel that his ability to deal with negative thoughts is related to his practice of meditation. In particular, Kwan stated that he will recognize that he has a negative thought and then accepts that he had the thought. He then allows the thought to pass out of his mind.

As the second half of the season has started, it certainly appears that Kwan is mentally focused on the task at hand.