Nolan Arenado‘s numbers through 12 spring training games almost require a second look to believe them. In 39 at-bats, the reigning National League Silver Slugger at third base has 20 hits – eight of the extra-base variety – nine RBIs and has struck out just twice. Arenado currently leads all of MLB in batting for the spring with a .606 average.

His eye-popping numbers might warrant a second glance from onlookers, but Arenado needed just one look to get his first two hits in Sunday’s exhibition against San Francisco. On two pitches, Arenado was 2-for-2 with a double and a single in his first two at-bats.

That was the game plan, though, Arenado told the media postgame, to work on hitting the first pitch.

“Today I told myself I’m going to be aggressive from the first pitch on. If I see it for a strike I’m going to take a hack at it,” he said.

Nolan Arenado Postgame 03.20.16

Those hacks have produced incredible results so far this spring. He has hit safely in all 12 games in which he’s played and he has multiple hits in seven consecutive games.

Arenado, who turns 25 on April 16, said this spring has really been about being locked in, but also about expanding his approach at the plate and trying new things.

“I think it’s just a zone, you know. I’m just hitting the ball well,” he said, “and that’s something I want to carry in to the season.”

Sunday’s approach, which added two hits to his league-leading tally, was to attack first pitch strikes.

“I usually don’t do that during the season,” Arenado said, “usually I like to maybe see a couple pitches, but today was just one of those days where I tried it out to see how it felt. This is the time to work on it.”

Not everything he’s working on yielded a positive result – he recorded his only out of the day in an at-bat where he swung on a 3-0 count.

“This is the time to try things out … You know, I swung 3-0. Probably during the season I might not swing there. But I just want to see what I can do, trying different things.”

The net outcome on that approach has been so far been outstanding, although Arenado did admit he wished one thing was different: “I wish it was April.”