This story was excerpted from Jason Beck's Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Tigers infielder Jace Jung had quite a two-month stretch for his first taste of the Major Leagues last year. Called up in mid-August as the Tigers went young following the Trade Deadline, the former first-round pick was part of Detroit¡¯s incredible late-season charge to a Wild Card spot, made the playoff roster and even got a few plate appearances in the AL Division Series against Cleveland.

Still technically a rookie who qualifies for prospect status, Jung was among several Tigers who took part in Major League Baseball¡¯s Rookie Career Development Program this week. He sat down for a Zoom interview earlier in the week (some answers edited for brevity):

Q: You were among quite a few hitters who came back to town for a minicamp of sorts. How did that go?

A: Yeah, it was a lot of fun to get to do that this past week, Monday through Wednesday. It was just kind of like a checkup to see how everybody's doing in the offseason, how everybody's weight program's going, how everybody's swing program's going, and just to see everybody, honestly. It's really one of those things that you don't get to do much as baseball players, just go out to a Red Wings game and everybody go out and have a good time.

Q: Was that your first hockey game?

A: Yeah, it was my first hockey game I¡¯ve ever been to. I had no idea really what was going on, so I was just kind of sitting there watching. I was like, ¡®All right, you all gotta tell me when I¡¯ve gotta cheer, because I have no idea.¡¯ But then I was kind of waiting for a fight to break out. I really wanted to see a fight, like somebody grab somebody, throw the gloves off. I wanted to see it in live action but that didn¡¯t happen, but that¡¯s OK.

Q: You had surgery on your right wrist after the season. How did that go, and was that related to the midseason injury you had at [Triple-A] Toledo?

A: Yes, it was one of those things that [it was] just all banged up. They said we could wait until the end of the season to get surgery and fix it, and then I kind of just played through it. At the end of the season, everybody kind of knew that I was going to have to go and do it, so we just went and did it and got it over with. I started swinging again close to Thanksgiving.

It was a nice and easy surgery. It wasn¡¯t anything really extensive, but it was nice to get it, be able to breathe and not have to worry about that anymore.

Q: Did you feel like you were kind of fighting through the wrist after you had the injury midseason? Did it get worse later on in the year?

A: I was kind of fighting it, honestly. I just wanted to help the team win any way possible, so I was doing treatment, I was doing all this kind of stuff just to be able to be in the lineup with the guys, to help them win. I would¡¯ve done anything for the team, anything they needed. If that was to run on the field and do some crazy tackle of somebody, I would¡¯ve done it.

Q: Can you feel the difference now in your swing?

A: For sure. Even hitting, like my numbers are way better than they were at the end of last season, almost getting back to normal that was in Spring Training.

After I had surgery I was sitting there swinging. I can¡¯t remember what day it was, like three or four [days in]. I think I looked at my brother and I was like, ¡®My wrist, it feels so good to just swing and not even worry about my wrist.¡¯ I think that was the main takeaway, the relief of just going out there swinging and not have to worry about hurting or something like that, just having fun.

Q: What was the biggest lesson you took from your first taste of the Major Leagues, and how has it affected what you¡¯re doing this offseason?

A: Obviously every pitcher up there is really good. You¡¯ve got to tip your cap a lot of the time, because it¡¯s a game of failure. You don¡¯t want to give them too much credit, but the main thing I¡¯m working on is just being more direct with the hands. I¡¯m really, really excited I got this surgery done. My wrist feels phenomenal. Obviously the power numbers kind of went down after I came back midseason, but I¡¯m telling you, my wrist feels so much better and I¡¯m hoping to go out there and produce a little bit more than I did.

Q: How are you handling the possibility of the Tigers adding a veteran third baseman?

A: I don¡¯t really worry myself too much about it. At the end of the day, I can only control what I can control. And the Tigers, if that¡¯s what they want to do, that¡¯s what they want to do. I can¡¯t control that, but I can control how I show up to the field and how I go about my work. So just knowing that, that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. I don¡¯t really care about anything else that happens. I just want to go out there, have fun with the guys, bring energy to the clubhouse and just go about my business.

Q: The Tigers had Colt Keith and Justyn-Henry Malloy working at first base, taking ground balls there, just to be ready to have versatility. Do they want you taking ground balls at second or any other position to just keep the versatility in your back pocket to be ready?

A: [Infield coach] Joey [Cora] said a couple weeks ago [to] work out at second and third. So it¡¯s just the same thing as last Spring Training of working two positions. When I get to Spring Training, I¡¯ll be working both again and just going from there.