In March, Carroll, the centerpiece of the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks, agreed to an eight-year, $111 million contract, with a ninth-year team option. Carroll was terrible the first day, Gardner said, but took about 200 bunts the next day and improved. Carroll finished the 2022 season in the majors, after smashing 24 homers with a .611 slugging percentage in the minors. Over the winter, when he visited the Diamondbacks’ training complex in Scottsdale, Ariz., he asked Gardner if he could bunt some more. They worked together for five or six sessions, hundreds and hundreds of attempts.

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Persons: Corbin Carroll, Carroll, Jeff Gardner, Gardner Organizations: Arizona Diamondbacks, Diamondbacks, Class AA Locations: Amarillo , Texas, Scottsdale, Ariz