There weren't a ton of bright spots for the New York Yankees during the playoffs, but of the few that existed, one of the brightest was the performance of Harrison Bader.

A 3rd round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015, Bader flew through the Minor League ranks, making his MLB debut in 2017. The sure-handed centerfielder hit well during his rookie year, but before coming to New York, had struggled to maintain consistency at the plate.

Following his trade to the Yankees, and his recovery from injury, Bader took New York by storm with his performance in-the-field, and also at the plate. He developed into a home run hitter in the blink of an eye, which left fans across all of Major League Baseball asking one question. How?

Now, we finally have our answer.

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Harrison Bader Shares Insight on Offensive Emergence in The Bronx

New York Yankees' centerfielder Harrison Bader made an appearance on MLB Network's morning show, MLB Central, on Friday, October 28th. He spoke about his time in St. Louis, playing with such legends as Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina, before diving into his transition to New York.

The Bronxville, New York native joined Mark DeRosa for a "breakdown" style segment, during which he spoke about a very specific change that he made at-the-plate. As Bader puts it, the change set off a metaphorical lightbulb, one that could change the trajectory of his career in New York.

Here's what he said:

How interesting is that?

The concept that is at-play here is ergonomics, otherwise known as the study of people's efficiency in their working environment. A professional athlete's ergonomics can completely change the way they perform, whether they're hitting a baseball, throwing a football, or any other action during a sporting event.

Arizona Diamondbacks v St Louis Cardinals
Harrison Bader as a rookie in 2017, appearing not to be wearing a mouthpiece / Getty Images
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In this case, Bader's batting stance at the plate put him in a position where he was ergonomically uncomfortable. His jaw was not positioned properly, and it was adding additional tension to his body. That kind of tension can keep any athlete from performing at their peak.

As professional sports continue to develop their relationships with technology, every athlete will have the opportunity to learn more about themselves, and their bodies. Bader is a prime example of how a healthy dose of technology can benefit an athlete tremendously.

Championship Series - Houston Astros v New York Yankees - Game Four
Harrison Bader with the mouthpiece in New York / Getty Images
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I'm sure there are other factors at play that helped "unlock" another level of Harrison Bader's game. Being a native of Bronxville, I'm positive that playing for the "NY" logo on his chest and hat was an extra bit of motivation for him.

That all being said, a simple change to the placement of his jaw while in his batting stance is another major reason why Harrison Bader developed into a slugger during the postseason. Now, Yankees' fans are hoping that Bader, and his mouthpiece, will continue to develop into a star in The Bronx.

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