As one of A.J. Ewing’s biggest fans in the baseball industry, Joe Raccuia wants to talk about the New York Mets’ most recent call-up but apologizes at the beginning of a conversation.His voice is weak, so if anything is unclear, ask him to repeat, and he will, he says.Raccuia, a scout for the Kansas City Royals focusing on hitting development, is recovering in a hospital from a recent stroke. Earlier this year, his son, Joey, died in a car crash at 19 years old.In a year full of incomprehensible pain, Raccuia said that watching Ewing makes him feel a little better.“It helps,” Raccuia said Friday by phone.So Raccuia starts talking. Because the topic is Ewing, he is up for a chat. He talked to another news outlet, too, and he will keep speaking about Ewing for anyone who asks. Raccuia previously worked for the Mets and was Ewing’s signing scout.When he speaks about Ewing, there is no need to ask him to repeat anything. His words come out clear and strong.“It took one swing,” Raccuia said.Seeing the ease of Ewing’s stroke and his quickness to the ball during a game early on in the high school season in 2023, Raccuia said he thought to himself, “Wait a minute here.”In 2023, Raccuia was a New York Mets area scout in Ohio. At the time, he heard Ewing was the kind of high school player worth a look. Nothing much more. He even arrived late to see Ewing, having traveled from a college game. Then he watched the swing. It was one of the best he had seen in his area.